James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose

His Grace The Duke of Montrose KT, PC
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 26 February 1858 – 11 June 1859
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby
Preceded by	Matthew Talbot Baines
Succeeded by	Sir George Grey, Bt
Postmaster General
In office 19 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded by	The Lord Stanley of Alderley
Succeeded by	The Marquess of Hartington
Personal details
Born	16 July 1799 (1799-07-16)
Died	30 December 1874 (1874-12-31)
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Hon. Caroline Horsley-Beresford (d. 1894)
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose KT, PC (16 July 1799 – 30 December 1874), styled Marquess of Graham until 1836, was a British Conservative politician.

Background and education

Montrose was the son of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, by his second wife Lady Caroline Marie, daughter of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Cricket

Montrose made a single first-class cricket appearance for England in 1828 against Hampshire.

Political career

In 1821, aged 21, Montrose was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, despite not having a seat in parliament, and was sworn of the Privy Council the same year. He remained as Vice-Chamberlain until 1827. He was returned to Parliament for Cambridge in 1825, a seat he held until 1832, and served as a Commissioner of the India Board between 1828 and 1830. In 1836 he succeeded his father in the dukedom and entered the House of Lords.

When the Earl of Derby became Prime Minister in February 1852, Montrose was appointed Lord Steward of the Household, a post he retained until the government fell in December of the same year. He again served under Derby as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1858 and 1859 and under Derby and later Benjamin Disraeli as Postmaster General between 1866 and 1868, although he was never a member of the cabinet. As Postmaster-General he introduced the Electric Telegraphs Bill which resulted in the transfer of British telegraph companies to the Post Office.

Apart from his political career Montrose served as Chancellor of the University of Glasgow between 1837 and 1874 (succeeding his father) and as Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire between 1843 and 1874. He was made a Knight of the Thistle in 1845.

Family

Montrose married the Hon. Caroline Agnes, daughter of John Horsley-Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies, in 1836. They had several children. He died in December 1874, aged 75, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, Douglas, Marquess of Graham. The Duchess of Montrose later remarried and died in November 1894.

External links

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

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Frederick William Trench Charles Madryll Cheere	Member of Parliament for Cambridge with Frederick William Trench 1825–1832	Succeeded by George Pryme Thomas Rice
Political offices
Preceded by Viscount Jocelyn	Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1821–1827	Succeeded by Sir Samuel Hulse
Preceded by The Marquess of Westminster	Lord Steward 1852	Succeeded by The Duke of Norfolk
Preceded by Matthew Talbot Baines	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1858–1859	Succeeded by Sir George Grey, Bt
Preceded by The Lord Stanley of Alderley	Postmaster General 1866–1868	Succeeded by The Marquess of Hartington
Academic offices
Preceded by The 3rd Duke of Montrose	Chancellor of the University of Glasgow 1837–1874	Succeeded by Sir William Stirling-Maxwell, Bt
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Lord Abercromby	Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire 1843–1874	Succeeded by The Earl of Dunmore
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by James Graham	Duke of Montrose 1836–1874	Succeeded by Douglas Graham