If you have found this page useful, why not make a donation to The Peerage Research Trust so that we can continue to maintain and develop Cracroft's Peerage?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sinclair, Lord (S, 1677)

Creation: let. pat. c.1449

Forfeited: Mar 1722/3

Family name: St Clair

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Arms:

Argent a Cross engrailed Azure

Crest:

A Swan wings expanded and elevated proper gorged with a Ducal Coronet and chained Or

Supporters:

On either side a Griffin Sable armed beaked winged and membered Or

Motto:

Feight

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sir John St Clair of Herdmanston MP

1st son and heir of Sir John St Clair of Herdmanston by his wife Mary Richardson, dau. of Sir James Richardson of Smeaton

born

mar.

after 3 Jun 1629 Elizabeth Sinclair (bur. 9 Apr 1686 in Greyfriars Churchyard), 2nd dau. of Sir John Sinclair of Stevenston, merchant, Burgess, Baillie and Magistrate of Edinburgh

children

1. John St Clair of Herdmanston, taken prisoner at the Battle of Worcester 1651, exempted from Cromwell's Act of Grace (bapt. 14 Feb 1632; d. 13 Jul 1666; bur. in Greyfriars Graveyard), mar. 15 Apr 1659 his distant cousin Hon Catherine Sinclair, Mistress of Sinclair (dvp. 13 Jul 1666; bur. in Dysart), only child and hrss. of John [Sinclair], 9th Lord Sinclair, by his wife Lady Mary Wemyss, 1st dau. of John [Wemyss], 1st Earl of Wemyss, and had issue:

1a. Henry St Clair, later 1st/10th Lord Sinclair

2a. John St Clair (b. 23 Jan 1663; dsp. after 1687)

1a. Mary St Clair (b. 11 Jul 1666; d. bef. 8 Nov 1721, mar. George Wilson, son of Thomas Wilson, of Edinburgh, merchant

2. William St Clair of Carfrae (bapt. 22 Apr 1633; dspm.), mar. Christian Sinclair, and had issue:

1a. Elizabeth St Clair (bapt. 11 Mar 1660)

2a. Christian St Clair (bapt. 22 Aug 1668)

3. Robert St Clair, Governor of Tilbury (bapt. 21 Jan 1641; dspm. 1702), mar., and had issue

4. George St Clair, merchant, Baillie and Magistrate of Edinburgh (bapt. 1 Apr 1642), mar. 5 Sep 1678 Isabella Durham (bur. 5 Dec 1686), dau. of John Cunningham Durham of Pilton and Lufness, and had issue:

1a. Dr John St Clair (bapt. 5 Oct 1679; dspm. 26 Aug 1742)

1a. Barbara St Clair (bapt. 25 Jan 1681)

2a. Isobel St Clair (bapt. 3 Feb 1683)

5. Thomas St Clair (bapt. 18 Jun 1643; dvp. young)

6. Matthew St Clair (bapt. 4 Feb 1645; dvp. young)

7. Dr Matthew St Clair (bapt. 25 Nov 1647; bur. 11 Nov 1728 at Herdmanston), mar. Margaret Carre, dau. of Sir Thomas Carre of Cavers, and had issue:

1a. Charles St Clair of Herdmanston, later de jure 2nd Lord Sinclair

2a. Dr Andrew St Clair, Professor of Medicine at Edinburgh University 1726, Physician to King George II 1733 (d. 25 Oct 1760), mar. 7 Nov 1736 Elizabeth Drummond, dau. of John Drummond of Blair Drummond

1a. ..... St Clair, mar. William Mollison, of London, merchant, and had issue

1. Elizabeth St Clair (bapt. 27 Dec 1634)

2. Marion St Clair (bapt. 2 Dec 1636)

3. Margaret St Clair (bapt. 18 Mar 1638)

4. Helen St Clair (bapt. 22 Apr 1649)

bur.

9 Apr 1686

note

Member of Parliament for Haddington 1644-45

Henry [St Clair], 1st/10th Lord Sinclair

bapt.

3 Jun 1660

mar.

30 Dec 1680 Grizel (or Barbara) Cockburn, 1st dau. of Sir James Cockburn of Cockburn, 1st Bt., by his wife Grizel Hay, dau. of ..... Hay of Barra

children

1. Hon John St Clair, Master of Sinclair, Member of Parliament (Tory) for Dysart Burghs 1708 but the election was declared void and himself ineligible to stand as the eldest son of a peer, entered the Army as Capt-Lieut in Preston's Regiment 1708 but had to resign the same year for killing two brothers and fellow officers in a duel, served in the army of the King of Prussia until pardoned by Queen Anne, took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1715, following his participation in the Battle of Sheriffmuir 1715 he was attainted and fled to the Orkneys and from there to the Continent, in 1736 he obtained and Act of Parliament which enabled him to inherit property but did not affect the forfeiture of the two peerages (bapt. 5 Dec 1683; dsp. 2 Nov 1750), mar. (1) after 16 Aug 1633 Lady Margaret Carnegie (widow of James [Carnegie], 5th Earl of Southesk; dsps. 22 Jul 1747; bur. at Dysart), 1st dau. of James [Stewart], 5th Earl of Galloway, by his wife Lady Catherine Montgomerie, 1st dau. by his first wife of Alexander [Montgomerie], 9th Earl of Eglinton, and (2) 24 Apr 1750 Amelia Murray (b. 17 May 1732; mar. (2) 18 Apr 1754 as his first wife James Farquharson of Invercauld; d. 24 Apr 1777), sister of John [Murray], 3rd Duke of Atholl, and 1st dau. of Lord George Murray (by his wife Amelia Murray, only surv. child and hrss. of Dr James Murray of Glencarse and Strowan), 6th son by his first wife of John [Murray], 1st Duke of Atholl

2. Gen Hon James St Clair, Ensign 1st Battalion Royal Regiment 1694, Capt 1708, exchanged into the 3rd Foot Guards, Capt 1714, Maj 1722, Member of Parliament (Whig) for Dysart Burghs 1722-34 and 1747-54, for Sutherland 1736-47, and for Fifeshire 1754-62, 1st Maj and Brevet Col 1723, inherited his father's estates on his death in 1723 and made them over to his elder brother John when he was enabled to hold them in 1736, in command of the 22nd Foot 1734, bought the lands of Rosslyn Castle, Ravenscraig and Dysart 1735 which he entailed failing issue of his own body on the heirs male of his sisters, Col Royal Scots 1737-62, Brig-Gen 1739, Maj Gen 1741, Quartermaster-General of the British Forces in Flanders 1745, Lieut Gen 1745, Commander-in-Chief of an expedition which destroyed the forts at Quiberon 1746, sent on a mission to Vienna and Turin 1748, Gen 1761, Governor of co. Cork (dsp. 30 Nov 1762), mar. Janet Baird (b. 31 Mar 1698; widow of Sir John Baird of Newbyth, 2nd Bt.; d. 8 Jan 1766), 4th dau. of Hon Sir David Dalrymple of Hailes, 1st Bt., by his wife Janet Murray, widow of Alexander Murray of Melgund, and dau. of Sir James Rochead of Inverleith

3. Maj Hon William St Clair of Skedduay, Ensign First Royals 1708; Capt, Grenadier Company of the Cameronians 1711, Maj 1st Royal Scots 1737 (bur. in St Andrew's Church, Holborn 20 May 1762)

4. Hon David St Clair (dvp. at Aix-la-Chapelle 1712)

5. Hon Henry St Clair (bur. at Dysart 21 Jan 1756)

6. Hon Matthew St Clair (bur. at Dysart 3 Apr 1747)

1. Hon Grizel St Clair, heiress of line in her issue (bapt. 27 Dec 1681; d. 22 Aug 1737), mar. John Paterson of Prestonhall, son of Most Rev John Paterson, Archbishop of Glasgow, and had issue

2. Hon Catherine St Clair (bapt. 14 Jul 1685), mar. Sir John Erskine of Alva, 3rd Bt. MP, and had issue

3. Hon Margaret St Clair (b. 23 Jan 1688; dsp. 23 Oct 1756), mar. as his second wife Sir William Baird of Newbyth, 1st Bt.

4. Hon Elizabeth St Clair (d. 1721), mar. after 5 Jul 1716 as his third wife David [Wemyss], 4th Earl of Wemyss, and had issue

5. Hon Ann St Clair

bur.

14 Mar 1723 at Dysart

created

1 Jun 1677 Lord Sinclair, with the precedency (c. 1449) of the earlier Lordship of Sinclair and with remainder to the heirs male of his body, whom failing to his brother John and his heirs male, whom failing to his paternal uncles Robert, George and Matthew successively, and the heirs male of their bodies, whom failing to the nearest heir male whatsoever of the said Henry

suc. by

cousin

note

Inherited the estates of his maternal grandfather 1676; signed the Test Act 1685; was the only Scottish Peer to protest against the Act of Convention that settled the Crown on King William and Queen Mary; suspected of complicity with the intended French invasion of Scotland and imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle 1707/8; at his death the two Lordships of Sinclair devolved on his eldest son, Hon John St Clair, Master of Sinclair (dsp. 2 Nov 1750), who was under attainder following the Rebellion of 1715, and both became forfeited. On 25 Apr 1782 the House of Lords came to the decision that the new Lordship (the 1677 creation) rightly belonged to Charles St Clair, great-grandson of Matthew Sinclair, who duly succeeded as 4th Lord Sinclair. The old Lordship (the c. 1449 creation) remains under forfeiture - the representation and right to petition for the attainder to be reversed lie with the descendants of Hon Grizel Paterson.

Charles St Clair of Herdmanston, de jure 2nd Lord Sinclair

born

25 Jan 1691/2

mar.

after 1 Apr 1731 Elizabeth Hume (d. 12 Mar 1784), 1st dau. of Hon Sir Andrew Hume of Kimminghame, a Lord of Session (by his wife Elizabeth Douglas, dau. of John Douglas), 3rd son of Patrick [Hume], 1st Earl of Marchmont

children

1. Matthew St Clair (b. 17 Mar 1732; dvp. an infant)

2. Andrew St Clair of Herdmanston, later de jure 3rd Lord Sinclair

1. Elizabeth St Clair (b. 11 Jan 1738; dsp. 13 Nov 1811), mar. 2 Sep 1773 Lt Col James Dalrymple (dsp. 21 Nov 1791), 3rd son of Sir James Dalrymple of Hailes, 2nd Bt. MP, by his wife Lady Christian Hamilton, 2nd dau. of Thomas [Hamilton], 6th Earl of Haddington

died

4 Nov 1775 (bur. at Herdmanston)

suc. by

son

note

advocate 1722; matriculated arms 1730; the de jure 2nd and subsequent Lords Sinclair have no direct descent from the earlier Lords Sinclair and derive their claim to the Lordship from the charter of 1677

Andrew St Clair of Herdmanston, de jure 3rd Lord Sinclair

born

30 Jul 1733

mar.

28 Dec 1763 Elizabeth Rutherford (bur. 7 Nov 1783), dau. of John Rutherford, Yr. of Edgerston, by his wife Eleanor Elliott, dau. of Sir Gilbert Elliott of Minto, 2nd Bt. MP, a Lord of Session under the style of Lord Minto 1726

children

1. Charles St Clair, later 4th Lord Sinclair

2. Cmdr Matthew St Clair RN, appointed to HMS Martin, a sixteen gun sloop of war, which sailed from Yarmouth for Heliogoland in 1800, and was never again heard of

1. Eleanor St Clair (d. 12 Sep 1796)

died

16 Dec 1776 (bur. at Herdmanston)

suc. by

son

Charles [St Clair], de jure later de facto 4th Lord Sinclair

born

30 Jul 1768

mar. (1)

13 Feb 1802 Mary Agnes Chisholm (d. 16 Jul 1814), only dau. of James Chisholm of Chisholm

children by first wife

1. Hon James St Clair, later 5th Lord Sinclair

2. Lieut Hon Matthew St Clair, served with 84th Regiment (b. 2 Apr 1808; dvp. 11 Aug 1827)

3. Hon Charles St Clair (b. 11 Oct 1809; dvp. 1810)

4. Cdr Hon Charles St Clair RN, of St Ella's Lodge, Eyemouth, co. Berwick (b. 8 Jun 1811; d. 8 Feb 1863), mar. (1) 29 Sep 1840 Isabella Jane Home (b. 1817; d. 22 Jun 1852), 4th dau. of William Foreman Home, of Paxton, co. Berwick, and (2) 1 Jul 1854 Anne Crawfurd Pringle (d. 15 Dec 1899), 4th dau. of Sir John Pringle of Stichill, 5th Bt., by his first wife Emilia Anne Macleod, dau. of Maj Gen Norman Macleod or Macleod, and had issue by both wives

1. Hon Elizabeth St Clair (b. 5 Nov 1804; dvp. 30 Sep 1812)

2. Hon Susan St Clair (b. 14 Jun 1806; d. 17 Sep 1856), mar. 6 Aug 1829 as his first wife Francis Dennis Massy-Dawson (b. 23 Sep 1803; d. 16 Nov 1870), 1st son and heir of James Hewitt Massy later Massy-Dawson MP, of Ballynacourte, and had issue

mar. (2)

18 Sep 1816 Isabella Mary Chatto (d. 5 Jun 1875), yst. dau. of Alexander Chatto of Mainhouse

children by second wife

5. Hon John St Clair (b. 12 Jul 1820; dvp. 31 Mar 1842)

3. Hon Eleanor St Clair (b. 19 Sep 1818; d. 16 Sep 1898)

4. Hon Jane Elizabeth St Clair (b. 2 Jun 1822; d. 1 Jul 1904), mar. 6 Sep 1853 Canon William Leyland Feilden, Rector of Rolleston (d. 16 Jan 1907), and had issue

died

30 Sep 1863

suc. by

son by first wife

note

his claim to the Lordship of Sinclair was established by the House of Lords 25 Apr 1782; Ensign, 1st Royal Scots 1784; Lieut, 17th Foot 1788; raised an independent company 1790, which became part of the 15th Foot; Capt, 1791; Maj, 1795; Lt Col, 1799 and retired 1802; Lt Col, Berwickshire Militia 1803-05; a Representative Peer for Scotland (Tory), 1807-59

James [St Clair], 5th Lord Sinclair

born

3 Jul 1803

mar.

14 Sep 1830 Jane Little (d. 17 Jun 1887), 1st dau. of Archibald Little, of Shabden Park, co. Surrey, by his wife Agnes Oliver, dau. of William Oliver

children

1. Hon Charles William St Clair, later 6th Lord Sinclair

2. Cdr Hon Archibald St Clair RN (b. 2 Oct 1833 ; dvp. 2 Mar 1872)

3. Hon James Chisholm St Clair, Madras Civil Service 1857-82 (b. 21 Nov 1837; d. 23 Sep 1902)

4. Hon Lockhart Matthew St Clair CIE CBE, Superintending Engineer, Public Works Department, and Secretary to the Government, Central Provinces, India (b. 25 Jul 1855; d. 22 Jul 1930), mar. 30 Jul 1881 Ellen Mary Margaret Rice (d. 1 Feb 1931), dau. of Surgn Maj Gen William Roche Rice CSI, and had issue

1. Hon Mary Agnes St Clair (b. 4 Jul 1840)

2. Helen St Clair (b. 10 Jul 1842; dvp. 19 Aug 1849)

died

24 Oct 1880

suc. by

son

note

Ensign, Grenadier Guards 1822; Lieut and Capt, 1826; Maj, 92nd Foot 1827; on half-pay unattached 1830; a Representative Peer for Scotland (Conservative) 1868-80

Charles William [St Clair], 6th Lord Sinclair

born

8 Sep 1831

mar.

6 Oct 1870 Margaret Jane Murray (d. 4 Dec 1935; bur. at Herdmanston), 2nd dau. of James Murray, of Ancoats Hall, and Bryanston Square, co. Middlesex

children

1. Hon Archibald James Murray St Clair, later 7th Lord Sinclair

2. Capt Hon Charles Henry Murray St Clair, served in South Africa 1899-1902 (b. 19 Dec 1878; dvp. 20 Dec 1914)

1. Hon Ada Jane St Clair (b. 27 Jul 1871; d. 24 Feb 1959)

2. Hon Margaret Helen St Clair (b. 23 Apr 1873; d. 6 Feb 1939), mar. 1 Oct 1902 Capt Alick Christian Fraser (d. 29 Oct 1959), 2nd son of Alexander Caspar Fraser, of Mongewell Park, Wallingford, co. Berkshire, and had issue

3. Hon Georgina Violet St Clair (b. 29 Mar 1877; d. 28 Dec 1957), mar. 19 Jan 1910 Lt Col Harry Miller Davson CMG DSO (b. 4 Jun 1872; d. 10 Nov 1961), 1st son and heir of Sir Henry Katz Davson, of Berbice, British Guiana, by his wife Ann Helen Miller, only dau. of Dr Thomas Miller, of Perth, and had issue

died

25 Apr 1922

suc. by

son

note

Ensign, 57th Foot 1848; Lieut, 1851; Capt, 1854; Maj, 1856; served in the Crimea, being severely wounded in the attack on the Redan; Assistant Adjutant-General to the Forces on the Bosphorous 1855-56; served in India during the Mutiny and as acting Assistant Military Secretary in the New Zealand War 1861-62; Lt Col, 1868; retired with the rank of Colonel 1879; a Representative Peer for Scotland (Conservative) 1885-1922

Archibald James Murray [St Clair], 7th Lord Sinclair, MVO

born

16 Feb 1875

mar.

31 Jan 1906 Violet Frances Kennedy (b. 21 Sep 1881; d. 8 Nov 1953), only child of Col John Murray Kennedy MVO, of Knocknalling, co. Kirkcudbright, by his wife Frances Eleanor Catherine Brandling, dau. of Lt Col John James Brandling CB

children

1. Hon Charles Murray Kennedy St Clair, later 8th Lord Sinclair

1. Hon Patricia Mary St Clair (b. 17 Mar 1912; d. 13 Dec 1996), mar. 15 Mar 1940 Lt Col Charles Archibald Richard Coghill OBE (d. 28 Jan 1975), son of Norman Alfred Coghill, of Almington Hall, Market Drayton, co. Leicester, and has issue

died

25 Nov 1957

suc. by

son

note

2nd Lieut, 2nd Dragoons (Scots Greys) 1896; Lieut, 1899; Capt, 1901; served in the South African War 1899-1902 and in the First World War 1914-18; Extra Equerry to Prince Arthur of Connaught 1914-38; Member of the Royal Company of Archers; MVO 1918; a Representative Peer for Scotland 1923-57

Charles Murray Kennedy [St Clair], 8th Lord Sinclair, CVO

born

21 Jun 1914

mar.

6 Jan 1968 Anne Lettice Cotterell, 2nd dau. of Sir Richard Charles Geers Cotterell, 5th Bt. CBE, of Garnons, co. Hereford, by his wife Lady Lettice Lygon, 1st dau. of William [Lygon], 7th Earl Beauchamp

children

1. Hon Matthew Murray Kennedy St Clair, later 9th Lord Sinclair

1. Hon Laura Anne St Clair (b. 25 Jun 1972)

2. Hon Annabel Lettice St Clair (b. 27 Jun 1973), mar. 1999 John Laing Forbes, son of David Forbes, of Westerfolds Farm, Elgin, and has issue

died

2 Apr 2004

suc. by

son

note

Portcullis Pursuivant 1949-57;  LVO 1953; Extra Equerry to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother 1953-2002; York Herald 1957-68; Representative Peer for Scotland 1959-63; Deputy Lieutenant for Kirkcudbrightshire 1969, Vice Lord Lieutenant for Dumfries & Galloway 1977-82 and Lord Lieutenant for Dumfries & Galloway Region 1982-89; CVO 1990

Matthew Murray Kennedy [St Clair], 9th Lord Sinclair

born

9 Dec 1968

mar.

5 Dec 2005 Laura C Coode, 2nd dau. of Jonathan Arundell Coode

children

1. Hon Harry Murray Kennedy St Clair (b. 6 Oct 2007)

2. Hon James Jonathan Kennedy St Clair (b. 24 May 2009)

 Last updated 27 Mar 2010

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title:

9th Lord Sinclair

(Scotland, let. pat.1 Jun 1677)

Address:

Knocknalling, St John's Town of Dalry, Castle Douglas DG7 3ST

Tel:  01644 3221

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________