Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland facts for kids
The Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland was a very important job in Scottish history. This person was one of the "Great Officers of State," meaning they were a top official who helped the King or Queen of Scotland. The job first started way back when King David II ruled.
The "Privy Seal" was like a special stamp or signature used for important documents. It showed that the King or Queen approved something. The Keeper of the Privy Seal was in charge of this seal. After Scotland and England joined together in 1707 to form Great Britain, the person holding this job was usually a peer (someone with a noble title), similar to the Keeper of the Great Seal. This important job has not been filled since 1922, after the death of Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane.
Who Were the Keepers of the Privy Seal?
Here is a list of some of the people who held the important job of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland throughout history:
- 1371: Sir John Lyon
- ?
- 1424: Walter Foote, Provost of Bothwell
- 1426: John Cameron, Provost of Lincluden, Bishop of Glasgow
- 1432: William Foulis, Provost of Bothwell
- 1442: William Turnbull, canon of Glasgow
- 1458: Thomas Spens, Bishop of Galloway
- 1459: John Arouse
- 1463: James Lindsay, Provost of Lincluden
- 1467: Thomas Spens (again), Bishop of Aberdeen
- 1470: William Tulloch, Bishop of Orkney, later of Moray
- 1482: Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Moray and half-brother to James III
- 1483: David Livingston, Provost of Lincluden
- 1489: John, Prior of St Andrews
- 1500: William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen
- 1507: Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Aberdeen
- 1514: David, Abbot of Arbroath
- 1519: George Crichton, Abbot of Holyrood and from 1526 the Bishop of Dunkeld
- ????: Robert Colvill, of Crawford
- 1542: David Beaton, Abbot of Arbroath, Cardinal Archbishop of St Andrews
- 1542: John Hamilton, Abbot of Paisley, later Archbishop of St Andrews
- 1547: William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven
- 1533: Alexander Seton, 1st Lord Fyvie
- 1563: Sir Richard Maitland, of Lethington
- 1567: John Maitland, Prior of Coldingham
- 1571: George Buchanan
- 1581: John Maitland, Prior of Coldingham
- 1583: Walter Stewart, commendator of Blantyre
- 1595: Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington
- 1626: Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Melrose, later 1st Earl of Haddington
- 1641: Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe
- 1649: John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland (appointed by the Parliament)
- 1660: William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal
- 1661: Charles Seton, 2nd Earl of Dunfermline
- 1672: John Murray, 2nd Earl of Atholl, later 1st Marquess of Atholl
- 1689: Archibald Douglas, 1st Earl of Forfar
- 1689: John Keith, 1st Earl of Kintore
- 1689: John Carmichael, 2nd Lord Carmichael
- 1690: George Melville, 1st Earl of Melville
- 1695: James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry
- 1702: John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, later 1st Duke of Atholl
- 1705: James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry
- 1709: James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose
- 1713: John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
- 1714: John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe
- 1715: William Johnston, 1st Marquess of Annandale
- 1721: Archibald Campbell, 1st Earl of Ilay
- 1733: James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
- 1763: The Hon. James Stuart-Mackenzie
- 1765: Lord Frederick Campbell
- 1765: John Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland
- 1766: The Hon. James Stuart-Mackenzie
- 1800: Henry Dundas, later 1st Viscount Melville
- 1811: Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville
- 1851: vacant
- 1853: Fox Maule Ramsay, 2nd Baron Panmure, later 11th Earl of Dalhousie
- 1874: Schomberg Henry Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian
- 1900: Ronald Ruthven Leslie-Melville, 11th Earl of Leven
- 1907: Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane
- 1922: vacant
See also
- Keeper of the seals
- Lord Privy Seal
