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Francis Archibald Kelhead, 11th Marquess of Queensberry

 

 

 

 

 

Francis Archibald Kelhead Douglas, 11th Marquess of Queensberry, (17 Jan 1896 Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England - 27 Apr 1954 Folkestone, Kent, England) was the son of Percy Sholto Douglas (10th Marquess of Queensberry) and Anna Maria (nee Walters). He had an older sister, Lady Dorothy, b. 1894, and a younger brother, Lord Cecil, b. 1898. His mother died 25 Apr 1917.

Viscount Francis Drumlanrig enlisted with the 1st Battalion, Royal Highlanders as a second lieutenant in January 1915. He served on the Western Front and was promoted to lieutenant in October 1915 and to captain in November 1917.

During his service, he suffered from severe appendicitis, diptheria and temporary paralysis. Following the recommendation of the Medical Board, he was granted permission by the War Office to travel to the United States of America, during his leave, in 1916.

Upon his return to the Western Front he received a gun shot wound to the leg. He applied to relinquish his commission, on account of wounds received in action, in November 1919.

In 1927, as the Marquess of Queensbury, he resigned his commission from the Regular Army Reserve of Officers.

It was his grandfather, John Sholto Douglas, (who died when Francis was aged 4), who was arrested when he was so unwisely sued for criminal libel by Oscar Wilde in 1895, over the 41-year-old Wilde's relationship with John's 25-year-old son Alfred, (Percy's brother, and uncle of Francis), who in 1902 married Olive Eleanor Custance.

John Sholto Douglas as 9th Marquess is recalled as the man who formally endorsed the rules codified by J G Chambers for the sport of amateur boxing. These quickly became adopted across the United Kingdom as the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, and synonymous with fair play in sport.

He married three times, by whom he had a total of 4 children

His first wife was Irene Clarice Richards, whom he married on 4 December 1917.
His second wife was Cathleen Sabine Mann, daughter of portrait artist Harrington Mann (married 18 March 1926, divorced 1946).
His son David succeeded him as Marquess.

• Note:
  The image is from the Imperial war Museum, which curiously refers to him as Viscount FAKD Drumlanrig.
  
  

 

 

 

 

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