Archibald Douglas, 8th Marquess of Queensberry

For other people named Archibald Douglas, see Archibald Douglas (disambiguation).

The Most Honourable The Marquess of Queensberry PC
200px Inscription on Lord Queensberry's Memorial, Cummertrees.
Comptroller of the Household
In office 4 January 1853 – 25 July 1856
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Aberdeen The Viscount Palmerston
Preceded by	The Hon George Weld-Forester
Succeeded by	Viscount Castlerosse
Personal details
Born	18 April 1818
Died	6 August 1858
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Caroline Clayton (d. 1904)

Archibald William Douglas, 8th Marquess of Queensberry PC (18 April 1818 – 6 August 1858), styled Viscount Drumlanrig between 1837 and 1856, was a Scottish Conservative Party politician. He notably served as Comptroller of the Household between 1853 and 1856.

Background

Douglas was the son of John Douglas, 7th Marquess of Queensberry, by Sarah Douglas, daughter of Major James Sholto Douglas. He became known by the courtesy title Viscount Drumlanrig when his father succeeded to the marquessate of Queensberry in 1837.

Cricket

He played first-class cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1841.

Political career

Lord Drumlanrig was returned to parliament for Dumfriesshire in 1847. In early 1853 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Comptroller of the Household under Lord Aberdeen, a post he held until 1856, during the last year under the premiership of Lord Palmerston. In 1856 he also succeeded his father in the marquessate. However, as this was a Scottish peerage, it did not entitle him to a seat in the House of Lords. He stood down from the House of Commons in early 1857. Apart from his political career he was also Lord-Lieutenant of Dumfriesshire from 1850 to 1858.

Family

Lord Queensberry married Caroline Margaret Clayton (1821–1904), daughter of General Sir William Clayton, 5th Baronet, at Gretna Green, Scotland, in 1840. They had six children:

• Lady Gertrude Georgiana Douglas (died 1893), married Thomas Stock.
• John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry (1844–1900), the man behind the Marquess of Queensberry rules that formed the basis of modern boxing, and, much later, the downfall of author and playwright Oscar Wilde.
• Lord Francis William Bouverie Douglas (1847–1865), beaten by A. W. Moore and party by a day to first ascent of the Ober Gabelhorn, killed a week later in the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn.
• Reverend Lord Archibald Edward Douglas (1850–1938).
• Lady Florence Caroline Douglas (1855–1905) (twin), war correspondent, travel writer, and feminist.
• Lord James Edward Sholto Douglas (1855–1891) (twin), married racehorse breeder Martha Lucy Hennessy in 1888, committed suicide.

Lord Queensberry died while hunting in August 1858 aged forty, officially from the explosion of his gun. However, the event was widely believed to be a suicide. The Marchioness of Queensberry died in February 1904.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Archibald Douglas, 8th Marquess of Queensberry

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by John Hope-Johnstone	Member of Parliament for Dumfriesshire 1847–1857	Succeeded by John Hope-Johnstone
Political offices
Preceded by Hon. George Weld-Forester	Comptroller of the Household 1853–1856	Succeeded by Viscount Castlerosse
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Marquess of Queensberry	Lord-Lieutenant of Dumfriesshire 1850–1858	Succeeded by The Duke of Buccleuch
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by John Douglas	Marquess of Queensberry 1856–1858	Succeeded by John Sholto Douglas