Robert St. Clair-Erskine, Earl of Rosslyn

Robert Francis St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn (2 March 1833 – 6 September 1890),  was a minor Scottish poet and a Conservative politician.

Life
Rosslyn was the son of Frances (Wemyss) and James St Clair-Erskine, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn]]. Until 1866 he was styled, "Lord Louborough."

Political career
Lord Rosslyn succeeded his father in the earldom in 1866. He served under Lord Salisbury as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms from 1886 until shortly before his death in September 1890.

Masonic career
Robert joined Lodge Oswald of Dunnikier together with James Townsend Oswald on 8 April 1867.

In Addition to being Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland between 1870 and 1873, Lord Rosslyn also served as Grand Master of the Order of the Temple from 1884 until his death in 1890.

Family
Lord Rosslyn married Blanche Adeliza, great granddaughter of Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton and widow of Colonel the Honourable Charles Henry Maynard, on 8 November 1866. They had five children:


 * Lady Millicent Fanny St Clair-Erskine (1867–1955), married the 4th Duke of Sutherland and had issue.
 * James Francis Harry St Clair-Erskine, 5th Earl of Rosslyn (1869–1939)
 * Hon. Alexander FitzRoy St Clair-Erskine (1870–1914)
 * Lady Sybil Mary St Clair-Erskine (1871–1910), married the Anthony Fane, 13th Earl of Westmorland, and had issue.
 * Lady Angela Selina Bianca St Clair-Erskine (1876–1950), married Lieutenant-Colonel James Stewart Forbes, of Asloun, Aberdeenshire, and had issue.

Lord Rosslyn died in Dysart, Fife on 6 September 1890, aged 57. He was buried on 11 September, just west of Rosslyn Chapel, which traditionally has very strong masonic links. The monument is ornately carved in two different sandstones and is quite stunning. His wife Blanche was later buried with him.

The Countess of Rosslyn survived her husband by over 40 years and died at York Terrace, Regent's Park, London, in December 1933. She was described in her obituary in the New York Times as "one of the last survivors of the great Victorian hostesses". She knew personally many of the most famous people of the Victorian era, including Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone.

Writing
He was a minor poet, and published "Sonnets" in 1883, "A Jubilee Lyric" in 1887 (dedicated to Queen Victoria) and "Sonnets and Poems" in 1889.