Lord Archibald Hamilton (bapt. 17 February 1673 – 5 April 1754) was a British politician.
Hamilton was the youngest son of William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton and Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton. He became a Captain in the Royal Navy and in 1708, was elected as MP for Lanarkshire. Hamilton held the seat until 1710 and was appointed Governor of Jamaica by George I in 1714. He played a controversial role in setting up some of the founders of the infamous Bahamanian pirate gang, including Henry Jennings, for which he was arrested and brought back to England by the Royal Navy.[1] He was ultimately released and, later, was re-elected for Lanarkshire, then for Queenborough in 1735 and Dartmouth in 1742. Hamilton was also a Lord of the Admiralty from 1729-38 and a Governor of Greenwich Hospital from 1746 until his death. His full title was Lord Archibald Hamilton of Riccarton and Pardovan.
Hamilton's first wife was Anne Cary (a daughter of the 2nd Baron Lucas and mother of the 6th Viscount Falkland). She died in 1709 and Hamilton then married Anne, Lady Hamilton (widow of Sir Francis Hamilton, 3rd Baronet). His second wife died in 1719 and later that year, he married Lady Jane Hamilton (a daughter of the 6th Earl of Abercorn). Hamilton and his third wife later had six children:
“The Seawolves: Pirates and Scots” by Eric J. Graham
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Lanarkshire 1708 – 1710 |
Succeeded by Sir James Hamilton, Bt. |
| Preceded by James Lockhart |
Member of Parliament for Lanarkshire 1718 – 1734 |
Succeeded by Lord William Hamilton |
| Preceded by Richard Evans Sir George Saunders |
Member of Parliament for Queenborough with Richard Evans 1735 – 1741 |
Succeeded by Richard Evans Thomas Newnham |
| Preceded by George Treby Walter Carey |
Member of Parliament for Dartmouth with Walter Carey 1742 – 1747 |
Succeeded by Walter Carey John Jeffreys |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Handasyde |
Governor of Jamaica 1714–1716 |
Succeeded by Peter Heywood |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Baron Lynedoch |
Rector of the University of Glasgow 1811–1813 |
Succeeded by Andrew Stewart of Torrance |