Alexander Montgomerie - 10th Earl of Eglinton
Biography
Birth: Feb 10, 1723
Death: Oct 25, 1769
Son of Alexander Montgomerie (ca. 1660-1728/1729), 9th Earl of Eglinton and Susanna Kennedy (1689-1780). Brother of Lady Margaret Macdonald and Archibald Montgomerie, 11th Earl of Eglinton. Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 1750-51. Sometime member of the House of Lords. When in London (from 1760 to 1763 at the least) he stayed in Queen Street, Mayfair. According to Boswell, he kept a mistress, Ms. or Mrs. Brown, who, in 1763, "had lived with him seven or eight years" (LJ100363).
On October 24, 1769 the Lord was shot on his own estate near Ardrossan, Scotland by excise officer Mungo Campbell following a dispute about the latter's right to bear arms on the Earl's grounds. Lord Eglinton died from his wounds on the next day. At the time of his death he was engaged to be married to Jane (or Jean) Montgomerie, daughter of John Maxwell and widow of James Montgomerie of Lainshaw, the brother of Boswell's wife Margaret.1 A description of the episode that led to his death can be found here (Link) - the article refers to Archibald Montgomerie, the 11th Earl, but all the information is about Alexander Montgomerie, the 10th Earl here mentioned.
Also known as
- 10th Earl of Eglinton
- Lord Eglinton
Life with James Boswell
Lord Eglinton introduced the young James Boswell to the joys of London life during the latter's 1760 stay in the city. After his arrival back in London in 1762, Boswell wanted the Lord to use his influence with Prime Minister Bute to secure him a position in the Guards, and the Lord actually did deliver a letter from Boswell to Bute, but to no avail. (LJ150363, 210363 and Letter to John Johnston 220363)
Although Boswell sometimes doubted the lord's sincerity they remained good friends during Boswell's 1762-63 stay in the city, despite occasional misunderstandings (see LJ entry 22/12-1762 and reply from Lord Eglinton). Boswell often dined and slept at the Lord's house, especially during the spring of 1763, and he forgave the Lord for his flaws which (Boswell eventually thought) couldn't be helped.
On January 24, 1763 Boswell writes about "the love which I cannot help having for this very agreeable nobleman". In his entry for January 25, 1763 he quotes one of the longest conversations in his journals, in which he talked with Lord Eglinton about their disagreements and their love for each other. At one point Boswell described "how my heart melted with tenderness, genuine candor, and joy".
Boswell was greatly saddened by the death of the Lord in 1769.
Recommended literature
The family today: The present Earl is Archibald George Montgomerie (b. 1939), son of the 17th Earl Archibald William Alexander Montgomerie (1914-1966). He holds the titles of 18th Earl of Eglinton and 6th Earl of Winton. As several of his predecessors he is an active freemason, who was served as assistant Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England. He is a former member of the London Stock Exchange, and currently serves as Chairman of Edinburgh Investment Trust plc.
Note 1: THe source of some information in this article is The Dictionary of National Biography, 1921-22, available online from www.Ancestry.co.uk - sign up now for a free trial
Related links
Mentioned in
Alexander Montgomerie is mentioned in:
- Journal of my Jaunt, Harvest 1762
- London Journal 1762-1763
- Boswell in Holland 1763-1764
