- Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart
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Lord Cathcart by Joshua Reynolds (1753-5) © Manchester Art Gallery
Mary Cathcart
General Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart (21 March 1721 – 14 August 1776) was a British soldier and diplomat. He was also chief of the Clan Cathcart.
The son of Charles Cathcart, 8th Lord Cathcart and Marion Shaw, he was born on 21 March 1721. Opposed to the restoration of the Stuart monarchy, he became an aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cumberland and during the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745, was shot in the face. Joshua Reynolds' portrait (1753-5) shows the black silk patch he used to cover the scar on his cheek. This seemingly earned him the soubriquet 'Patch Cathcart'. The following year at the Battle of Culloden again acting as ADC to Cumberland Cathcart was once more wounded in battle.
On 24 July 1753 he married Jane Hamilton (1722 - 1771), daughter of Captain Lord Archibald Hamilton and Lady Jane Hamilton.
They had seven children:
- Jane (b. 20 May 1754 - 1790), first wife of the fourth Duke of Atholl.
- William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart (b. Sept. 17, 1755 - 1843)
- Mary (b. 1757 - June 26, 1792), only wife to ( Thomas Graham 1748 - 1843,Major General/Baron Lynedoch of Balgowan)
- Charles (b. 1760 - June 10, 1788)
- Louisa (b. 1761)
- Archibald (b. 1765)
- Catherine Charlotte (b. 1770)
Charles was the last Lord Cathcart to inherit the family estate of Sundrum. Upon inheriting his mother's estates in Greenock he sold Sundrum to James Murray of Broughton in 1758.
In 1763 he was created a Knight of the Order of the Thistle.
In February 1768 he was appointed ambassador at St Petersburg and was well received by Catherine the Great. He served at the Russian court until 1772. On his return to Britain he was elected Rector of Glasgow University in 1773.
He died on 14 August 1776.
External links
- Archival material relating to Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart listed at the UK National Register of Archives
Diplomatic posts Preceded by
Sir George MacartneyAmbassador from the United Kingdom to Russia
1768–1772Succeeded by
Sir Robert GunningAcademic offices Preceded by
Lord Frederick CampbellRector of the University of Glasgow
1773–1775Succeeded by
Sir James MontgomeryPeerage of Scotland Preceded by
Charles CathcartLord Cathcart
1740–1776Succeeded by
William CathcartCategories:- 1721 births
- 1776 deaths
- Lords of Parliament
- Knights of the Thistle
- Diplomatic peers
- Rectors of the University of Glasgow
- British Army personnel of the Jacobite Rising of 1745
- British Army generals
- Lancashire Fusiliers officers
- British Army personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession
- Members of the Privy Council of Great Britain
- Ambassadors of Great Britain to Russia
- Lords High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
- Scottish representative peers
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