Randolph Wemyss

Captain Randolph Gordon Erskine Wemyss (11 July 1858 – 17 July 1908) was a Scottish landowner, naval officer, and businessman, known for his role as the Laird of Wemyss Castle and as Chief of Clan Wemyss.

**Early Life**

Born at Wemyss Castle on 11 July 1858, Wemyss was the eldest son of James Hay Erskine Wemyss, Member of Parliament for Fife and grandson of the 17th Earl of Erroll, and Augusta Millicent Anne Mary Kennedy Erskine. His maternal grandparents included the Hon. John Kennedy Erskine of Dun, son of the 1st Marquess of Ailsa, and Lady Augusta FitzClarence, an illegitimate daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom by Dora Bland. He had several siblings, notably Mary Frances Erskine-Wemyss, who married Cecil Stratford Paget; Dora Mina Erskine-Wemyss, who married Lord Henry Grosvenor; and Rosslyn Wemyss, who was created 1st Baron Wester Wemyss. Through his sister Dora, he was uncle to William Grosvenor, 3rd Duke of Westminster.

He was educated at home under the tutorship of Reverend John Thomson, minister of St. Adrian's church in West Wemyss, before attending Eton College in 1873.

**Career**

Wemyss's father died in March 1864, leaving him as the heir to the estate. His mother managed the estate's affairs until he reached twenty-one. The principal economic activity on his estate involved coal extraction at West Wemyss, under the Wemyss Coal Company. In 1872, a new wet dock was opened at a cost of £10,000. Development of railway infrastructure included the construction of the Wemyss Private Railway from Thornton to Buckhaven, begun in 1879 and completed in 1881 at a cost of £25,000.

In January 1900, Wemyss embarked on a honeymoon cruise aboard the steam yacht "Vanadis" to Egypt and South Africa. The voyage was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second Boer War, during which he donated the yacht as a hospital ship. He was promoted to the rank of Captain and traveled to Mafeking with Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham, arriving on 4 September 1900. He returned from South Africa in July 1901.

**Business and Contributions**

Following his father's death, Wemyss inherited the estate and its associated enterprises. He continued to invest in the coal industry, docks at Methil, and tramway development connecting Leven to Kirkcaldy. As a landlord, he improved workers' housing, investing approximately £75,000 (adjusted to over £9.8 million in 2023 terms) in constructing and improving housing at East and Coaltown of Wemyss, and in creating a new village at Denbeath. His efforts aimed at social welfare and economic development characterized his estate management.

**Personal Life**

Wemyss married Lady Lillian Mary Paulet on 18 July 1884. She was the daughter of John Paulet, 14th Marquess of Winchester, and the Hon. Mary Montagu. The marriage produced two children: Mary Millicent Erskine-Wemyss (1885–1968), who married Capt. Ernest Caswell Long and later Genesta Mary Heath, and Michael John Erskine-Wemyss (1888–1982), who married Lady Victoria Cavendish-Bentinck.

Prior to their divorce in 1898, Wemyss and Lady Lillian had other familial connections through her brothers, who succeeded to the Marquessate of Winchester.

His second marriage was to Lady Eva Cecilia Margaret Wellesley, daughter of William Henry Wellesley, 2nd Earl Cowley, on 23 November 1899.

In 1911, Lady Eva Wellesley hosted suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst at Wemyss Castle during Pankhurst's tour of Scotland.

**Death and Legacy**

In November 1907, Wemyss assisted with underground rescue operations following the death of a miner at Lochhead and Victoria. He experienced shock and exposure from the incident, leading to health complications. He died at Wemyss Castle on 17 July 1908 and was buried in the Chapel Garden at Wemyss.

A speech in the House of Commons by James Falconer MP in 1909 highlighted Wemyss's contributions to development and employment in the region. The Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital was established in Buckhaven in his honor, opening in August 1909 at a cost of £10,000.

**Publications**

In 1895, Wemyss published a collection of poetry titled "The Maid of Norway and other poems by R. Erskine Wemyss."

**References**

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