Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart
KT
Lord Cathcart by Joshua Reynolds (1753–55) Manchester Art Gallery
Ambassador from Great Britain to Russia
In office
February 1768 – 1772
Preceded byGeorge Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney
Succeeded bySir Robert Gunning, 1st Baronet
Personal details
Born21 March 1721
Died14 August 1776 (aged 55)
CitizenshipBritish
NationalityScottish
SpouseJane Hamilton
OccupationDiplomat, soldier
NicknamePatch Cathcart
Military service
AllegianceKingdom of Great Britain
Branch/serviceBritish Army
Battles/warsWar of the Austrian Succession

Jacobite Rising of 1745

Lieutenant-General Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart, KT (21 March 1721 – 14 August 1776) was a British soldier and diplomat. He was also chief of the Clan Cathcart.

Biography

The son of Charles Cathcart, 8th Lord Cathcart, and Marion Shaw, he was born on 21 March 1721. Opposed to the restoration of the Stuart monarchy, he became an aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cumberland and during the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745, was shot in the face. Joshua Reynolds' portrait (1753–55) shows the black silk patch he used to cover the scar on his cheek. This seemingly earned him the soubriquet 'Patch Cathcart'. The following year at the Battle of Culloden, again acting as ADC to Cumberland, Cathcart was once more wounded in battle.

Charles was the last Lord Cathcart to inherit the family estate of Sundrum. Upon inheriting his mother's estates in Greenock he sold Sundrum to James Murray of Broughton in 1758.[1] Through his mother he also inherited Schawpark near Sauchie at Gartmorn. The house dated from 1700. A small group of cottages on the estate were involved in the "manufacture of osnaburgs when visited by Bishop Richard Pococke in 1760.[2]

In 1763 he was created a Knight of the Order of the Thistle.

In August 1768 he arrived as the ambassador at St Petersburg and was he was well received by Catherine the Great. He served, poorly, at the Russian court until 1772.[3] On his return to Britain he was elected Rector of Glasgow University in 1773.

In 1775 he commissioned Robert Adam to remodel Schawpark, but he did not live to see completion of the works.[4]

He died on 14 August 1776.

Personal life and children

Bust of his daughter Mary.

On 24 July 1753 he married Jean Hamilton (1722–1771), daughter of Captain Lord Archibald Hamilton and Lady Jane Hamilton.[5]

They had nine children:

Ranks

He held the following ranks:[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Clan Cathcart Places & People".
  2. ↑ Clackmannan and the Ochils by Adam Swan ISBN 07073 0513 6
  3. ↑ Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004). "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/4885. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4885. Retrieved 27 November 2022. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ↑ Clackmannan and the Ochils by Adam Swan ISBN 07073 0513 6
  5. ↑ Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004). "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/4885. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4885. Retrieved 27 November 2022. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. ↑ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741–1760. 16 June 1754.
  7. ↑ "The Honourable Mrs Graham (1757–1792)". National Galleries Scotland.
  8. ↑ "Cathcart, Lord (S, c. 1452)". Cracroftspeerage.co.uk. 31 March 2010. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
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