James Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar

Erskine (second from right) with former cricketers Ian Botham, Bob Willis and David Gower, and politician Alistair Campbell.

James Thorne Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie DL (born March 10, 1949) is a British peer and Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords.

Educated at Eton, he was Page of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II in 1962 and 1963. He proceeded to Moray House College of Education, Edinburgh before embarking on a career in social work with various Scottish local authorities. He has also worked as a boatbuilder, and has served with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and Royal Naval Auxiliary Service.

The earl entered the House of Lords in 1994, having succeeded to the title in the previous year, taking his seat on the Liberal Democrat benches. He lost his seat after the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999. However, in 2000, he was created a life peer as Baron Erskine of Alloa Tower, of Alloa in the County of Clackmannanshire, enabling him to return to the House. He was the Liberal Democrat candidate for the constituency of Ochil in the Scottish Parliament election, 1999.

As the 16th Viscount Fentoun, he is Premier Viscount of Scotland. He is also Chief of the Name and Arms of Erskine. Since 1991, he has been a Deputy Lieutenant of Clackmannanshire.

Owing to a nineteenth century dispute, there is another Earldom of Mar, held by Margaret Alison of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar.

References

• "Jamie Earl of Mar and Kellie". Ochil Liberal Democrats:. http://ochillibdems.org.uk/pages/header-jamie.html. Retrieved 2010-10-25. 
• "Mar and Kellie, Chief of Erskine". Burke's Peerage & Gentry. http://www.burkes-peerage.net/familyhomepage.aspx?FID=0&FN=MARANDKELLIE. Retrieved 2007-11-14. 

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Mar and Kellie
• Announcement of his taking the oath under his new title at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 19 April 2000

Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by James Francis Hervey Erskine	Earl of Mar 1993–-present	Incumbent
	Earl of Kellie 1993–present