Lord Archibald Hamilton

Who was Lord Archibald Hamilton?

Lord Archibald Hamilton was a Royal Navy officer and British politician.

Hamilton was the youngest son of William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton and Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton. He became a Captain in the Royal Navy and in 1708, was elected as MP for Lanarkshire. Hamilton held the seat until 1710 and was appointed Governor of Jamaica by George I in 1714. He played a controversial role in setting up some of the founders of the infamous Bahamanian pirate gang, including Henry Jennings, for which he was arrested and brought back to England by the Royal Navy. He was ultimately released and, later, was re-elected for Lanarkshire, then for Queenborough in 1735 and Dartmouth in 1742. Hamilton was also a Lord of the Admiralty from 1729-38 and Governor of Greenwich Hospital from 1746 until his death. His full title was Lord Archibald Hamilton of Riccarton and Pardovan. For much of his life, he lived at Park Place at Remenham in Berkshire.