John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale facts for kids

John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale

John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale (1695 – 9 December 1762) was an important Scottish nobleman. He held many key positions in the government and was a well-known figure in his time.

Early Life and Family

John Hay was the oldest son of Charles Hay, 3rd Marquess of Tweeddale. His mother was Lady Susan Hamilton. His grandparents were John Hay, 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale and Lady Mary Maitland.

His uncle, Lord John Hay, was a famous general. He led a special army group called the Scots Greys at the Battle of Ramillies. This battle was a big event in history.

A Career in Scottish Politics

John Hay was very knowledgeable about law. In 1721, he became an Extraordinary Lord of Session. This was a special type of judge in Scotland. He was the last person ever to hold this specific job.

He also served as one of Scotland's representative peers. This meant he was chosen to represent Scotland in the British Parliament. He did this from 1722 to 1734, and again from 1742 until his death in 1762.

In 1742, John Hay became the Secretary of State for Scotland. This was a very important government role. He also became a Privy Counsellor, which meant he advised the King.

The Jacobite Rebellion

In 1745, there was a big rebellion in Scotland. This was called the Jacobite insurrection. People known as Jacobites wanted to put a different king on the throne.

John Hay was in London at the time. He didn't believe the rebellion was a serious threat at first. Even when the Highlanders, who supported the rebellion, left Perth and marched south, he was still doubtful. He wrote that he thought they wouldn't make much progress. However, on that very day, the Young Pretender, who led the Jacobites, entered the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Changes in Government

In 1746, while the rebellion was still happening, there was a big change in the government. The Prime Minister, Henry Pelham, and his supporters resigned. John Hay tried to form a new government with Earl Granville, but they were not successful.

When Pelham returned to power, John Hay was no longer part of the government. The job of Secretary of State for Scotland was ended again.

Later Roles

Despite these changes, John Hay continued to serve Scotland. From 1742, he was the Governor of the Bank of Scotland. In 1761, he became the Lord Justice General. This was the highest judge in Scotland. He held this important position until he passed away in London in 1762.

During this time, he also built or changed a large house in Edinburgh. This area is now known as Tweeddale Court.

Personal Life

In 1748, John Hay married Lady Elizabeth Carteret. They had four daughters and two sons together. Their oldest son died when he was very young. Their younger son, George, became the 5th Marquess. However, George also died young, at age 13, in 1770. After that, the title of Marquess went to John Hay's uncle, George Hay.

A Free Gardener

John Hay was also a member of a group called the Order of Free Gardeners. This was a friendly society, similar to a club. He joined the Dunfermline Lodge of Free Gardeners in 1721. He quickly became the leader, or Chancellor, of the Lodge. He remained interested in this group and was again Chancellor in 1742. There is no record that he was also a Freemason.