Victor Hay, 21st Earl of Erroll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Erroll
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Photograph of Lord Kilmarnock, 1920
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| British High Commissioner to the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission | |
| In office December 1920 – 20 February 1928 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Harold Stuart |
| Succeeded by | William Seeds |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Victor Alexander Sereld Hay
17 October 1876 |
| Died | 20 February 1928 (aged 51) |
| Spouses |
Mary Lucy Victoria Mackenzie
(m. 1900) |
| Children | Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll Gilbert Boyd, 6th Baron Kilmarnock Lady Rosemary Hay |
| Parents | Charles Hay, 20th Earl of Erroll Mary Caroline L'Estrange |
| Relatives | William Harry Hay, 19th Earl of Erroll (grandfather) Diana Hay, 23rd Countess of Erroll (granddaughter) |
Victor Alexander Sereld Hay, 21st Earl of Erroll (born October 17, 1876 – died February 20, 1928) was an important British diplomat. He was also a writer. People knew him for being very polite and charming. From 1891 to 1927, he was known as Lord Kilmarnock. He briefly served in the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament.
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Early Life and Family Connections
Victor Hay was the first son of Charles Hay, 20th Earl of Erroll. His mother was Mary Caroline L'Estrange. He had a special connection to the royal family. Queen Victoria was his godmother. He was also a favorite of George V and Queen Mary. They often invited him to their home, Balmoral Castle.
Victor Hay was related to King William IV. This connection came through his great-grandmother, Elizabeth Hay. She was the daughter of King William IV.
A Career in Diplomacy
Victor Hay chose a career in diplomacy. This meant he worked for the British government in other countries. He started as an Attaché in 1900. He moved up quickly in his career.
- In 1902, he became a Third Secretary.
- By 1906, he was a Second Secretary.
- In 1913, he became a First Secretary.
He worked in Copenhagen from 1918 to 1919. After that, he briefly served in Berlin. This was when the United Kingdom started talking to Germany again after World War I. He was the most senior British diplomat there until a new ambassador arrived.
From December 1920 until his death in 1928, he held a very important job. He was the British High Commissioner to the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission. This group helped manage the Rhineland area of Germany after World War I.
Victor Hay was also a writer. He wrote two plays. Both plays were shown in London. Their names were The Dream Kios and The Anonymous Letter. In 1927, he became the Earl of Erroll after his father passed away.
His Family Life
In 1900, Victor Hay married Mary Lucy Victoria Mackenzie. She was the only daughter of Sir Allan Mackenzie. Together, they had three children: two sons and one daughter.
- Josslyn Victor Hay (1901–1941) became the 22nd Earl of Erroll.
- Gilbert Boyd (1903–1975) became the 6th Baron Kilmarnock.
- Lady Rosemary Hay married Lt.-Col. Rupert Ryan. She later married Maj. James Gresham.
Victor Hay was the Earl of Erroll for only a short time. His older son, Josslyn, took over the title in 1928.
An Accidental Shooting
On August 31, 1910, Lord Kilmarnock was at Balmoral Castle. He was part of a group hunting birds with George V. An accident happened during the hunt. Captain Hood, who was in a nearby hunting spot, accidentally shot Lord Kilmarnock.
Lord Kilmarnock's glasses broke. He also got a small scratch. He was okay and continued hunting that afternoon. Captain Hood was very upset about the accident. News reports about the incident were sometimes exaggerated. Lord Kilmarnock later said that he was fine and even had dinner with the King the next night.
