Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (/kɪˈnɪnmənd/;[1] 9 July 1845 – 1 March 1914), known as Viscount Melgund by courtesy from 1859 to 1891, was a British peer and politician who served as Governor General of Canada from 1898 to 1904, and Viceroy of India from 1905 to 1910.
The Earl of Minto
9 July 1845
Mayfair, London, England
1 March 1914 (aged 68)
Minto, Scottish Borders
1867–1885
Lieutenant
Major
Scots Guards
1st Roxboroughshire Mounted Rifles
Early life and career[edit]
Minto was born in London, the son of William Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of Minto, and Emma, daughter of General Sir Thomas Hislop, 1st Baronet. After the death of his grandfather in 1859 he became known by the courtesy title of Viscount Melgund. After completing his education at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge,[2] he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Scots Guards in 1867, but left in 1870. He joined the 1st Roxburghshire Mounted Rifle Volunteer Corps as a captain in 1872. In 1874, in the capacity of a newspaper correspondent, he witnessed the operations of the Carlists in Spain; he took service with the Turkish army in the war with Russia in 1877 and served under Lord Roberts in the second Afghan War (1878–1879), having narrowly escaped accompanying Sir Louis Cavagnari on his fatal mission to Kabul.[3]
He acted as private secretary to Lord Roberts during his mission to the Cape in 1881,[3] and was with the army occupying Egypt in 1882, thus furthering his military career and his experience of colonial administration. He was promoted Major in 1882. He was military secretary to the Marquess of Lansdowne during his governor-generalship of Canada from 1883 to 1885, and lived in Canada with his wife, Mary Caroline Grey, sister of Lord Grey, Governor General from 1904 to 1911, whom he had married in Britain on 28 July 1883. On this first Canadian visit, he was very active in raising a Canadian volunteer force to serve with the British Army in the Sudan Campaign of 1884. He served as Chief of Staff to General Middleton in the Riel Rebellion of 1885. When he was offered command of the North-West Mounted Police, he decided instead to pursue a political career in Britain. On his departure home to Britain, Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald apparently said to him, "I shall not live to see it, but some day Canada will welcome you back as Governor General".
His political aspirations were checked with his defeat in the 1886 general election, where he stood as the Conservative candidate for Hexham. He then applied himself with great enthusiasm to promoting a volunteer army in Britain. In 1888 he was promoted colonel on assuming command of the South of Scotland Brigade. He resigned his commission in 1889. He succeeded to his father's earldom in 1891, becoming The Earl of Minto.
He married, on 28 July 1883, Lady Mary Caroline Grey, daughter of Charles Grey and Caroline Eliza Farquhar. She was the sister of Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey, Sybil Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans, Louisa McDonnell, Countess of Antrim and Lady Victoria Dawnay. They had five children: