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[09] Annandale
The Marquess of Annandale

Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th Argent a saltire Sable on a chief Gules three cushions Or, for Johnstone; 2nd and 3rd Or an anchor Gules, for Fairholm.

William Johnstone, born on 17 Feb 1664 was the second but eldest surviving son of James Johnstone, 1st Earl of Annandale and Hartfell. He succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell on 17 July 1672 at age 8. For services rendered, particularly for his having served as High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, King William created him Marquess of Annandale, Earl of Hartfell, etc. by patent dated 24 June 1701 with remainder to his heirs-male whatsoever, succeeding to him in his lands and estate. This was the last marquessate created in the peerage of Scotland. William died at Bath on 14 January 1721.

William was succeeded by his eldest son, James Johnstone, as the second Marquess of Annandale and who died unmarried 21 Feb 1730.

James was succeeded by his younger brother, George Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone born 29 May 1720 who was then 10 years old. The name change was a condition of his receiving an inheritance from JohnVanden-Bempde, and was confirmed by an Act of Parliament of 1744. He lived until 29 April 1792, age 71.

Upon his death, no one could prove a claim to the marquessate and the 1661 & 1662 earldoms so they became dormant. Various descendants in the female line tried earnestly and repeatedly to claim the titles throughout the 19th century but without success.

Previous claims, based on letters patent of 1661, had been rejected as their remainder only encompassed heirs male general. In 1983 Patrick Andrew Wentworth Hope-Johnstone Chief of Clan Johnstone pursuing the family claim was able to produce a royal charter of 1662 which extended the remainder. This was recognized in 1985 by the Committee for Privileges as a creation of an earldom in its own right, and he was summoned to the House of Lords in 1986 as Earl of Annandale and Hartfell.

However, the marquessate remain dormant.

The marquessate of Annandale is listed in Appendix B, The Union Role of 1960. (Page 159, “The Sixteen Peers of Scotland”, Sir James Fergusson of Kilkerran, Bt., 1960 )

Sources: BLG, 19th Ed.; “The Sixteen Peers of Scotland” by Fergusson; Various Wikipedia articles; “The Scots Peerage” 1904-1914 by Paul; “Debrett’s Peerage” of 1904; “An Ordinary of Arms”, 2nd Ed. By Paul; and “Roll of Scottish Arms” 1964-1969 by Gayre.

The artwork is a rendering by John Hamilton Gaylor.

2017 0209

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Primrose2.jpg Ilay3.jpg Annandale3.jpg Roxburghe2.jpg SocScotArmigers2572~8.jpg
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