Randolph Stewart, 9th Earl of Galloway


Randolph Algernon Ronald Stewart, 9th Earl of Galloway was the Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright from 1828 to 1845; and of Wigton from 1828 to 1851. He was styled Viscount Garlies from 1806 to 1834.

Early life

He was born on 16 September 1800. He was the eldest son of eight children born to George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway and his wife Lady Jane Paget. Among his siblings was sisters, Lady Jane Stewart, who married George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough, and Lady Louisa Stewart, who married William Duncombe, 2nd Baron Feversham. His younger brother, Vice Admiral Hon. Keith Stewart, was married to Mary FitzRoy, daughter of Charles Augustus FitzRoy.
His paternal grandparents were John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway, and Anne, daughter of Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Baronet. His maternal grandfather was Henry Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge, and his uncle was Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey.
He was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford. He was painted by English portrait and historical painter Frederick Yeates Hurlstone.

Career

He was Tory MP for Cockermouth from 1826 to 1831. He succeeded, and was duly succeeded, by Sir John Lowther, 2nd Baronet, of Swillington. He served alongside William Carus Wilson, Laurence Peel, and Philip Pleydell-Bouverie.
Upon his father's death on 27 March 1834, Stewart succeeded to the titles of Earl of Galloway, Lord Garlies, Baron Stewart of Garlies, Baronet or Corsewell, and Baronet of Burray. He also inherited the family seat of Galloway House in Dumfries and Galloway. During his ownership, considerable work was done on Galloway House, including the hiring of William Burn in 1841 to carry out alterations, including an additional floor in parts of the building.

Personal life

On 9 August 1833, he married Lady Harriet Blanche Somerset, daughter of Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort, and had 6 sons and 7 daughters, including:
The Earl of Galloway died on 2 January 1873. He was succeeded in his titles and estates in turn by his eldest son Alan, and his second son Randolph. His widow, the dowager countess, died in 1885 at her home in Eaton Square, London, aged 74.

Legacy

In 1875, a memorial was erected to the 9th Earl of Galloway in Newton Stewart in Scotland.