John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute (1847-1900)
Arms: Quarterly 1st and 4th Or a fess chequey Azure and Argent within a double tressure flory counter flory Gules (for Stuart); 2nd and 3rd Argent a lion rampant Azure (for Crichton)
John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, KT, KSG, was a landed aristocrat, industrial magnate, antiquarian, scholar, philanthropist and architectural patron. Born at Mount Stuart the family home on the Isle of Bute on 8 Dec 1847 and died on 9 Oct 1900. He inherited his titles and vast family estates in Scotland and Wales at the age of six months. He was educated at Harrow then on to Christ Church, Oxford.
An orphan from the age of 12 he assumed control of his family estates age 21 in 1868 with an annual income of ÂŁ300,000 which at the time made him the richest man in the UK. Stunning everyone he knew, he promptly converted to Roman Catholicism, and went to Rome to be confirmed by Pope Pius IX before proceeding on a world tour.
He used his wealth and influence in many spectacular projects such as the restoration of Cardiff Castle, Castle Coch, Falkland Palace ( half finished at his death ) and of course, the major rebuilding of Mount Stuart, his home on Bute.
As an industrialist he continued the projects of his father the 2nd Marquess, engaging local supervisors. One of these, a William Thomas Lewis did such a good job that the 3rd Marquess used his influence to get him knighted 16 Dec 1885 and made a baronet on 15 Feb 1896. There is no doubt the 3rd Marquess was generous to his hard working lieutenants. dqw 2016-0917
The artwork is a rendering by John Hamilton Gaylor.
