Lords Blantyre (1606)

1^st Lord Blantyre, Walter Stewart, b.b.1565, a.1606, d.1617

Descended from the branch of the great Stewart family begun by Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl, younger brother of James Stewart, 5^th High Steward of Scotland, and continued by Sir John Stewart of Garlies, from whom also sprang the Stewart earls of Galloway, Walter Stewart was of the Stewarts of Minto, who were Provosts of Glasgow in the 16^th Century. He was educated alongside the future James VI and was made Gentleman of the Bedchamber in 1580. He became a Privy Counsellor in 1582 and was made Lord Privy Seal at that time. He was an Extraordinary Lord of Session from 1593 to 1599 and became Lord High Treasurer in 1596. He was deprived of his offices in 1599 after the King disapproved of his resolution of a case, and he was briefly imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle. He was a Commissioner for the treaty of the union of crowns in 1604 and was raised to the peerage at the time of the union, after which he was restored as an Extraordinary Lord of Session.

2^nd Lord Blantyre, William Stewart, b.?, a.1617, d.1638

Son of the 1^st Lord and Nicola Somerville, daughter of Sir James Somerville of Cambusnethan.

3^rd Lord Blantyre, Walter Stewart, b.?, a.1638, d.1641

Son of the 2^nd Lord and Helen Scott, daughter of Sir William Scott of Ardross.

4^th Lord Blantyre, Alexander Stewart, b.a.1631, a.1641, d.1676

Younger brother of the 3^rd Lord.

5^th Lord Blantyre, Alexander Stewart, b.?, a.1676, d.1704

Son of the 4^th Lord and Margaret Shaw. He was a supporter of the Revolution and raised a regiment in support of William. He changed the spelling of his name to Stuart, presumably to distance himself from the Jacobites.

6^th Lord Blantyre, Walter Stuart, b.1682-1683, a.1704, d.1713

Son of the 5^th Lord and Anne Hamilton (b.?, d.1722), daughter of Sir Robert Hamilton of Presmennan and sister to John Hamilton, 2^nd Lord Belhaven.

7^th Lord Blantyre, Robert Stuart, b.?, a.1713, d.1743

Younger brother of the 6^th Lord. His first wife was Lady Helen Lyon (b.?, d.1723), daughter of John Lyon, 4^th Earl of Strathmore.

8^th Lord Blantyre, Walter Stuart, b.c.1727, a.1743, d.1751

Son of the 7^th Lord and Margaret Hay (b.c.1698, d.1782). He died unmarried.

9^th Lord Blantyre, William Stuart, b.?, a.1751, d.1776

Younger brother of the 8^th Lord. He also died unmarried.

10^th Lord Blantyre, Alexander Stuart, b.?, a.1776, d.1783

Younger brother of the 8^th and 9^th Lords.

11^th Lord Blantyre, Robert Walter Stuart, b.1777, a.1783, d.1830

Son of the 10^th Lord and Catherine Lindsay (b.?, d.1822). He was educated at Eton and the joined the army. He reached the rank of Captain in the 31^st Foot Regiment and then of Lieutenant-Colonel in the 42^nd Foot Regiment, and fought in Holland and Egypt. He was a Representative Peer from 1806 to 1807 and fought in the Peninsular Wars in 1809. He was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1815 and was raised to the rank of Major-General in 1819. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Renfrewshire from 1820 to 1822.

12^th Lord Blantyre, Charles Stuart, b.1818, a.1830, d.1900

Son of the 11^th Lord and Fanny Mary Rodney (b.1791, d.1875), grand-daughter of Admiral George Brydges Rodney, 1^st Baron Rodney. He served in the Grenadier Guards and was a Representative Peer from 1850 to 1892. He had several daughters and one son by his wife, Lady Evelyn Leveson-Gower (b.1825, d.1869), daughter of George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2^nd Duke of Sutherland. However his son Walter Stuart, Master of Blantyre (b.1851, d.1895) died before him and the lordship became extinct.

(Last updated: 09/01/2010)