William Hay, 19th Earl Of Erroll

William Harry Hay, 19th Earl of Erroll, was born on 3 May 1823. He held the titles of Lord Hay from 1823 to 1831 and Lord Kilmarnock from 1831 to 1846 before becoming the Earl of Erroll. He was a member of the Scottish peerage and served in various official capacities during his lifetime.

Early Life:

William Harry Hay was the only son among four children born to Lady Elizabeth FitzClarence and William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll. His birthplace and childhood details are not specified. His family lineage connected him to notable figures: his father was the 18th Earl of Erroll, and his mother, Lady Elizabeth FitzClarence, was the illegitimate daughter of King William IV and his mistress Dora Bland, also known as Mrs. Jordan. Lady Elizabeth’s family included several notable relatives, such as George FitzClarence, 1st Earl of Munster, and Henry FitzClarence.

His paternal grandparents were William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll, and Alicia Eliot. His maternal grandparents included Samuel Eliot of Antigua and Dora Bland.

Family Connections:

His elder sister, Lady Ida Hay, married Charles Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough. Their descendants include the Earls of Gainsborough, the Marquesses of Bute, and the Baronets of Bellingham. His younger sisters, Lady Agnes Hay and Lady Alice Hay, married into prominent families as well: Lady Agnes married James Duff, 5th Earl Fife, and her son, Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, married Princess Louise, daughter of King Edward VII. Lady Alice Hay married Charles Edward Louis Casimir Stuart, Count d'Albanie.

Career:

William Harry Hay served as a Page of Honour, the third in order, from 1832 until 1839. Initially, he served as a Page of Honour to his grandfather, King William IV, from 1832 to 1837, and subsequently to Queen Victoria until 1839. Between 1841 and 1860, he served in the British Army, although specific details of his military career are not provided in the available information.

Personal Life:

On 20 September 1848, William Harry Hay married Eliza Amelia Gore, born in 1829 and died in 1916. She was the eldest daughter of General Hon. Sir Charles Stephen Gore and Sarah Rachel Fraser. The Countess of Erroll served as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, starting in 1872.

Children:

The couple had seven children:

1. Hon. Charles Gore Hay, Master of Erroll, styled Lord Kilmarnock, (1850–1850), who died in infancy.

2. Charles Gore Hay, 20th Earl of Erroll (1852–1927); he married Mary Caroline L'Estrange.

3. Captain Hon. Arthur Hay (1855–1932); served in Egypt and Burma; was a Gentleman Usher from 1896 to 1925; awarded CVO.

4. Lady Florence Alice Hay (1858–1859); died young.

5. Lady Cecilia Leila Hay (1860–1935); married Captain George Allan Webbe.

6. Hon. Francis Hay (1864–1898); served as a Page of Honour.

7. Lady Florence Agnes Adelaide Hay (1872–1935); married Major Henry Wolrige-Gordon.

Death and Succession:

William Harry Hay, 19th Earl of Erroll, died on 3 December 1891. His widow, the Dowager Countess of Erroll, died on 11 March 1916. Their eldest surviving son, Charles, succeeded as the 20th Earl of Erroll and was the grandfather of Victor Alexander Sereld Hay, who became the 21st Earl of Erroll but died in 1928 and was succeeded by other family members.

References:

The information provided is supported by various sources, including official records and genealogical references.

External links:

Contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Erroll are available in the Hansard archives between 1803 and 2005.