Baronets Colyear of Holland (1677)

1st Baronet, Alexander Colyear, b.?, a.1677, d.1679-1680

Reputedly a descendant of a branch of the Robertsons of Strowan, Alexander Robertson was created 1^st Baronet Colyear in the Peerage of England in 1677, taking the name as his own surname. He moved to Holland where he made a considerable fortune.

2^nd Baronet, David Colyear, b.c.1656, a.1679-1680, d.1730

Son of the 1^st Baronet and Jean Murray, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Murray. He commanded a Scots regiment that fought for the Dutch, and served under the Prince of Orange in Ireland. He was created 1^st Lord Portmore and Blackness in the Peerage of Scotland in 1699.

Lords Portmore (1699)

1st Lord Portmore, David Colyear, b.c.1656, a.1699, d.1730

In 1703 he was also created 1^st Earl of Portmore, 1^st Viscount Milsington and 1^st Lord Colyear, all in the Peerage of Scotland.

Earls of Portmore (1703)

1^st Earl of Portmore, David Colyear, b.c.1656, a.1703, d.1730

He reached the rank of General and was Governor of Gibraltar. He was made a Privy Counsellor in 1712 and a Knight of the Thistle in 1713.

2^nd Earl of Portmore, Charles Colyear, b.1700, a.1730, d.1785

Son of the 1^st Earl and Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester, mistress of King James II. He was an MP for Wycombe and then Andover, and was a prominent owner and breeder of racehorses. He was invested as a Knight of the Thistle.

3^rd Earl of Portmore, William Charles Colyear, b.1745, a.1785, d.1823

Son of the 2^nd Earl and Juliana Hele, the widow of Sir Peregrine Osbourne, 2^nd Duke of Leeds.

4^th Earl of Portmore, Thomas Charles Colyear, b.1772, a.1823, d.1835

Son of the 3^rd Earl and Mary Hamilton, daughter of John Hamilton, 10^th Earl of Rothes. He was an MP for Boston in Lincolnshire from 1796 to 1802 and was an early member of the Marylebone Cricket Club. On his death, all of his titles became extinct.

(Last updated: 04/09/2009)