Thomas Hamilton, 9th Earl of Haddington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Haddington
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| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
| In office 1 January 1835 – 8 April 1835 |
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| Monarch | William IV |
| Prime Minister | Sir Robert Peel, Bt |
| Preceded by | The Marquess Wellesley |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Mulgrave |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 6 September 1841 – 8 January 1846 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | Sir Robert Peel, Bt |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Minto |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Ellenborough |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 June 1780 |
| Died | 1 December 1858 (aged 78) |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Political party | Tory |
| Spouse | Lady Maria Parker (d. 1861) |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh Christ Church, Oxford |
Thomas Hamilton, 9th Earl of Haddington (born June 21, 1780 – died December 1, 1858), was a Scottish politician. He was known as Lord Binning until 1828. He held important roles in the British government, including Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and First Lord of the Admiralty. He was also a member of the Order of the Thistle, a special group of knights.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Hamilton was the only son of Lady Sophia and Charles Hamilton, 8th Earl of Haddington. His mother was the daughter of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun. Thomas went to two well-known universities: the University of Edinburgh and Christ Church, Oxford.
A Career in Politics
Thomas Hamilton began his political journey in the early 1800s. He supported a politician named George Canning. In 1802, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called St Germans. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament.
Moving to the House of Lords
After serving in the House of Commons for several years, Thomas Hamilton was given a special honor in 1827. The new prime minister, George Canning, made him a member of the House of Lords. This is another part of the UK Parliament. He was given the new title of Baron Melrose. In 1828, he also inherited his family's Scottish title, becoming the 9th Earl of Haddington.
Important Government Roles
In 1834, Thomas Hamilton became the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. This was a very important job, as he represented the King in Ireland. However, the government he was part of did not last long.
He returned to government in 1841. He was offered the job of Governor General of India, but he chose to become the First Lord of the Admiralty instead. This role meant he was in charge of the Royal Navy, which was very powerful at the time. He was also part of the Cabinet, a group of the most important government ministers. He held this job until 1846, when he became Lord Privy Seal, another high-ranking government position, until the government changed again.
Holyrood Park Incident
In 1831, Thomas Hamilton lost his family's special right to be the Keeper of the Royal Park (Holyrood Park). This happened because his father had done some quarrying (digging for stone) in the park, which was not allowed. However, Thomas Hamilton received a large amount of money, £40,000, as compensation. This amount would be worth about £4.5 million today!
Family and Legacy
In 1802, Lord Haddington married Lady Maria Parker. They did not have any children who survived. He passed away in December 1858, at the age of 78. Because he had no children, his title of Baron Melrose ended. His other family titles, like Earl of Haddington, went to his second cousin, George Baillie-Hamilton. Lady Haddington died a few years later, in 1861.
In 1828, Lord Haddington hired a famous architect named William Burn to redesign his family home, Tyninghame House. This house also passed to his cousin when he died.
