John Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie
Encyclopedia
John William Maule Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie KT
, PC (29 January 1847 – 25 November 1887), styled Lord Ramsay between 1874 and 1880, was a Scottish
naval commander, courtier and Liberal
politician. He served as Secretary for Scotland
in William Ewart Gladstone
's short-lived 1886 administration
.
, Aberdeenshire
, Dalhousie was the eldest son of Admiral George Ramsay, 12th Earl of Dalhousie
, and Sarah Frances, daughter of William Robertson. The Hon. Charles Maule Ramsay
was his younger brother. He gained the courtesy title
of Lord Ramsay in 1874 when his father succeeded in the earldom of Dalhousie on the death of his first cousin, Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie
. He matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford
in 1875.
, where he served from 1861 to 1879, achieving the rank of Commander
. He was Equerry
to the Duke of Edinburgh
between 1874 and 1876 and an Extra Equerry between 1876 and 1880.
Member of Parliament
for Liverpool
in March 1880, but was forced to resign already in July 1880 after succeeding his father in the earldom. After taking his seat in the House of Lords
he was appointed a Lord-in-Waiting
in September 1880 by William Ewart Gladstone
, a position he held until the government fell in 1885. In April 1886 he succeeded George Trevelyan
(who had resigned over Irish Home Rule) as Secretary for Scotland
in Gladstone's short-lived 1886 administration
, although in contrast to Trevelyan he was not a member of the cabinet. He was sworn of the Privy Council at the same time. He retained this post until the government fell in July 1886. He was made a Knight of the Thistle
in 1881.
in November 1887, the couple were forced to break off their journey in Le Havre
after Lady Dalhousie was taken ill. Despite medical attention she died of peritonitis
on 24 November, aged 30. After retiring to bed the same night, Lord Dalhousie never awoke, having apparently suffered from an apoplectic fit
during the night. He thereby survived his wife by less than 24 hours, dying at the age of 40. He was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, Arthur. His second son the Hon. Sir Patrick Ramsay became a prominent diplomat and notably served as British Ambassador to Greece, Hungary and Denmark. Dalhousie's third son the Hon. Sir Alexander Robert Maule Ramsay became an Admiral in the Royal Navy
and was the husband of Princess Patricia of Connaught
.
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
, PC (29 January 1847 – 25 November 1887), styled Lord Ramsay between 1874 and 1880, was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
naval commander, courtier and Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician. He served as Secretary for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
in William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's short-lived 1886 administration
Liberal Government 1886
The Liberal Party under the leadership of William Ewart Gladstone came to power in the United Kingdom in February 1886 after they, with the support of the Irish Nationalists, defeated the Conservative government of Lord Salisbury. The administration was to become one of the most short-lived in...
.
Background and education
Born at Aberdour House, FraserburghFraserburgh
Fraserburgh is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2001 Census at 12,454 and estimated at 12,630 in 2006. It lies at the extreme northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, around north of Aberdeen, and north of Peterhead...
, Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Dalhousie was the eldest son of Admiral George Ramsay, 12th Earl of Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 12th Earl of Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 12th Earl of Dalhousie was a British naval officer.He served in the Royal Navy from 1820, rising to the rank of Admiral by 1875. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1856. He succeeded his cousin, Fox Maule Ramsay in 1874, and was created first Baron Ramsay of...
, and Sarah Frances, daughter of William Robertson. The Hon. Charles Maule Ramsay
Charles Maule Ramsay
Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable Charles Maule Ramsay was a British army officer and briefly a Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament ....
was his younger brother. He gained the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Lord Ramsay in 1874 when his father succeeded in the earldom of Dalhousie on the death of his first cousin, Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie
Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie
Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie KT, GCB, PC , known as Fox Maule before 1852, as The Lord Panmure between 1852 and 1860 and as Earl of Dalhousie after 1860, was a British politician.-Background:...
. He matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
in 1875.
Naval career
Dalhousie followed his father into the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, where he served from 1861 to 1879, achieving the rank of Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
. He was Equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
to the Duke of Edinburgh
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and reigned from 1893 to 1900. He was also a member of the British Royal Family, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha...
between 1874 and 1876 and an Extra Equerry between 1876 and 1880.
Political career
Dalhousie was elected LiberalLiberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Liverpool
Liverpool (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool was a Borough constituency in the county of Lancashire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of England to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It was represented by two Members of Parliament...
in March 1880, but was forced to resign already in July 1880 after succeeding his father in the earldom. After taking his seat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
he was appointed a Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
in September 1880 by William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, a position he held until the government fell in 1885. In April 1886 he succeeded George Trevelyan
Sir George Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet
Sir George Otto Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet OM, PC was a British statesman and author. In a ministerial career stretching almost 30 years, he was most notably twice Secretary of State for Scotland under William Ewart Gladstone and the Earl of Rosebery...
(who had resigned over Irish Home Rule) as Secretary for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
in Gladstone's short-lived 1886 administration
Liberal Government 1886
The Liberal Party under the leadership of William Ewart Gladstone came to power in the United Kingdom in February 1886 after they, with the support of the Irish Nationalists, defeated the Conservative government of Lord Salisbury. The administration was to become one of the most short-lived in...
, although in contrast to Trevelyan he was not a member of the cabinet. He was sworn of the Privy Council at the same time. He retained this post until the government fell in July 1886. He was made a Knight of the Thistle
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
in 1881.
Family
Lord Dalhousie married Lady Ida Louisa, daughter of Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville, in 1877. They had five sons. After returning from a trip to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in November 1887, the couple were forced to break off their journey in Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
after Lady Dalhousie was taken ill. Despite medical attention she died of peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
on 24 November, aged 30. After retiring to bed the same night, Lord Dalhousie never awoke, having apparently suffered from an apoplectic fit
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
during the night. He thereby survived his wife by less than 24 hours, dying at the age of 40. He was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, Arthur. His second son the Hon. Sir Patrick Ramsay became a prominent diplomat and notably served as British Ambassador to Greece, Hungary and Denmark. Dalhousie's third son the Hon. Sir Alexander Robert Maule Ramsay became an Admiral in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and was the husband of Princess Patricia of Connaught
Princess Patricia of Connaught
Princess Patricia of Connaught was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria...
.