Lawrence Dundas, 1st Marquess of Zetland
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Lawrence Dundas, 1st Marquess of Zetland, KT
, PC (16 August 1844 – 11 March 1929), known as Lawrence Dundas until 1873 and as the Earl of Zetland from 1873 to 1892, was a British
Conservative
politician and statesman. He was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
between 1889 and 1892.
, the son of the Hon. John Charles Dundas, younger son of Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland
. His mother was Margaret Matilda, daughter of James Talbit. He was educated at Harrow
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, being commissioned as a Cornet
in the Royal Horse Guards
in 1866.
, Zetland retired from the British Army
in 1872 and was elected Member of Parliament
for Richmond, North Yorkshire
that same year. However, he sat in the House of Commons
for less than a year before succeeding his uncle as third Earl of Zetland. A Lord in Waiting from May to September 1880, Lord Zetland subsequently moved from supporting the Liberals
to joining the Conservative Party
in 1884. In 1889 he was sent to Ireland
as Lord Lieutenant
, a post in which he proved both successful and popular, and remained there until the Liberals returned to power in 1892. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1889 and in 1892, on Lord Salisbury's
recommendation, he was created Earl of Ronaldshay, in the County of Orkney and Zetland, and Marquess of Zetland.
In the 1890s Lord Zetland became more involved in local politics, becoming an alderman
on the North Riding of Yorkshire County Council
in 1894 and being elected Mayor
of Richmond in 1895 and 1896. In 1900 he was made a Knight of the Thistle
. Like his uncle and grandfather a freemason, Zetland was the society's provincial Grand Master
in the North
and East Riding of Yorkshire
from 1874 to 1923. He was also an enthusiastic sportsman, and was Master of the Zetland Hunt for thirty-five years.
, and was buried there. His eldest surviving son Lawrence
succeeded him. The Marchioness of Zetland died in December 1943.
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 (16 August 1844 – 11 March 1929), known as Lawrence Dundas until 1873 and as the Earl of Zetland from 1873 to 1892, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and statesman. He was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
between 1889 and 1892.
Background, education and military service
Zetland was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of the Hon. John Charles Dundas, younger son of Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland
Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland
Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland was a British politician and nobleman.Born in Westminster, the son of Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas, he was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge....
. His mother was Margaret Matilda, daughter of James Talbit. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, being commissioned as a Cornet
Cornet (military rank)
Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of commissioned officer in a British cavalry troop, after captain and lieutenant. A cornet is a new and junior officer.- Traditional duties :The cornet carried the troop standard, also known as a "cornet"....
in the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
in 1866.
Political career
By 1869 a LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, Zetland retired from the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1872 and was elected 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 Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond (Yorks) (UK Parliament constituency)
Richmond is a constituency located in North Yorkshire, which elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
that same year. However, he sat in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for less than a year before succeeding his uncle as third Earl of Zetland. A Lord in Waiting from May to September 1880, Lord Zetland subsequently moved from supporting the Liberals
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...
to joining the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
in 1884. In 1889 he was sent to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, a post in which he proved both successful and popular, and remained there until the Liberals returned to power in 1892. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1889 and in 1892, on Lord Salisbury's
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
recommendation, he was created Earl of Ronaldshay, in the County of Orkney and Zetland, and Marquess of Zetland.
In the 1890s Lord Zetland became more involved in local politics, becoming an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
on the North Riding of Yorkshire County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
in 1894 and being elected Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Richmond in 1895 and 1896. In 1900 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...
. Like his uncle and grandfather a freemason, Zetland was the society's provincial Grand Master
Grand Master (Masonic)
In Freemasonry a Grand Master is the leader of the lodges within his Masonic jurisdiction. He presides over a Grand Lodge, and has certain rights in the constituent lodges that form his jurisdiction....
in the North
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
and East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
from 1874 to 1923. He was also an enthusiastic sportsman, and was Master of the Zetland Hunt for thirty-five years.
Family
Lord Zetland married Lady Lilian, daughter of Richard Lumley, 9th Earl of Scarbrough, in 1871. He died in March 1929, aged 84, at Aske Hall, YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and was buried there. His eldest surviving son Lawrence
Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland
Laurence John Lumley Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC, DL, JP , styled Lord Dundas until 1892 and Earl of Ronaldshay between 1892 and 1929, was a British Conservative politician...
succeeded him. The Marchioness of Zetland died in December 1943.