The history of this particular title is complicated and no two sources agree exactly. The cause of this may be down to Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of Patrick Hamilton, 3^rd Laird of Udston, a branch of the main Hamilton family created by Andrew Hamilton, 1^st of Udston, a younger brother of Sir John Hamilton, 4^th Laird of Cadzow, the progenitor of the main branch. Elizabeth married twice within the greater Hamilton family, having children to both husbands, descendants of which would eventually marry each other. Her first husband was John Hamilton of Neilsland, himself from a branch coming from James Hamilton, 1^st of Raploch. Their descendants inherited the Udston estates from her father. John Hamilton, 6^th of Udston, had three sons, namely John Hamilton of Coltness, whose family continued as the lairds of Udston; James Hamilton, 1^st Laird of Barncleuch; and William Hamilton, 1^st Laird of Wishaw, all of whom will feature below. Elizabeth’s second husband was John Hamilton, 1^st Laird of Broomhill, from whence the 1^st Lord Belhaven was a direct descendant.

Baronets Hamilton of Broomhill (1635)

1^st Baronet Hamilton, James Hamilton, b.b.1605, a.1635, d.b.1647

John Hamilton (b.b.1479, d.c.1550), last mentioned above, was an illegitimate son of James Hamilton, 1^st Lord Hamilton and his mistress Janet Caldewood, and he was later legitimised. As has been mentioned, he married Elizabeth Hamilton. Their son David Hamilton (b.?, d.1547) married Margaret Sempill (b.?, d.1580), daughter of Robert Sempill, 3^rd Lord Sempill. Their son John Hamilton married twice, both times to other members of the Hamilton family. His son James Hamilton was most likely also the son of Janet Hamilton, daughter of Robert Hamilton of the Fingalton & Preston branch of the family. He was created 1^st Baronet Hamilton of Broomhill in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. He also served as Sheriff of Perthshire.

2^nd Baronet Hamilton, John Hamilton, b.b.1624, a.b.1647, d.1679

Son of the 1^st Baronet and Margaret Hamilton, daughter of John Hamilton, 6^th of Udston. In 1647 he was raised to the peerage as 1^st Lord Belhaven & Stenton (from lands in Haddingstonshire).

Lords Belhaven & Stenton (1647)

1^st Lord Belhaven, John Hamilton, b.b.1624, a.1647, d.1679

He was in the Duke of Hamilton’s expedition into England in 1648 that came to grief at Preston, after which he escaped. In 1652 he faked his own death in order to evade capture. After the Restoration he was made a Privy Counsellor. In 1675 he surrendered his peerage and obtained a re-grant with special remainder to his grand-daughter’s husband. The baronetcy became extinct at his death.

2^nd Lord Belhaven, John Hamilton, b.1656, a.1679, d.1708

The 1^st Lord married Margaret Hamilton, daughter of James Hamilton, 2^nd Marquess of Hamilton. He had no legitimate son but several daughters, including Anne Hamilton. She married Sir Robert Hamilton, 1^st Baronet Hamilton of Silvertonhill, a branch descended from Alexander Hamilton, younger brother of the 1^st Lord Hamilton. Their daughter Margaret Hamilton (b.?, d.1717) married John Hamilton of Biel, a descendant of James Hamilton of Barncleuch, the second of the three brothers mentioned above, who became 2^nd Lord by special remainder. He supported William of Orange and became a Privy Counsellor. However he was an opponent of the Union and in 1708 was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle on suspicion of supporting the Old Pretender.

3^rd Lord Belhaven, John Hamilton, b.?, a.1708, d.1721

Son of the 2^nd Lord and the 1^st Lord’s grand-daughter Margaret Hamilton. He was a Lord of the Bedchamber to George, Prince of Wales, from 1714 to 1721 and a Representative Peer from 1715 to 1721 and commanded a mounted force at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. He was appointed Governor of Barbados in 1721 but died after being shipwrecked on his way to take up this post.

4^th Lord Belhaven, John Hamilton, b.?, a.1721, d.1764

Son of the 3^rd Lord and Anne Bruce (b.?, d.1707). He was General of the Mint in Scotland from 1735 to 1764. He died unmarried.

5^th Lord Belhaven, James Hamilton, b.?, a.1764, d.1777

Younger brother of the 4^th Lord. He also died unmarried, provoking a contest for the succession between descendants of the two remaining branches of the Hamiltons of Udston, those of John Hamilton of Udston and William Hamilton of Wishaw. Initially the title was claimed by William Hamilton, a descendant of the former of these. However, in 1793 the House of Lords decided that the latter family, of Wishaw, were the rightful heirs since, by the rules of succession, where there are competing brothers, precedence attaches to brothers immediately younger in the collateral line rather than elder. The Wishaw branch of the Hamilton family was started by William Hamilton, middle of the three brothers mentioned above. His son, also William Hamilton (b.?, d.c.1726), 3^rd of Wishaw (following an elder brother who died unmarried), married Anne Hamilton, daughter of John Hamilton, 7^th of Udston. Their son Robert Hamilton (b.1664, d.?), younger of Wishaw, was the ancestor of the next four holders.

6^th Lord Belhaven. Robert Hamilton, b.1731, a.1777, d.1784

Grandson of William Hamilton (b.1690, d.1756), 4^th of Wishaw, the son of Robert Hamilton, younger of Hamilton, mentioned above, Robert Hamilton, 6^th of Wishaw, became de jure successor, though having died prior to the House of Lords decision.

7^th Lord Belhaven, William Hamilton, b.1765, a.1784, d.1814

Son of the 6^th Lord and Susan Balfour (b.?, d.1789), daughter of Sir Michael Balfour, 6^th Baronet Balfour of Denmilns and Kinnaird.

8^th Lord Belhaven, Robert Montgomery Hamilton, b.1793, a.1814, d.1868

Son of the 7^th Lord and Penelope Macdonald, daughter of Ronald Macdonald of Clanranald. He was a Representative Peer from 1819 to 1832 and was created 1^st Baron Hamilton of Wishaw in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1831. He held the office of High Commissioner to the General Assembly on a number of occasions and was invested as a Knight of the Thistle in 1861. He was also Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire from 1863 to 1868. On his death the UK barony became extinct and the lordship temporarily dormant.

9^th Lord Belhaven, James Hamilton, b.1822, a.1868, d.1893

Once more the succession of this title becomes complicated. William Hamilton (b.1690, d.1756), 4^th of Wishaw, had younger brothers, including one James Hamilton (b.1700, d.1769), who became 1^st Laird of Stevenston, and whose family were next in line according to the rules of succession. His great-grandson became the next holder. However he had a large family of daughters, none of which were eligible to succeed.

10^th Lord Belhaven, Alexander Charles Hamilton, b.1840, a.1893, d.1920

Robert Hamilton (b.1664, d.?), younger of Wishaw, mentioned above, had several younger brothers and half-brothers, including Alexander Hamilton (b.1693, d.1781), who moved to England, and the next holder was his great-grandson. He reached the rank of Colonel in the Royal Engineers and fought in the Zulu War of 1879. He was Brigadier of the Surrey Volunteer Infantry Brigade from 1888 to 1902. He was invested as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was a Representative Peer in 1900. His only son was killed in action during the First World War.

11^th Lord Belhaven, Robert Edward Archibald Udny-Hamilton, b.1871, a.1920, d.1950

Nephew of the 10^th Lord, being son of that man’s younger brother Archibald William Hamilton (b.1847, d.1886). He reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Indian Army and fought extensively in India and Africa. In 1918 he was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire. He was Grand Master of the Freemasons of Scotland from 1931 to 1933 and was invested as a Knight of the Order of Charles XII of Sweden in 1933. In 1934 he added his great-grandmother’s surname to his own.

12^th Lord Belhaven, Robert Alexander Benjamin Hamilton, b.1903, a.1950, d.1961

Son of the 11^th Lord and Kathleen Gonville Bromhead (b.?, d.1935), daughter of Colonel Sir Benjamin Parnell Bromhead, 4^th Baronet Bromhead of Thurlby Hall, Lincolnshire. Educated at Eton and RMC Sandhurst, he was Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Royal Scots Fusiliers from 1924 to 1931 and served in the Colonial Service in Aden from 1934 to 1946. He was invested as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

13^th Lord Belhaven, Robert Anthony Carmichael Hamilton, b1927, a.1961

Son of the 12^th Lord and Heather Mildred Carmichael Bell (b.?, d.1992). Educated at Eton, he reached the rank of Lieutenant in The Cameronians.

The courtesy title for the heir is Master of Belhaven.

(Last updated: 08/01/2010)