Regency Personalities Series-George Douglas 16th Earl of Morton
Regency Personalities Series
In my attempts to provide us with the details of the Regency, today I continue with one of the many period notables.
George Douglas 16th Earl of Morton
3 April 1761 – 17 July 1827
George Douglas
George Douglas 16th Earl of Morton was the only son of Charles Sholto Douglas, and Katherine Hamilton. He succeeded to the title Earl of Morton in 1774 aged only thirteen, following the death of his father. He was sent to Eton College to be educated. Following his education he conducted a Grand Tour of Europe, as was the fashion of the day, and visited most of the European Courts.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in February 1785. His proposers were Daniel Rutherford, John Robison, and Alexander Keith. He served as vice-president of the Royal Society of London occasionally from 1795-1819, if Joseph Banks was unavailable.
He served as a representative peer from 1784 to 1790 and as Queen’s Chamberlain 1792 to 1818. He was also Lord Lieutenant of Fife from 1808 to 1824. He was also High Commissioner to the Church of Scotland.
In August 1791 he was made Baron Douglas of Loch Leven. Thereafter he took a seat in the House of Lords between Lord Howard de Walden and Lord Walsingham. He was knighted at St. James’s Palace in 1797.
He died at the family estate of Dalmahoy House on 17 July 1827.
On 13 August 1814, he married Susan Elizabeth Buller (daughter of Sir Francis Buller). They had no children.
He was succeeded by his first cousin, George Sholto Douglas.
