George Hay, Earl of Gifford
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George Hay, Earl of Gifford (26 April 1822 – 22 December 1862) was a British politician.
Lord Gifford was born at Yester House, the eldest son of the 8th Marquess of Tweeddale and was educated at Trinity College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. In 1850, he was a Captain in the East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry and became Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for War (The Duke of Newcastle) in 1854. A year later, he entered Parliament as MP for Totnes (a seat he held until his death).
In 1862, Lord Gifford was involved in an accident whilst rescuing a workman about to be crushed by a tree the latter was cutting down in the grounds of Neidpath Castle. Because of the accident, the Dowager Baroness Dufferin and Claneboye (a close friend of his who previously refused his proposals) agreed to marry Lord Gifford and they did so at Dufferin Lodge on 13 October 1862. As a result of the accident, Lord Gifford died two months later and as he and his wife did not have any children, his brother, Lord Arthur became the heir to their father's titles and estate.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lord Seymour and Thomas Mills |
Member of Parliament for Totnes with Thomas Mills 1855–1862 |
Succeeded by John Pender and Alfred Seymour |
