Viscount Falkland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The name refers to the royal burgh of Falkland in Fife.
Viscount Falkland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The name refers to the royal burgh of Falkland in Fife.
The title was created in 1620 by King James VI for Sir Henry Cary, a member of the Cary family. He was born in Hertfordshire and had no previous connection to Scotland. He was made Lord Cary at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. His son, the second Viscount, was a prominent statesman. The latter's younger son, the fourth Viscount (who succeeded his elder brother), notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire. His son, the fifth Viscount, represented several constituencies in the House of Commons and held office as First Lord of the Admiralty from 1693 to 1694. The Falkland Islands in the south Atlantic are named after him.
Upon his death, the line of the second Viscount failed and the titles were inherited by the fifth Viscount's second cousin, the sixth Viscount. He was the grandson of the Hon. Patrick Cary, fifth son of the first Viscount. A lifelong adherent of the exiled Royal Family of Stuart, he was created Earl of Falkland in the Jacobite Peerage on 13 December 1722 by James Francis Edward Stuart (recognised by Jacobites as "King James VIII / III"). He also embraced the Roman Catholic faith. His great-great-grandson, the tenth Viscount, was a colonial administrator and Liberal politician. In 1832, he was created Baron Hunsdon, of Scutterskelfe in the County of York, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. This title gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords but became extinct on his death in 1884. The Scottish titles were inherited by his younger brother, the eleventh Viscount. He was an Admiral in the Royal Navy.
His nephew, the twelfth Viscount, sat in the House of Lords as a Scottish representative peer from 1894 to 1922. He was succeeded by his son, the thirteenth Viscount, who also sat as a Representative Peer between 1922 and 1931. As of 2023 [update] , the titles are held by the latter's grandson, the fifteenth Viscount, who succeeded his father in 1984. He was one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999; he sat as a Crossbencher until his retirement in 2023.
Theoretically, all viscountcies in the Peerage of Scotland have "of" in their titles, but as with other British viscountcies, Scottish viscounts have dropped the practice of using "of." The only exceptions to this usage are the Viscount of Arbuthnott and, to a lesser extent, the Viscount of Oxfuird.
There is a statue of Viscount Falkland in St Stephens Hall, in the Houses of Parliament. On 27 April 1909, a suffragette named Marjory Hume chained herself to the statue, shouting "Deeds not words". When the chains were removed, the top half of the spur on Falkland's right boot was broken off; the damage can be seen to this day. It is a common misconception that Falkland's sword was broken during this incident. Instead, the sword broke shortly after the statue was installed in St Stephens Hall.
The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon. Lucius Alexander Plantagenet Cary, Master of Falkland (b. 1963).
Lucius Cary, 2nd Viscount Falkland PC was an English author and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1642. He fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil War and was killed in action at the First Battle of Newbury.
Duke of Atholl, named after Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of his father, the 1st Marquess.
Marquess of Cholmondeley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for George Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley.
Viscount of Oxfuird is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1651 for Sir James Makgill, 1st Baronet, along with the subsidiary title of Lord Makgill of Cousland, also in the Peerage of Scotland, with remainder to his "heirs male of tailzie and provision whomsoever". He had already been created a Baronet, of Makgill, in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia on 19 July 1625, with remainder to heirs male whatsoever. The remainder to heirs male whatsoever was a Scottish concept that permitted inheritance by persons not descended from the original grantee, but descended in the male line from male-line ancestors of the grantee. However, on the death of the first Viscount's son, the second Viscount, the Lordship and Viscountcy were assumed by his daughter Christian, as heir of tailzie and provision. Her son Robert Maitland Makgill also voted as Viscount of Oxfuird at the election of Scottish representative peer in 1733.
Earl of Macclesfield is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the soldier and politician Charles Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard. He had already been created Baron Gerard, of Brandon in the County of Suffolk, in 1645, and was made Viscount Brandon, of Brandon in the County of Suffolk, at the same time as he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of England. Lord Macclesfield was the great-grandson of the distinguished judge Sir Gilbert Gerard, Master of the Rolls from 1581 to 1594. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He was involved in the Rye House Plot of 1683, was sentenced to death but later pardoned by the King. On his death without legitimate issue in 1701 the titles passed to his younger brother, the third Earl. He had earlier represented Yarmouth, Lancaster and Lancashire in the House of Commons. When he died in 1702 the titles became extinct.
Viscount Powerscourt is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland, each time for members of the Wingfield family. It was created first in 1618 for the Chief Governor of Ireland, Richard Wingfield. However, this creation became extinct on his death in 1634. It was created a second time in 1665 for Folliott Wingfield. He was the great-great-grandson of George Wingfield, uncle of the first Viscount of the 1618 creation. However, the 1665 creation also became extinct on the death of its first holder in 1717.
Viscount Gort is the title of two peerages in British and Irish history. Gort is a small town in County Galway in the West of Ireland. The original title was in the Peerage of Ireland and is extant. A viscountcy with the same title as the Irish peerage was then conferred in the Peerage of the United Kingdom to a later Lord Gort. This gave the distinguished descendant a subtle personal change of status, whilst preserving the heritage of the older title. The United Kingdom title, however, became extinct on the death of the original recipient, who remains perhaps the most illustrious bearer of the older title to date. A post-World War II unqualified reference to "Lord Gort" will almost always be to the sixth viscount.
Viscount Tenby, of Bulford in the County of Pembroke, is a hereditary title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1957 for former Home Secretary, the Hon. Gwilym Lloyd George, second son of Prime Minister David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor.
Viscount Thurso, of Ulbster in the County of Caithness, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 11 June 1952 for the Scottish Liberal politician and former Secretary of State for Air, Sir Archibald Sinclair, 4th Baronet. His son, the second Viscount, served as Lord Lieutenant of Caithness from 1973 to 1995.
Viscount Colville of Culross, in the County of Perth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 15 July 1902 for the politician and courtier, Charles Colville, 10th Lord Colville of Culross. He had already been created Baron Colville of Culross, in the County of Perth, in 1885, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. As of 2018, the titles are held by his great-great-grandson, the fifth Viscount, who succeeded his father in 2010. The fourth Viscount was a judge and politician. Lord Colville of Culross was one of the ninety elected hereditary peers that remained in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, and sat as a crossbencher.
Baron Hunsdon is a title that has been created three times.
Lucius Bentinck Cary, 10th Viscount Falkland GCH, PC, styled Master of Falkland until 1809, was a British colonial administrator and Liberal politician.
Lucius Edward William Plantagenet Cary, 15th Viscount of Falkland, styled Master of Falkland from 1961 to 1984, is a British nobleman and politician.
Lucius Alexander Plantagenet Cary, Master of Falkland, is an English screenwriter, producer, and ex-soldier.
Lucius Henry Cary, 6th Viscount Falkland was a Scottish peer and Jacobite.
Lucius Charles Cary, 7th Viscount Falkland was a Scottish peer.
Captain Charles John Cary, 9th Viscount Falkland was a Scottish peer and Royal Navy officer.
Byron Plantagenet Cary, 12th Viscount Falkland was a Scottish peer and British Army officer.
Lucius Plantagenet Cary, 13th Viscount Falkland, styled Master of Falkland from 1886 to 1922, was a Scottish peer.
Lucius Henry Charles Plantagenet Cary, 14th Viscount Falkland, styled Master of Falkland from 1922 to 1961, was a Scottish peer.
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