James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale

James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale, etc., (25 January 1718 - 17 August 1789 was born at Thirlestane Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, and was one of the sixteen representative peers for Scotland in the House of Lords.

James Maitland served for twenty-five years in the army; and was appointed Lieutenant-colonel of the 16th Regiment of Foot on 20 September 1745. He resigned his commission upon the promotion of a junior officer above him.

He was also unlucky under the Act of 1747 abolishing heritable jurisdictions, when he got for the Regality of Thirlestane and bailiary of Lauderdale £1000, instead of the £8000 he claimed.

He was a Lord of Police from February 1766 until the abolition of that board in 1782; and Rector of Glasgow University from 1779 to 1781.

Lord Lauderdale died at Haltoun House.

On 24 April 1749 he married Mary Turner (d.1789), only child and heiress of Sir Thomas de Lombe, Knt., Alderman of the City of London, by whom he obtained a large fortune. They had twelve children, 6 boys and 6 girls.

His son and heir, James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale was a revolutionary in France.

The third son was Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Maitland, GCB, GCH (1759 – 1824), governor and commander-in-chief at Ceylon.

References

* Douglas, Sir Robert, "The Peerage", vol.ii, p.76.
* Burke, Messrs. John and John Bernard, "The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with their Descendants", etc., London, 1851, vol.2, pedigree LXXXIV.
* Lodge, Edmund, Norroy King of Arms, "The Peerage of the British Empire", 27th edition, London, 1858, p.339.
* Anderson, William, "The Scottish Nation", Edinburgh, 1867, vol.vi, p.637.

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