Thomas Hamilton, 9th Earl of Haddington
Encyclopedia
Thomas Hamilton, 9th Earl of Haddington KT
PC FRS (21 June 1780 – 1 December 1858), known as Lord Binning from 1794 to 1828, was a British
Conservative
politician and statesman.
. He was educated at Edinburgh University and Christ Church, Oxford
.
. He was elected as a Member of Parliament
for St Germans
in 1802, but did not stand for re-election in 1806. In August 1814, he was appointed one of His Majesty's Commissioners for the management of the affairs in India. He served sporadically in the House of Commons
until 1827 when he was elevated to the House of Lords
by the new Prime Minister
, George Canning, who had him created Baron Melros, of Tynninghame in the County of Haddington, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. He had previously been created a Privy Counsellor in 1814 and in 1828 he succeeded to his family's Scottish
earldom.
Lord Haddington went onto vote against the Reform Bill
in 1831, but later changed his mind and voted for it in 1832, possibly due to the political crises surrounding its passage. Upon the rise of Sir Robert Peel to the premiership in 1834, Lord Haddington was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
, however the government collapsed within six months, and the Whigs were once again in power. Lord Haddington was able to return to government in 1841 with the return of Sir Robert Peel to the premiership - he declined the post of Governor General of India, instead opting to become First Lord of the Admiralty and a member of the Cabinet
. He held that post until January 1846 when he was shuffled to become Lord Privy Seal
, a post he held until the death of the government in July.
, in 1802. They had no surviving children and the Earl died in December 1858, aged 78. On his death the barony of Melros became extinct while he was succeeded in the remaining titles by his second cousin, George Baillie-Hamilton
. Lady Haddington died in 1861.
In 1828 he commissioned William Burn
to remodel the family seat of Tyninghame House
, which passed with the earldom to Baillie-Hamilton.
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 FRS (21 June 1780 – 1 December 1858), known as Lord Binning from 1794 to 1828, 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.
Background and education
Lord Haddington was the only son of Charles Hamilton, 8th Earl of Haddington and Lady Sophia, daughter of John Hope, 2nd Earl of HopetounJohn Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun
John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun was the son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun and Lady Henrietta Johnstone....
. He was educated at Edinburgh University and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Political career
At the beginning of the 19th century, Lord Haddington was a supporter of George CanningGeorge Canning
George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
. He was elected as a 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 St Germans
St Germans (UK Parliament constituency)
St Germans was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
in 1802, but did not stand for re-election in 1806. In August 1814, he was appointed one of His Majesty's Commissioners for the management of the affairs in India. He served sporadically 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...
until 1827 when he was elevated to 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....
by the new Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, George Canning, who had him created Baron Melros, of Tynninghame in the County of Haddington, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. He had previously been created a Privy Counsellor in 1814 and in 1828 he succeeded to his family's Scottish
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
earldom.
Lord Haddington went onto vote against the Reform Bill
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
in 1831, but later changed his mind and voted for it in 1832, possibly due to the political crises surrounding its passage. Upon the rise of Sir Robert Peel to the premiership in 1834, Lord Haddington was made 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...
, however the government collapsed within six months, and the Whigs were once again in power. Lord Haddington was able to return to government in 1841 with the return of Sir Robert Peel to the premiership - he declined the post of Governor General of India, instead opting to become First Lord of the Admiralty and a member of the Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
. He held that post until January 1846 when he was shuffled to become Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
, a post he held until the death of the government in July.
Family
Lord Haddington married Lady Maria Parker, heir of George Parker, 4th Earl of MacclesfieldGeorge Parker, 4th Earl of Macclesfield
George Parker, 4th Earl of Macclesfield PC , styled Viscount Parker between 1764 and 1795, was a British peer and politician.-Background:...
, in 1802. They had no surviving children and the Earl died in December 1858, aged 78. On his death the barony of Melros became extinct while he was succeeded in the remaining titles by his second cousin, George Baillie-Hamilton
George Baillie-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Haddington
George Baillie-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Haddington , known as George Baillie until 1858, was a Scottish Conservative politician....
. Lady Haddington died in 1861.
In 1828 he commissioned William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
to remodel the family seat of Tyninghame House
Tyninghame House
Tyninghame House is a mansion in East Lothian, Scotland. It is located by the mouth of the River Tyne, east of Tyninghame and west of Dunbar. There was a manor at Tyninghame in 1094, and it was later a property of the Lauder of The Bass family. In the 17th century it was sold to the Earl of...
, which passed with the earldom to Baillie-Hamilton.