Viscount Thurso

Viscount Thurso, of Ulbster in the County of Caithness, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.[1] It was created on 11 June 1952 for the Scottish Liberal politician and former Secretary of State for Air, Sir Archibald Sinclair, 4th Baronet. His son, the second Viscount, served as Lord Lieutenant of Caithness from 1973 to 1995.

Viscountcy of Thurso
Quarterly: 1st, Azure a Ship at anchor her oars erect in saltire within the Royal Tressure Or; 2nd and 3rd, Or a Lion rampant Gules; 4th, Azure a Ship under sail Or; over all dividing the quarters a Cross engrailed quarterly Argent and Sable all within a Bordure quartered Or and Gules the last charged with three Stars of the first
Creation date10 April 1952
Created byQueen Elizabeth II
PeeragePeerage of the United Kingdom
First holderArchibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
Present holderJohn Archibald Sinclair, 3rd Viscount Thurso
Heir apparentthe Hon. James Alexander Robin Sinclair
Subsidiary titlesBaronet of Ulbster
StatusExtant
Seat(s)Orchard Cottage
Thurso Castle
John Archibald Sinclair, 3rd Viscount Thurso: official portrait, 2017

As of 2016 the titles are held by the latter's son, the third Viscount, who succeeded in 1995. Known as John Thurso, he is a Liberal Democrat politician. Thurso lost his seat in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, but was elected to the House of Commons in 2001, thereby becoming the first hereditary peer of the United Kingdom allowed to sit in the Commons without first disclaiming his title; he held his seat until his defeat in the 2015 general election. On 19 April 2016, he re-entered the Lords following his election by the remaining Liberal Democrat hereditary peers after the death of Lord Avebury.[2] The third Viscount also became Lord Lieutenant of Caithness in 2017.[3]

The Sinclair baronetcy, of Ulbster in the County of Caithness, was created in the Baronetage of Great Britain in 14 February 1786 for the first Viscount's great-great-grandfather, the Scottish politician and writer John Sinclair.[4] Both his son, the second Baronet, and grandson, the third Baronet, represented Caithness in the House of Commons. The latter was the grandfather of the fourth Baronet, who was elevated to the peerage as Viscount Thurso in 1952.

The family seats are Orchard Cottage, near Champneys, Hertfordshire, and Thurso Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

Sinclair baronets, of Ulbster (1786)

Viscounts Thurso (1952)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon. James Alexander Robin Sinclair (born 1984).

Male-line family tree
Male-line family tree, Sinclair baronets and Viscounts Thurso.
Sinclair baronetcy
Sir John Sinclair
1st Baronet
1754–1835
Sir George Sinclair
2nd Baronet
1790–1868
Sir John Sinclair
3rd Baronet
1824–1912
Lt Col.
Clarence Sinclair
1858–1895
Viscount Thurso
Archibald Sinclair
1st Viscount Thurso
4th Baronet
1890–1970
Robin Sinclair
2nd Viscount Thurso
5th Baronet
1922–1995
John Sinclair
3rd Viscount Thurso
6th Baronet
born 1953
Hon.
James Sinclair
born 1984

Line of succession

Only those in positions (1) to (5) are in remainder to the viscountcy. Those in positions (6) to (10) are in remainder to the baronetcy only.

See also

Notes
  1. "No. 39516". The London Gazette. 15 April 1952. p. 2077.
  2. "Former Lib dem MP John Thurso to return to House of Lords". BBC News. 19 April 2016.
  3. "Lord Lieutenant for Caithness: Viscount Thurso".
  4. "No. 12722". The London Gazette. 4 February 1786. p. 45.
  5. "Person Page".

References
  • Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,
  • Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
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