Earls of Rosslyn (1801)

1^st Earl of Rosslyn, Alexander Wedderburn, b.1733, a.1801, d.1805

The title of 1^st Earl of Rosslyn was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom for Alexander Wedderburn, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1793 to 1801. He started out as an advocate in Edinburgh but gained access to the English Bar, and became well known for his powers of argument in debating circles. He entered politics under the guidance of John Stuart, 3^rd Earl of Bute, who had been Prime Minister, with a view to that position himself. His first task was to obtain a peerage, which he obtained in 1780 in becoming Chief Justice in the Court of Common Pleas, whereon he became 1^st Baron Loughborough, county Leicester. However, his switches of allegiance beget a measure of distrust that he could never totally shake, although he did become Lord Chancellor under William Pitt, obtaining the earldom on stepping down from that position. In 1795, knowing that he was to be succeeded by his nephew, he obtained an additional peerage as 1^st Baron Loughborough, county Surrey, with special remainder to his nephew. At his death the first barony thereby became extinct but the second one was allowed to transfer to his successor.

Baronets Erskine of Alva (1666)

1^st Baronet Erskine, Charles Erskine, b.1643, a.1666, d.1690

He was the son of Sir Charles Erskine of Alva (b.?, d.1663) and Mary Hope, daughter of Sir Thomas Hope, 1^st Baronet Hope of Craighall, and grandson of John Erskine, 2^nd and 18^th Earl of Mar. He was MP for Clackmannan and Stirling and made 1^st Baronet Erskine of Alva in the Peerage of Nova Scotia in 1666.

2^nd Baronet Erskine, James Erskine, b.c.1670, a.1690, d.1693

Son of the 1^st Baronet and Christian Dundas, daughter of Sir James Dundas of Arniston.

3^rd Baronet Erskine, John Erskine, b.1672, a.1693, d.1739

Younger brother of the 2^nd Baronet.

4^th Baronet Erskine, Charles Erskine, b.?, a.1739, d.1747

Son of the 3^rd Baronet and Catherine Sinclair, daughter of Henry St Clair, 10^th Lord St Clair.

5^th Baronet Erskine, Henry Erskine, b.?, a.1747, d.1765

Son of the 4^th Baronet and Henrietta Fraser. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant-General in the British Army.

6^th Baronet Erskine, James Erskine, b.1762, a.1765, d.1837

Son of the 5^th Baronet and Janet Wedderburn (b.?, d.1797), sister to Alexander Wedderburn, 1^st Earl of Rosslyn. He was educated at Edinburgh High and at Eton, and became a distinguished soldier, rising through the ranks to become a General in 1814. He also served as a Whig MP from 1782 until 1805. In 1789 her inherited the Dysart and Rosslyn estates of the Lords St Clair by way of his paternal grandmother Catherine St Clair, daughter of Henry Sinclair, 10^th Lord St Clair, by way of attainder, and added this to his surname. In 1805 he succeeded his uncle as 2^nd Earl of Rosslyn.

Earls of Rosslyn (continued)

2^nd Earl of Rosslyn, James St Clair Erskine, b.1762, a.1805, d.1837

By the time he succeeded his uncle as earl, he was considered a Tory and served in the Duke of Wellington’s government as Lord Privy Seal from 1829 to 1830 and Lord President of the Council from 1834 to 1835. He was also Lord-Lieutenant of Fife from 1828 to 1837.

3^rd Earl of Rosslyn, James Alexander St Clair Erskine, b.1802, a.1837, d.1866

Son of the 2^nd Earl and Harriet Elizabeth Bouverie (b.1771, d.1810). He was an MP for Dysart Burghs, and served under Sir Robert Peel as Master of the Buckhounds from 1841 to 1846, a position on the Royal Household held by a politician, now extinct. He commanded the auxiliary regiment, the Fife Mounted Rifle Volunteers, from 1860 to his death.

4^th Earl of Rosslyn, Robert Francis St Clair-Erskine, b.1833, a.1866, d.1890

Son of the 3^rd Earl and Frances Wemyss (b.?, d.1858), a descendant of James Wemyss, 5^th Earl of Wemyss. Another Tory politician, he was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1870 to 1873 and he was Chief Whip in the House of Lords under Lord Salisbury’s government with the title of Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms from 1886 to 1890.

5^th Earl of Rosslyn, James Francis Harry St Clair-Erskine, b.1869, a.1890, d.1939

Son of the 4^th Earl and Blanche Adeliza Fitzroy (b.1839, d.1933), a descendent of Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3^rd Duke of Grafton.

6^th Earl of Rosslyn, Anthony Hugh Francis Harry St Clair-Erskine, b.1917, a.1939, d.1977

Grandson of the 5^th Earl and Violet Aline Vyner (b.?, d.1945) and son of Francis Edward Scudamore St Clair-Erskine (b.1892, d.1929) and Sheila Margaret MacKellar (b.1898, d.1969). His mother later married Dmitri Romanov, Prince of Russia.

7^th Earl of Rosslyn, Peter St Clair-Erskine, b.1958, a.1977

Son of the 6^th Earl and Athenais de Rochechouart de Mortemart, daughter of Louis Victor de Mortemart, Duc de Vionne. Educated at Eton and Bristol University, he joined the Metropolitan Police in 1980 and in 2003 became head of the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Department. As well as being 7^th Earl, he is also 7^th Baron Loughborough and 11^th Baronet Erskine of Alva.

The courtesy title for the heir is Lord Loughborough.

(Last updated: 18/09/2009)