John Forbes-Sempill, 18th Lord Sempill facts for kids
John Forbes-Sempill, 18th Lord Sempill (born August 21, 1863 – died February 28, 1934) was a noble person from Scotland. He held the title of the 18th Lord Sempill and was also the 9th Baronet of Craigievar.
Early Life and Family
John Forbes-Sempill was the son of William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill and Frances Emily Abercromby. He became Lord Sempill in 1905 after his father passed away. Before that, he was known as "Master of Sempill."
John had two sisters and five brothers. Four of his brothers served in the military:
- Douglas, a Major in the Seaforth Highlanders, died in India in 1908.
- Robert, a Lieutenant with the Gordon Highlanders, was killed in France during the Great War (World War I).
- Arthur served in the Royal Navy and survived the Battle of Jutland.
- Another brother, William, sadly died when he was a baby.
Military Career
John Forbes-Sempill studied at Eton College. After his studies, he joined the military.
- In 1883, he joined the 3rd Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders.
- He then moved to the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in 1885.
- He served in Sudan and later joined the Army Service Corps in 1894.
- He also served with the Black Watch and the Lovat Scouts during the Second Boer War in South Africa. He stayed there until the war ended in 1902.
During the First World War, he commanded the 8th Battalion Black Watch. He was badly wounded at the Battle of Loos and was recognized for his bravery. He was so eager to serve that he claimed to be the first soldier from Kitchener's Army to land in France. He reportedly jumped ashore before his ship even docked!
Public Service
After his military service, Lord Sempill became a Scottish representative peer in the House of Lords. This meant he represented Scotland's nobility in the British Parliament. He also held several important roles:
- He was the chairman of the Aberdeenshire Territorial Army Association.
- He was an Honorary Colonel of the 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders.
- He served as an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant) to King George V.
John Forbes-Sempill was buried in the Forbes of Fintray burial vault at St Meddan's Church in Aberdeenshire.
Family Life
John Forbes-Sempill married Gwendolyn Prodger on June 22, 1892. She was born in Wales and was a talented harpist. They met at a popular resort called Homburg.
They had four children:
- William was their eldest son. He later shared important aviation information with Japan. He inherited his father's titles.
- Their younger son, Ewan, later inherited the baronetcy (another noble title) after William's death.
- Their granddaughter, Ann, inherited the barony (Lord Sempill title).
- They had two daughters: Gwendolyn (also known as Gwyneth), who sadly passed away at age twelve, and Margaret. Margaret became a Justice of the Peace and was recognized for her service in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force during the Second World War.
John's sister, Katherine, married the naturalist George Muirhead in 1907.
