Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn

The Right Honourable

The Earl of Rosslyn

"The Kirk of Scotland". The Earl of Rosslyn as caricatured by Théobald Chartran in Vanity Fair, November 1881.
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
In office
24 November 1886 – 11 August 1890
Monarch Victoria
Prime Minister The Marquess of Salisbury
Preceded by The Viscount Barrington
Succeeded by The Earl of Yarborough
Personal details
Born 2 March 1833
Died 6 September 1890 (1890-09-07) (aged 57)
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Blanche Adeliza FitzRoy (1839-1933)
The stunning grave of Robert Francis St Clair-Erskine near Rosslyn Chapel, Midlothian

Robert Francis St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn (2 March 1833 – 6 September 1890),[1][2] styled Lord Loughborough until 1866, was a Scottish Conservative politician. He served as Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms under Lord Salisbury between 1886 and 1890.

Background

Rosslyn was the son of James St Clair-Erskine, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn, and Frances (née Wemyss).

Political career

Lord Rosslyn succeeded his father in the earldom in 1866.[2] He served under Lord Salisbury as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms from 1886 until shortly before his death in September 1890.

Masonic career

Robert joined Lodge Oswald of Dunnikier together with James Townsend Oswald on 8 April 1867.[3]

In Addition to being Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland between 1870 and 1873, Lord Rosslyn also served as Grand Master of the Order of the Temple from 1884 until his death in 1890.

Family

Lord Rosslyn married Blanche Adeliza, great granddaughter of Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton and widow of Colonel the Honourable Charles Henry Maynard, on 8 November 1866. They had five children:

Lord Rosslyn died in Dysart, Fife on 6 September 1890, aged 57. He was buried on 11 September, just west of Rosslyn Chapel, which traditionally has very strong masonic links. The monument is ornately carved in two different sandstones and is quite stunning. His wife Blanche was later buried with him.

The Countess of Rosslyn survived her husband by over 40 years and died at York Terrace, Regent's Park, London, in December 1933.[1][2] She was described in her obituary in the New York Times as "one of the last survivors of the great Victorian hostesses". She knew personally many of the most famous people of the Victorian era, including Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone.[4]

Works

He was a minor poet[5] and published "Sonnets" in 1883, "A Jubilee Lyric" in 1887 (dedicated to Queen Victoria) and "Sonnets and Poems" in 1889.

References

  1. 1 2 University of Hull, Directory of Royal Genealogical Data: Robert Francis St.Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn
  2. 1 2 3 thepeerage.com: Robert Francis St.Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn
  3. ↑ http://www.theoswaldofdunnikierlodge468.co.uk/james-townsend-oswald.html
  4. ↑ "Rosslyn Countess dead at age of 94". New York Times. 9 December 1933. p. 15.
  5. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/rosslynchapelcas00granuoft/rosslynchapelcas00granuoft_djvu.txt
Political offices
Preceded by
The Viscount Barrington		 Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
1886 – 1890 		Succeeded by
The Earl of Yarborough
Masonic offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Dalhousie		 Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of Scotland
1870 – 1873 		Succeeded by
Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, Bt
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
James St Clair-Erskine		 Earl of Rosslyn
1866 – 1890 		Succeeded by
James St Clair-Erskine
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