George Baillie-Hamilton, 12th Earl of Haddington facts for kids
George Baillie-Hamilton, 12th Earl of Haddington (born September 18, 1894 – died April 17, 1986) was an important Scottish nobleman, known as a peer, from 1917 until his death in 1986. He served his country in both World Wars and was involved in public life for many years.
His Life Story
George Baillie-Hamilton was the son of Brigadier-General George Baillie-Hamilton, Lord Binning and Katherine Salting. He went to school at Eton and then trained at Sandhurst, a famous military academy.
He worked for the Governor General of Canada and was given the Military Cross for his bravery during the First World War. In 1917, he became the Earl of Haddington after his grandfather passed away. During the Second World War, he served as a Wing Commander in the RAFVR, which was part of the Royal Air Force.
From 1952 to 1969, he was the Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire, a special representative of the King or Queen in that area. In 1957, he became the first president of the Georgian Group of Edinburgh, which later became the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland. This group helps protect old and important buildings.
He lived at Tyninghame House in East Lothian, Scotland. There, he and his wife worked hard to create and replant beautiful formal gardens. His daughter, Lady Mary, had a special role as one of Queen Elizabeth II's maids of honour at her coronation in 1953.
His Military Service
George Baillie-Hamilton was a brave soldier. In the First World War, he was a captain in the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys), a famous cavalry regiment. He was wounded during his service.
Later, he reached the rank of Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He also became a Major in the 19th Lothians and Border Horse Armoured Car Company, which was part of the Territorial Army. He was also a Captain of the Royal Company of Archers, a ceremonial guard in Scotland.
His Public Roles
The Earl of Haddington was a Representative Peer for Scotland from 1922 to 1958. This meant he was chosen by other Scottish noblemen to represent them in the House of Lords in the British Parliament.
He held several important local positions. He was a Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of East Lothian from 1929 to 1946, then Vice-Lord-Lieutenant from 1946 to 1952, and finally Lord-Lieutenant of East Lothian from 1952 to 1970. He also worked as a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) in both East Lothian and Berwickshire, helping to keep law and order.
For his service, he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Thistle on December 6, 1951. This is a very high honor in Scotland. In 1957, he received an honorary Doctor of Law (LL. D.) degree from Glasgow University.
His Family Life
George Baillie-Hamilton married Sarah Cook on September 10, 1923.
They had two children:
- Lady Mary Baillie-Hamilton, born January 13, 1934, who passed away on September 19, 2022.
- John George Baillie-Hamilton, 13th Earl of Haddington, born December 21, 1941, who passed away on July 5, 2016.
The 12th Earl of Haddington passed away in 1986.
