John Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell

John Glencairn Carter Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell (16 November 1829 – 15 October 1900), was a Scottish soldier and politician.

John Hamilton
1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell
In office 1886–1900
Member of the British Parliament for Falkirk Burghs
In office 1857–1859
Member of the British Parliament for Lanarkshire South
In office 1868–1874
In office 1880–1886
Personal details
Born	16 November 1829
Died	15 October 1900
Spouse	Emily Leslie-Melville
Children	4, including Gavin George Hamilton
Parent	Archibald James Hamilton (father)
Military service
Unit	Queen's Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry 2nd Life Guards

Hamilton was born in Marseilles, France, the only son of Archibald James Hamilton, 12th of Orbiston (1793–1834), and was educated at Eton College. He served in the 2nd Life Guards, rising to the rank of commissioned cornet in 1847, lieutenant in 1849 and captain in 1854. In 1856 he was appointed major in the Queen's Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry. Although retiring from the regular Army in 1860, he continued to serve in the Yeomanry until 1885.

He began his political career in 1857 as Whig Member of Parliament (MP) for Falkirk Burghs, serving for two years. He later sat as a Liberal for Lanarkshire South in 1868–74 and 1880–86. He also served as a justice of the peace, and as deputy lieutenant and vice-lord lieutenant for Lanarkshire.

In 1886, Hamilton was raised to the peerage as Baron Hamilton of Dalzell. He served in William Ewart Gladstone's government as a Lord-in-waiting from 1892 to 1894.

The Hamiltons made large amounts of money in the nineteenth century, as the lands they held in Lanarkshire were sold for coal exploitation. In the late 1850s and 1860s Hamilton was able to greatly extend his home of Dalzell House, a former tower house outside Motherwell, laying out landscaped grounds at the same time.

On 29 March 1864 he married Lady Emily Leslie-Melville (died 1882), daughter of David Leslie-Melville, 8th Earl of Leven, and had issue:

1. Archibald John Hamilton (1868–1870)
2. Gavin George Hamilton (1872– 1952), later 2nd baron
3. Leslie d'Henin Hamilton (1873–1914)
4. John David Hamilton (1878–1900)

Arms

Coat of arms of John Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell

Coronet A coronet of an Baron Crest An antelope proper, attired and hoofed or. Escutcheon Gules, an annulet or between three cinquefoils pierced ermine. Supporters Dexter: an antelope proper, ducally gorged and chained, the chain reflexed over the back or; Sinister: a wild man proper, wreathed about the temples and loins with laurel, and holding over the sinister shoulder a club or. Motto Quis Occursabit (Who will oppose)