Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch

His Grace

The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry

KT GCVO TD PC
His Grace; The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry; KT GCVO TD PC
Born	30 December 1894
Died	4 October 1973 (aged 78)
Spouse(s)	Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles
Children	Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland; John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch; Caroline Gilmour;
Parent(s)	John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch; Lady Margaret Bridgeman;

Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch and 10th Duke of Queensberry, KT, GCVO, TD, PC (30 December 1894 – 4 October 1973) was a Scottish peer and Conservative politician. He was the son of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch and Lady Margaret Alice "Molly" Bridgeman. His sister, Alice, married Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (one of the paternal uncles of Queen Elizabeth II) in 1935, becoming a member of the British Royal Family.

Early life and education[]

Montagu Douglas Scott was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, and had a military career commanding the 4th King's Own Scottish Borderers. He was also Captain-General of the Royal Company of Archers.

Political activity[]

As Earl of Dalkeith, Scott was Scottish Unionist Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire from 1923 until 1935, when he succeeded as Duke of Buccleuch and Duke of Queensberry. He was succeeded as MP for the constituency by his brother, Lord William Scott. According to Cowling, he met German ambassador Joachim von Ribbentrop in London. Seen as pro-German, he was compelled to 'resign' as Lord Steward by King George VI.^[1] He had attended Hitler's 50th birthday celebration in 1939 and he opposed war with Germany; once war broke out, he campaigned for a truce which allowed Hitler to keep all his conquered territory.^[2]

Scott inaugurated a racist campaign against workers in the British Honduran Forestry Unit who had come to Scotland to help in the war effort. He complained that not only were the workers lazy but was also concerned that some had married local women. Harold Macmillan, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies replied to his complaints suggesting that the problem was more the extreme cold the Hondurans encountered – quite different from their tropical homeland.^[3]

Personal life[]

Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries and Galloway - a seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch

Boughton House, Northamptonshire - a seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch

He married Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles, granddaughter of William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans, on 21 April 1921. They had three children, sixteen grandchildren, forty-four great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren:

Lady Elizabeth Diana Montagu Douglas Scott (20 January 1922 – 19 September 2012) she married Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland on 12 June 1946. They have seven children and seventeen grandchildren.
Walter Francis John Montagu Douglas Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch (28 September 1923 – 4 September 2007) he married Jane McNeill on 10 January 1953. They have four children, ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Lady Caroline Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott (7 November 1927 – 17 October 2004) she married Sir Ian Gilmour, 3rd Baronet on 10 July 1951. They have five children, and seventeen grandchildren:
- Sir David Robert Gilmour, 4th Bt (born 14 November 1952) he married Sarah Anne Bradstock on 27 September 1975. They have four children.
- The Honourable Oliver John Gilmour (born 18 December 1953) he married Hon. Katherine Grenfell in 1981 and they were divorced in 1985. They have two children:
  - Natalia Claire Gilmour (born 1981)
  - Marco Oliver Gilmour (born 1988)
- The Honourable Christopher Simon Gilmour (born 22 September 1956) he married Mardi Haynes in 1992. They have three daughters:
  - Leonora Rose Bonnie Gilmour (born 1993)
  - Gabriella Holly Gilmour (born 1994)
  - Christobel Gilmour (born 2000)
- The Honourable Jane Victoria Gilmour (born 22 March 1959) she married Hon. Peter John Pleydell-Bouverie in June 1986. They have four children:
  - Timothy Pleydell-Bouverie (born 1987)
  - Jamie Pleydell-Bouverie (born 1989)
  - Lara Caroline Pleydell-Bouverie (1993)
  - Clara Anne Pleydell-Bouverie (1993)
- The Honourable Andrew James Gilmour (born 22 March 1964) he married Emma Williams in 1991. They have four children:
  - Archie Gilmour (born 1993)
  - Xan Gilmour (born 1996)
  - Catriona Gilmour (born 1999)
  - Sholto Gilmour (born 2001)

He died on 4 October 1973 and was buried among the ruins of Melrose Abbey.

Ancestry[]

showAncestors of Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch

Sources[]

Maurice Cowling, The Impact of Hitler - British Politics & Policy 1933–1940, Cambridge University Press, 1975, p. 403, ISBN 0-521-20582-4

References[]

^ Cadbury, Deborah (2015). Princes at War. New York, NY: Public Affairs. p. 124. ISBN 9781610394031.
^ Callan, Paul (12 September 2009). "Hitler's aristocratic admirers". Express. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
^ Allan, Vicky (2006). "THE LAST LUMBERJACK Sam Martinez left his homeland of British Honduras in 1941, bound for a new life as a woodcutter in Scotland. Now 96, he shares his wisdom with Vicky Allan and talks about changed times, staying positive and life as a local celebrity". The Herald (15 January 2006). Glasgow. Retrieved 1 July 2019.

External links[]

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Buccleuch

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Sir Thomas Henderson	Member of Parliament for Roxburgh and Selkirk 1923 – 1935	Succeeded by Lord William Walter Montagu Douglas Scott
Political offices
Preceded by The Duke of Sutherland	Lord Steward 1937–1940	Succeeded by The Duke of Hamilton
Preceded by Lord Elphinstone	Lord Clerk Register 1956–1973	Succeeded by The Earl of Wemyss
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Duke of Roxburghe	Lord Lieutenant of Roxburghshire 1932–1973	Succeeded by The Duke of Buccleuch
Preceded by The Earl of Airlie	Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle 1966–1973	Succeeded by Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by John Montagu Douglas Scott	Duke of Buccleuch 2nd creation 1935–1973	Succeeded by John Scott
Preceded by John Montagu Douglas Scott	Duke of Queensberry 1935–1973	Succeeded by John Scott

[1] Cadbury, Deborah (2015). Princes at War. New York, NY: Public Affairs. p. 124. ISBN 9781610394031.

[2] Callan, Paul (12 September 2009). "Hitler's aristocratic admirers". Express. Retrieved 25 October 2020.

[Last_Lumberjack-3] Allan, Vicky (2006). "THE LAST LUMBERJACK Sam Martinez left his homeland of British Honduras in 1941, bound for a new life as a woodcutter in Scotland. Now 96, he shares his wisdom with Vicky Allan and talks about changed times, staying positive and life as a local celebrity". The Herald (15 January 2006). Glasgow. Retrieved 1 July 2019.

[1]

[2]

[3]

show v t Chancellors of the Order of the Thistle
George V	John Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose Henry Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe Walter Erskine, 12th Earl of Mar
Edward VIII	Walter Erskine, 12th Earl of Mar
George VI	Walter Erskine, 12th Earl of Mar Sidney Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone
Elizabeth II	David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch Alec Douglas-Home, Baron Home of Hirsel John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie

His Grace The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry KT GCVO TD PC

Born	(1894-12-30)30 December 1894
Died	4 October 1973(1973-10-04) (aged 78)
Spouse(s)	Vreda Esther Mary Lascelles
Children	Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland John Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch Caroline Gilmour
Parent(s)	John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch Lady Margaret Bridgeman