James Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn

His Grace The Duke of Abercorn KG, KP, PC

The Duke of Abercorn.
Governor of Northern Ireland
In office 1922 – July 1945
Monarch	George V Edward VIII George IV
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	The Earl Granville
Personal details
Born	30 November 1869 Hamilton Place, Piccadilly, London
Died	12 September 1953 London, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Unionist
Spouse(s)	Lady Rosalind Bingham

James Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn KG, KP, PC (30 November 1869 – 12 September 1953), styled Marquess of Hamilton between 1885 and 1913, was a British peer and Unionist politician. He was the first Governor of Northern Ireland, a post he held between 1922 and 1945. He was a great-grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales.

1 Background and education
2 Political career
3 Family and children
4 Notes
5 References
6 External links

Background and education

Born in Hamilton Place, Piccadilly, London, he was the eldest son of James Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Abercorn, and godson of the Prince of Wales. His mother Lady Mary Anna was the fourth daughter of Richard Curzon-Howe, 1st Earl Howe.^[1] He was educated at Eton and subsequently served first in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers until 1892 when he joined the 1st Life Guards. Hamilton was later transferred as major to the North Irish Horse.^[1]

Political career

In the 1900 general election, Hamilton stood successfully as Unionist candidate for Londonderry City, and three years later he became Treasurer of the Household, a post he held until the fall of Balfour's Conservative administration in 1905.^[2] After serving for a time as an Opposition whip, Hamilton succeeded his father as third Duke of Abercorn in 1913. In 1922 he was appointed Governor of the newly-created Northern Ireland. He also served as Lord Lieutenant of Tyrone from 1917 until his death, having previously been a Deputy Lieutenant for County Donegal.^[3] Abercorn proved a popular royal representative in Northern Ireland, and was reappointed to the post in 1928 after completing his first term of office. In 1931, he declined the offer of the Governor Generalship of Canada, and three years later he was again reappointed Governor for a third term. He remained in this capacity until his resignation in July 1945.^[4]

Abercorn was made a Knight of St Patrick in 1922, and six years later became a Knight of the Garter. In the latter year, he was also the recipient of an honorary degree from the Queen's University of Belfast, and received the Royal Victorian Chain in 1945, the same year he was sworn of the Privy Council.

Family and children

Abercorn married Lady Rosalind Cecilia Caroline Bingham (1869–1958), only daughter of Charles Bingham, 4th Earl of Lucan and his wife Lady Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox (1838–1910, daughter of Charles Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond) at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, on 1 November 1894.^[2] They had three daughters and two sons:

Lady Mary Cecilia Rhodesia Hamilton (1896–1984), who married twice, firstly in 1917 Capt/Maj. Robert Orlando Rudolph Kenyon-Slaney (1892–1965), with whom she divorced in 1930, and, secondly, in 1930 to Sir John Gilmour, 2nd Baronet. With her first husband she had two sons and a daughter, and with her second husband one son.
Lady Cynthia Elinor Beatrix Hamilton (1897–1972), who married in 1919 Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer (1892–1975). They had a son and two daughters. By their son they became grandparents of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Lady Katherine Seymour (1900–1985), who married in 1930 Lt.-Col. Sir Reginald Henry Seymour (1878–1938), a descendant of the 1st Marquess of Hertford.
James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn (1904–1979)
Lord Claud David Hamilton (1907–1968), who worked as a barrister in the Inner Temple, and who in 1946 married Genesta Mary Heath. He was her third husband; they had no children.^[3]

Abercorn died at his London home in 1953,^[4] and was buried at Baronscourt in County Tyrone.

Notes

^ ^a ^b Dod (1915), p. 40
^ ^a ^b Cokayne (1910), p. 10
^ ^a ^b Burke (2003), p. 6
^ ^a ^b The Times (London), Monday, 14 September 1953 p. 10 col. D

References

Cokayne, George Edward (1910). Vicary Gibbs. ed. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. vol. I. London: The St Catherine Press Ltd..
Burke, John (2003). Charles Mosley. ed. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition. vol. I. Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage and Gentry Llc..
Charles Roger Dod and Robert Philip Dod (1915). Dod's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland for 1915. London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co. Ltd..

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Abercorn

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Arthur John Moore	Member of Parliament for Londonderry City 1900 – 1913	Succeeded by David Cleghorn Hogg
Political offices
Preceded by Victor Cavendish	Treasurer of the Household 1903–1905	Succeeded by Sir Edward Strachey, Bt
New office	Governor of Northern Ireland 1922–1945	Succeeded by The Earl Granville
Honorary titles
Preceded by Edward Archdale	Lord Lieutenant of Tyrone 1917–1945	Succeeded by James Ponsonby Galbraith
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by James Hamilton	Duke of Abercorn 1913–1953	Succeeded by James Hamilton

Persondata
Name	Abercorn, James Hamilton, 3rd Duke Of
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	30 November 1869
Place of birth
Date of death	12 September 1953
Place of death