Lord Forrester facts for kids
The title Lord Forrester is a special noble title in Scotland. It's like being a Duke or an Earl, but it's called a "Lordship of Parliament." This title was first created in 1633 for a man named Sir George Forrester. He had already received another special honor in 1625, becoming a "Baronet of Nova Scotia."
When Sir George's only son passed away, he made a new plan in 1651 for how the Lord Forrester title would be passed on. This plan was very specific:
- First, it would go to his third daughter's husband, James Baillie, and their sons.
- Second, if that didn't work out, it would go to James's younger brother, William, who was also married to George's fourth daughter, Lilias, and their sons.
- Third, if there were no sons from these lines, it would go to the children of these brothers (including daughters), with the oldest child inheriting.
- Fourth, it would go to James's other male relatives or anyone he chose.
When Sir George died three years later, his son-in-law, James (who had changed his last name to Forrester), became the next Lord Forrester. James's only child with George's daughter had died earlier. James later had more children with his second wife, Lady Jean Ruthven. However, James died in a tragic event in 1679. After his death, the title went to his younger brother, William, just as the plan had said.
William's son (who also changed his name to Forrester) inherited the title in 1681. The title continued to be passed down through the male family line until the seventh Lord died in 1763. Then, it went to the sixth Lord's sister, Caroline. Her only daughter, Anna, inherited the title in 1784. Later, in 1808, it passed to Anna's cousin, Viscount Grimston (who later became the Earl of Verulam). The title is still held by this family today.
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Early Forrester Family History
The earliest known person with the Forrester name in the area of West Edinburgh was William Forrester. He was listed in a record from Linlithgow in 1311.
Later, a man named Alexander Forrester, who was the great-grandson of John Forrester, was confirmed by King James V as the owner of lands and a large estate called the Barony of Corstorphine. This included areas like Clerkington, Nether Liberton, Drilaw, and Meadowfield. In 1539, Alexander gave up the Corstorphine estate to James Forrester of Meadowfield. This James was married to Alexander's granddaughter, Agnes. James eventually took over from Alexander and became known as James Forrester of Corstorphine.
On July 30, 1618, at Holyrood House, King James VI & I confirmed that Sir George Forrester of Corstorphine owned the lands and barony of Corstorphine. George had already sold some parts of the Corstorphine estate. On July 22, 1633, King Charles I gave him the title Lord Forrester of Corstorphine. Since Lord Forrester had no son to inherit, he gave most of his properties, including Corstorphine, to James Baillie. James Baillie was the oldest son of Major General William Baillie, and he had married George's fourth daughter, Johanna, around 1649.
Changes in Land Ownership
During the mid-1600s, the Forrester family faced some money problems. This meant that their lands were sometimes taken away from them for a while. For example, in 1654, Oliver Cromwell gave the lands of Corstorphine to Laurence Scott and his wife. This happened because James, Lord Forrester, owed money to someone, and that debt was given to Laurence Scott. In 1664, other parts of the Corstorphine lands that belonged to James, Lord Forrester, and his brother William Baillie were given to Florentius Gardner to pay off debts.
James Forrester of Corstorphine (the son of an earlier James Forrester) was confirmed as the owner of the Barony of Corstorphine by Mary, Queen of Scots, on February 5, 1556. In 1577, Sir James gave a bell to the local church for its bell tower. This bell is still around today, though it was updated in 1728. James died on June 4, 1589, and his brother Henry was named his heir.
In 1796, when Sir William died, the Corstorphine estates went to his brother, Sir John Dick. In 1812, after Sir John died, they went to his brother, Sir Robert Keith Dick. In 1869, the Corstorphine estate was sold to John Dickson. The Dickson family, who were mostly lawyers in Edinburgh, owned the estate until 1986. By this time, almost all the land had been sold. The remaining parts of the estate were given to The Corstorphine Trust.
The title of Baron of Corstorphine then passed from The Corstorphine Trust to Michael John Milne in November 2005. He is the 34th Baron of Corstorphine. This title was recorded in a private register in Scotland in December 2005. However, this private register and the barony title are not officially recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon or the Crown in Scotland.
Key People in the Forrester Family
James Baillie's first wife, Johanna, died young. He then married Janet Ruthven, who was the daughter of the Earl of Forth. Sadly, Janet later had a disagreement with Forrester and he died in his garden at Corstorphine on August 26, 1679. The title then went to William, who was the son of James's brother William Baillie and his wife Lillias (who was the first Lord Forrester's daughter).
William, who became the 4th Lord Forrester, married Margaret. She was the daughter of Sir Andrew Birnie, a judge. They had several children, including George, who became the next Lord Forrester when his father died in 1705. Around this time, in 1698, the Corstorphine estate was sold to Hugh Wallace. He later sold it in 1713 to Sir James Dick of Prestonfield. The Dick family owned it until 1869. The Dicks were an important family of lawyers and merchants in Edinburgh. Sir James Dick (1643–1728) was a merchant and a city official in Edinburgh. He also served as a leader of the merchant guilds and later as the city's chief magistrate.
Lords Forrester (1633)
- George Forrester, 1st Lord Forrester (died 1654)
- James Baillie, 2nd Lord Forrester (1629–1679)
- William Baillie, 3rd Lord Forrester (1632–1681)
- William Forrester, 4th Lord Forrester (died 1705)
- George Forrester, 5th Lord Forrester (1688–1727)
- George Forrester, 6th Lord Forrester (1724–1748)
- William Forrester, 7th Lord Forrester (1736–1763)
- Caroline Cockburn of Ormistoun, 8th Lady Forrester (died 1784)
- Anna Maria Cockburn of Ormistoun, 9th Lady Forrester (died 1808)
- James Walter Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam, 10th Lord Forrester (1775–1845)
- For more information on later title holders, see Earl of Verulam.
