Viscount of Primrose

Viscount of Primrose was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for Sir James Primrose, 3rd Baronet, along with the subsidiary title Lord Primrose and Castlefield. He was the grandson of Archibald Primrose, a Lord of Session under the title Lord Carrington, who in 1651 was created a Baronet, of Carrington in the County of Selkirk, in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. The title of Viscount of Primrose is linked to the influential Primrose family, whose history in the Scottish and British aristocracy dates back to the 17th century when Sir Archibald Primrose was elevated to the nobility. In 1700, Archibald Primrose was granted the title of Viscount of Primrose in the Peerage of Scotland, solidifying the family’s prestige within the nobility. In addition to the viscountcy, the Primrose family was also honoured with the title of Earl of Rosebery in 1703. This lineage reached its zenith when Archibald Philip Primrose, the 5th Earl of Rosebery, became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1894 and 1895. His influence was not limited to politics; his marriage to Hannah de Rothschild, heiress to the prominent Rothschild family – one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Europe – greatly reinforced the power and status of the Primroses. The alliance with the Rothschilds not only brought immense wealth but also expanded their reach and prestige within financial and social circles of the time. Today, the title of Viscount of Primrose is an honorary one, reflecting the family’s history and legacy rather than an active role in contemporary political life. Nevertheless, both the viscountcy and the connection with the Rothschild family remain symbols of an era where family alliances forged lasting influences in British politics, economy, and society.

Primrose Baronets, of Carrington (1651)

• Sir Archibald Primrose, 1st Baronet (died 1679)
• Sir William Primrose, 2nd Baronet (died 1687)
• Sir James Primrose, 3rd Baronet (c. 1680–1706) (created Viscount of Primrose in 1703)

Viscounts of Primrose (1703)

• James Primrose, 1st Viscount of Primrose (c. 1680–1706)
• Archibald Primrose, 2nd Viscount of Primrose (died 1716)
• Hugh Primrose, 3rd Viscount of Primrose (c. 1703–1741)

Primrose Baronets, of Carrington (present)

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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