599 John Hamilton

Constituency :  Falkirk  Burghs  1857-9, South  Lanarkshire  1868-74, 1880-86

John  was  the  first  MP  for  the  new  seat  of  South  Lanarkshire.

John  was  born  in  France  and  educated  at  Eton. He  joined  the  2nd  Life  Guards  and  rose  to  the rank  of  captain  in  1854. He  retired  from  the  regular  army  in  1860. He  served  as  MP  for  Falkirk Burghs  from  1857  to  1859.

In  1886  John  lost  his  seat  by  18  votes  and  was  raised  to  the  peerage  as  Baron  Hamilton  on  the  recommendation  of  Lord  Dalhousie. Dalhousie  wrote  "He  has  fought  four  contested elections  at  his  own  expense  entirely... He  has  always  voted  straight. He  is  a  man  of  high  and  honourable  character, wealthy , and  of  a  very  old  family. He  has  always  been  very  public-spirited  and  unselfish  in  his  political  conduct  and  ever  ready  and  glad  to  sacrifice  his  own  interests  for  the  good  of  the  party - a  most  loyal  and  chivalrous  fellow. He  has  besides, dignity  and  good  manners".

John  served  as  a  lord-in-waiting  during  Gladstone's  final  government  of  1892-94.

He  died  in  1900  aged  71.