James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose

James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, KG, KT, PC (8 September 1755 – 30 December 1836), styled Marquess of Graham until 1790, was a Scottish nobleman and statesman.

His Grace The Duke of Montrose KG KT PC
President of the Board of Trade
In office 7 June 1804 – 5 February 1806
Monarch	George III
Prime Minister	William Pitt the Younger
Preceded by	The Earl of Liverpool
Succeeded by	The Lord Auckland
Personal details
Born	(1755-09-08)8 September 1755
Died	30 December 1836(1836-12-30) (aged 81)
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Lady Jemima Ashburnham ​ ( m. 1785; died 1786) Lady Caroline Montagu ​ ( m. 1790)
Children	6, including Georgiana, Lucy, and James
Parents	William Graham, 2nd Duke of Montrose Lady Lucy Manners

Shield of arms of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, KG, KT, PC

Background

Montrose was the son of William Graham, 2nd Duke of Montrose, and Lady Lucy Manners, daughter of John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland.[1][2]

Political career

Montrose was Member of Parliament for Richmond from 1780, and for Great Bedwyn from 1784 to 1790, when he succeeded his father in the dukedom. According to Robert Bain, Scotland can thank him for the repeal in 1782 of the Dress Act 1746 prohibiting the wearing of tartans.[3] He served as a Lord of the Treasury from 1783 to 1789, and as co-Paymaster of the Forces from 1789 to 1791. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor and Vice-President of the Board of Trade in 1789. He was Master of the Horse from 1790 to 1795, and from 1807 to 1821, Commissioner for India from 1791 to 1803, Lord Justice General of Scotland from 1795 to 1836, President of the Board of Trade from 1804 to 1806, Lord Chamberlain from 1821 to 1827 and from 1828 to 1830.

He was appointed a Knight of the Thistle in 1793, resigning from the Order when appointed a Knight of the Garter in 1812. He was Chancellor of the University of Glasgow from 1780 to 1836, Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire from 1790 to 1793, Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire from 1795 until his death, and Lord Lieutenant of Dumbartonshire from 1813 until his death.

Graham was a very effective member of the House of Commons, especially when speaking on Scottish topics. Early in his career as a minister under William Pitt the Younger, Graham was attacked in the Rolliad:

——Superior to abuse,

He nobly glories in the name of GOOSE;

Such Geese at Rome from the perfidious Gaul

Preserv'd the Treas'ry-Bench and Capitol, &c. &c.

Family

Montrose was twice married. He married firstly Lady Jemima Ashburnham, daughter of John Ashburnham, 2nd Earl of Ashburnham, in 1785. After her death in September 1786, aged 24 (following the death of a son, who died as an infant), he married secondly Lady Caroline Montagu, daughter of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester, in 1790. They had six children. Montrose died in December 1836, aged 81, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, James. The Duchess of Montrose died in March 1847, aged 76.[4][5][6]

References

1. Lundy, Darryl. "thepeerage.com James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose". The Peerage.
2. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1970). Armorial families: a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour. Rutland: Charles E. Tuttle. p. 790.
3. Bain, Robert (1959). Margaret O. MacDougall (ed.). Clans & Tartans of Scotland (revised). P.E. Stewart-Blacker (heraldic advisor), foreword by The R. Hon. C/refountess of Erroll. William Collins Sons & Co., Ltd. p. 108.
4. Lodge, Edmund; Innes, Anne; Innes, Eliza; Innes, Maria (1877). The Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire as at Present Existing. London: Hurst and Blackett. p. 423.
5. Lundy, Darryl. "thepeerage.com James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose". The Peerage.
6. Lodge, Edmund; Innes, Anne; Innes, Eliza; Innes, Maria (1877). The Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire as at Present Existing. London: Hurst and Blackett. p. 423.

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Charles Dundas William Norton	Member of Parliament for Richmond 1780–1784 With: Sir Lawrence Dundas 1780–1781 George FitzWilliam 1781–1784	Succeeded by Murrough O'Brien Charles Dundas
Preceded by Sir Merrick Burrell Paul Methuen	Member of Parliament for Great Bedwyn 1784–1790 With: Robert Manners 1784–1790 Lord Doune 1790–1792	Succeeded by Lord Doune Viscount Stopford
Political offices
Preceded by William Grenville	Vice-President of the Board of Trade 1789–1790	Succeeded by Dudley Ryder
Preceded by William Grenville	Co-Paymaster of the Forces 1789–1791	Succeeded by Dudley Ryder
Preceded by The Duke of Montagu	Master of the Horse 1790–1795	Succeeded by The Earl of Westmorland
Preceded by The Earl of Liverpool	President of the Board of Trade 1804–1806	Succeeded by The Earl Bathurst
Preceded by The Earl of Carnarvon	Master of the Horse 1807–1821	Succeeded by The Duke of Dorset
Preceded by The Marquess of Hertford	Lord Chamberlain 1821–1827	Succeeded by The Duke of Devonshire
Preceded by The Duke of Devonshire	Lord Chamberlain 1828–1830	Succeeded by The Earl of Jersey
Legal offices
Preceded by The Earl of Mansfield	Lord Justice General 1795–1836	Succeeded by Lord Granton
Academic offices
Preceded by The 2nd Duke of Montrose	Chancellor of the University of Glasgow 1781–1836	Succeeded by The 4th Duke of Montrose
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Duke of Montagu	Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire 1790–1793	Succeeded by The Duke of Manchester
New office	Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire 1794–1836	Succeeded by The Lord Abercromby
Preceded by The Lord Elphinstone	Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire 1813–1836	Succeeded by Sir James Colquhoun, Bt
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by William Graham	Duke of Montrose 1790–1836	Succeeded by James Graham