Lord Archibald Hamilton

Captain Lord Archibald Hamilton (1673 – 5 April 1754) was a Royal Navy officer, Whig politician and colonial administrator who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1747. In the 1690s, he was active in the English Channel pursuing French privateers, including Tyger out of Saint-Malo. Hamilton commanded the third-rate at the Battle of Vigo Bay in October 1702 and then commanded the third-rate at the Battle of Málaga in August 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. He was a controversial governor of Jamaica. Hamilton then joined the Board of Admiralty, ultimately serving as Senior Naval Lord.

Naval career Hamilton was baptised on 17 February 1673, the youngest son of William, Duke of Hamilton, and Anne, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton; his father had been created Duke of Hamilton for life in 1660. Hamilton studied at Glasgow University and was then sent to study under the Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, in London before taking a commission in the Royal Navy aboard the third-rate . Promoted to post-captain on 11 September 1693, he was given command of the fifth-rate in 1694 and of the fourth-rate in 1697. In December 1695 he was active in the English Channel pursuing French privateers, including Tyger out of St Malo, an encounter commemorated in a painting by Willem van de Velde the Younger.

Hamilton went on to take command of the third-rate in 1698, of the third-rate in 1699 and of the third-rate in 1702. He became captain of the second-rate in 1706. He was acquitted by a board of Trade inquiry and released. and joined the Board of Admiralty under the Walpole–Townshend ministry in May 1729. He was advanced to First Naval Lord in June 1733 He did not stand at the 1734 British general election, but was returned as MP for Queenborough at a by-election on 22 February 1735. After he failed to support a bill for the Prince of Wales's allowance, He died on 5 April 1754. Later that year, he married Lady Jane Hamilton (a daughter of the 6th Earl of Abercorn). Hamilton and his third wife later had six children:

Charles (?–1751) married Mary Dufresne, had issue Mary Hamilton (diarist). Elizabeth (1720–1800), married Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick (10 October 1719 6 July 1773). Frederic (1728–1811), religious minister, married 11 June 1757 Rachel Daniel, had issue Elizabeth, Countess of Aldborough. Archibald (accidentally drowned, 1744) William Hamilton (1730–1803), diplomat, married 25 January 1758 Catherine Barlow (died 1783). Married 6 September 1795 Emma Hart (died 1815). Jane (19 August 1726 – 13 November 1771), married 24 July 1753 Charles Schaw later Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart.