James Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas , PC , QC (born 31 July 1942), briefly Earl of Selkirk (a title he disclaimed) and previously styled Lord James Douglas-Hamilton as a younger son of the 14th Duke of Hamilton and Brandon , is a Scottish Conservative politician who served as Member of Parliament for Edinburgh West and then as Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians . Since 1997 he has been a member of the House of Lords as a life peer .
Education
He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford where he was president of the Oxford Union , and thereafter at the University of Edinburgh .
Political career
He served as an advocate and an interim Procurator Fiscal Depute from 1968 to 1972. From 1972 to 1974, he was a councillor on Edinburgh District Council , and after unsuccessfully contesting Hamilton in February 1974 , from October 1974 to 1997 he was Member of Parliament for Edinburgh West . During this time he served in the Scottish Office .
In the years between 1987 and 1995 he served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland , and thereafter as Minister of State between 1995 and 1997. He had previously been a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury between 1979 and 1981. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor and Queen's Counsel in 1996.
It was announced on 12 December 2011[ 1] that he would serve as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland , who is the Sovereign’s personal representative to the Annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, in 2012.
Peerage
In 1994 on the death of George Nigel Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk , Selkirk inherited the earldom, although the succession was disputed, as Alasdair Douglas-Hamilton, a nephew of the 10th Earl, claimed it, ultimately without success. Due to the terms of the Peerage Act 1963 , Selkirk was considered to be unable to vote in the House of Commons until he had disclaimed the title, even though the succession to it had not been decided. As the Conservative government of the day had a small majority, he felt obliged to disclaim immediately.
In 1997, he was elevated to the House of Lords as a life peer , being created Baron Selkirk of Douglas, of Cramond in the City of Edinburgh.
Scottish Parliament
From 1999 to 2007 he was a member of the Scottish Parliament and was deputy Convener of its Education Committee. In November 2005, Lord Selkirk of Douglas announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2003-2007 session of the Scottish Parliament. He continues to sit in the House of Lords , taking a particular interest in British legislation as it affects Scotland.[ 2]
Books
Lord Selkirk of Douglas has written a number of books, including Motive For a Mission: The Story Behind Hess's Flight to Britain about his father's meeting with Rudolf Hess when he landed in Scotland during World War II .
Styles of address
1942–1974: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
1974–1996: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton MP
1994: The Rt Hon. The Earl of Selkirk[ a]
1994–1996: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton MP [ b]
1996–1997: The Rt Hon. Lord James Douglas-Hamilton QC MP
1997: The Rt Hon. Lord James Douglas-Hamilton QC
1997–1999: The Rt Hon. The Lord Selkirk of Douglas PC QC
1999–2007: The Rt Hon. The Lord Selkirk of Douglas PC QC MSP
2007–: The Rt Hon. The Lord Selkirk of Douglas PC QC
Family
In 1974 he married the Hon. (Priscilla) Susan Buchan, a granddaughter of the politician and novelist John Buchan , and daughter of Johnnie Buchan, the 2nd Baron Tweedsmuir , and his wife, a life peeress in her own right, Lady Tweedsmuir . They have four sons of whom the eldest, John Andrew Douglas-Hamilton, Lord Daer and Master of Selkirk (b 1978) is heir apparent to the disclaimed Earldom of Selkirk. Lord Selkirk of Douglas is also fifth in line to the Dukedom of Hamilton , after the sons and the brother of the present duke.
Ancestry
Ancestors of James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas 16. Augustus Hamilton 8. Charles Hamilton 17. Maria Hyde 4. Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton, 10th Duke of Brandon 18. Venerable Hill 9. Elizabeth Hill 19. Jane Shute 2. Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, 11th Duke of Brandon 20. Robert Poore 10. Robert Poore 21. Anna Massy-Dawson 5. Nina Poore 22. Armar Lowry-Corry 11. Juliana Lowry-Corry 23. Elizabeth-Massy-Dawson 1. James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas 24. Algernon Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland 12. Henry Percy, 7th Duke of Northumberland 25. Louisa Drummond 6. Alan Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland 26. George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll 13. Lady Edith Campbell 27. Lady Elizabeth Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 3. Lady Elizabeth Percy 28. Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox, 1st Duke of Gordon, 6th Duke of Aubigny 14. Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond, 7th Duke of Lennox, 2nd Duke of Gordon, 7th Duke of Aubigny 29. Frances Greville 7. Lady Helen Gordon-Lennox 30. William Craven 15. Isabel Craven 31. Lady Mary Yorke
See also
References
External links
Sorted by (historical) entity at time of grant
England
Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury
Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby
William Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon
William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke
Charles Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon
Robert Fiennes-Clinton, 19th Earl of Lincoln
Alexander Howard, 22nd Earl of Suffolk
William Herbert, 15th Earl of Montgomery
Alexander Feilding, 12th Earl of Denbigh
Anthony Fane, 16th Earl of Westmorland
Alexander Howard, 15th Earl of Berkshire
Richard Bertie, 14th Earl of Lindsey
Daniel Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea
John Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich
Paul Capell, 11th Earl of Essex
George Howard, 13th Earl of Carlisle
Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, 12th Earl of Shaftesbury
Daniel Finch-Hatton, 12th Earl of Nottingham
Richard Bertie, 9th Earl of Abingdon
Timothy Bentinck, 12th Earl of Portland
Richard Lumley, 13th Earl of Scarbrough
Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle
George Coventry, 13th Earl of Coventry
William Child Villiers, 10th Earl of Jersey
Scotland
Alistair Sutherland, 25th Earl of Sutherland
Anthony Lindsay, 30th Earl of Crawford
Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar
Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll
Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness
Stewart Douglas, 22nd Earl of Morton
James Leslie, 22nd Earl of Rothes
Henry Erskine, 18th Earl of Buchan
Hugh Montgomerie, 19th Earl of Eglinton
John Stuart, 21st Earl of Moray
James Erskine, 14th Earl of Mar
Michael Douglas-Home, 16th Earl of Home
James David Drummond, 10th Earl of Perth
Simon Bowes-Lyon, 19th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
James Erskine, 16th Earl of Kellie
George Baillie-Hamilton, 14th Earl of Haddington
Andrew Stewart, 14th Earl of Galloway
Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale
James Lindesay-Bethune, 16th Earl of Lindsay
Simon Abney-Hastings, 15th Earl of Loudoun
Charles Hay, 16th Earl of Kinnoull
Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin
James Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss
James Ramsay, 17th Earl of Dalhousie
David Ogilvy, 14th Earl of Airlie
Alexander Leslie-Melville, 15th Earl of Leven
John Grant, 13th Earl of Dysart
John Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Earl of Selkirk
Patrick Carnegy, 15th Earl of Northesk
Andrew Bruce, 15th Earl of Kincardine
Anthony Lindsay, 13th Earl of Balcarres
Filippo Rospigliosi, 12th Earl of Newburgh
Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee
Patrick Hope-Johnstone, 11th Earl of Annandale and Hartfell
Iain Cochrane, 15th Earl of Dundonald
James Keith, 14th Earl of Kintore
Malcolm Murray, 12th Earl of Dunmore
Alexander Leslie-Melville, 14th Earl of Melville
Peter St John, 9th Earl of Orkney
James Charteris, 9th Earl of March
Ian Ogilvie-Grant, 13th Earl of Seafield
John Dalrymple, 14th Earl of Stair
Harry Primrose, 8th Earl of Rosebery
Patrick Boyle, 10th Earl of Glasgow
Great Britain
Robert Shirley, 14th Earl Ferrers
William Legge, 10th Earl of Dartmouth
Peter Bennett, 10th Earl of Tankerville
Charles Finch-Knightley, 12th Earl of Aylesford
Richard Parker, 9th Earl of Macclesfield
James Waldegrave, 13th Earl Waldegrave
Charles Stanhope, 12th Earl of Harrington
Quentin Wallop, 10th Earl of Portsmouth
Guy Greville, 9th Earl Brooke
George Hobart-Hampden, 10th Earl of Buckinghamshire
Piers North, 10th Earl of Guilford
Joseph Yorke, 10th Earl of Hardwicke
Robin Fox-Strangways, 10th Earl of Ilchester
Guy Greville, 9th Earl of Warwick
William Sackville, 11th Earl De La Warr
William Pleydell-Bouverie, 9th Earl of Radnor
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
Allen Bathurst, 9th Earl Bathurst
George Villiers, 8th Earl of Clarendon
Alexander Murray, 8th and 9th Earl of Mansfield
Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 7th Earl Talbot
Christopher Edgcumbe, 9th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
Charles Fortescue, 8th Earl Fortescue
Alexander Murray, 9th Earl of Mansfield
George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon
Edward Cadogan, 9th Earl Cadogan
James Harris, 7th Earl of Malmesbury
Ireland
Kingdom of Ireland
Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Waterford
John Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork
William Anthony Nugent, 13th Earl of Westmeath
John Brabazon, 15th Earl of Meath
Alexander Feilding, 11th Earl of Desmond
Roger Lambart, 13th Earl of Cavan
John Boyle, 15th Earl of Orrery
Derry Moore, 12th Earl of Drogheda
Peter Forbes, 10th Earl of Granard
Ivo Bligh, 12th Earl of Darnley
Myles Ponsonby, 12th Earl of Bessborough
Thomas Butler, 11th Earl of Carrick
Henry Boyle, 10th Earl of Shannon
Arthur Gore, 9th Earl of Arran
Patrick Stopford, 9th Earl of Courtown
John Savile, 8th Earl of Mexborough
David Turnour, 8th Earl Winterton
Robert King-Tenison, 12th Earl of Kingston
Robert Jocelyn, 10th Earl of Roden
David Vaughan, 9th Earl of Lisburne
Patrick Meade, 8th Earl of Clanwilliam
Randal McDonnell, 10th Earl of Antrim
Thomas Pakenham, 8th Earl of Longford
George Dawson-Damer, 7th Earl of Portarlington
Charles Bourke, 11th Earl of Mayo
Michael Annesley, 12th Earl Annesley
Andrew Cole, 7th Earl of Enniskillen
John Crichton, 7th Earl Erne
George Bingham, 8th Earl of Lucan
John Lowry-Corry, 8th Earl Belmore
Andrew Stuart, 9th Earl Castle Stewart
Nicholas Alexander, 7th Earl of Caledon
Richard Hely-Hutchinson, 8th Earl of Donoughmore
After 1801
United Kingdom
King George III
Peter St Clair-Erskine, 7th Earl of Rosslyn
Benjamin Craven, 9th Earl of Craven
Rupert Onslow, 8th Earl of Onslow
Julian Marsham, 8th Earl of Romney
John Pelham, 9th Earl of Chichester
Francis Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton
John Herbert, 8th Earl of Powis
Simon Nelson, 10th Earl Nelson
Philip Kent Grey, 7th Earl Grey
William Lowther, 9th Earl of Lonsdale
Conroy Ryder, 8th Earl of Harrowby
Prince Regent King George IV King William IV Queen Victoria
Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester
Anthony Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough
William Byng, 9th Earl of Strafford
Mark Pepys, 9th Earl of Cottenham
Graham Wellesley, 8th Earl Cowley
David Ward, 5th Earl of Dudley
Hugh Montgomerie, 7th Earl of Winton
John Russell, 7th Earl Russell
John Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Cromartie
John Wodehouse, 5th Earl of Kimberley
Richard Wortley, 5th Earl of Wharncliffe
Simon Cairns, 6th Earl Cairns
John Lytton, 5th Earl of Lytton
William Palmer, 5th Earl of Selborne
John Northcote, 5th Earl of Iddesleigh
Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 5th Earl of Cranbrook
King Edward VII King George V
Harry Primrose, 4th Earl of Midlothian
Michael Hicks Beach, 3rd Earl St Aldwyn
David Beatty, 3rd Earl Beatty
Alexander Haig, 3rd Earl Haig
Edward Guinness, 4th Earl of Iveagh
Roderick Balfour, 5th Earl of Balfour
Raymond Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith
Patrick Jellicoe, 3rd Earl Jellicoe
Peter Mackay, 4th Earl of Inchcape
William Peel, 3rd Earl Peel
King George VI Queen Elizabeth II
Italics in entries mean the peer also holds a previously listed earldom of higher precedence
International National People Other