LOCAL HISTORY John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-92)

Well, you know the Lord Bute, Hotel & Restaurant, on the Lymington Road in Highcliffe. I’m going to tell you about the chap it’s named from, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (1713-92).

John Stuart was born in Edinburgh, the 2nd Earl’s son, and did what most earls’ sons do, went to Eton. He studied law, having already acceded to the Earldom of Bute on his father’s death in 1723. Around 1737, when he was in his mid-20s, Bute was made a Lord of the Bedchamber by Frederick, Prince of Wales, eldest son and heir apparent of George II, who missed out on the throne, predeceasing his father in 1751, when Bute became ‘Groom of the Stole’ to his son, George William Frederick, the future George III (‘The Madness of King George’ one). The Groom of the Stole was the bod ‘who was responsible for assisting the king in his toileting needs’. Well, I don’t know about you but I didn’t get where I am today needing someone to help with my ‘toileting needs’.

Lots of alternative monikers come to mind like the ‘Constable of the Crap’ or the ‘Sergeant of the Shit’. Apologies. Avoiding distraction, I understand Bute ‘strongly influenced’ the future king. I bet.

Being ‘Equerry of the Excrement’ did Bute’s career prospects no harm and in 1761 he was appointed a principal secretary of state, then from 29th May 1762 to April 8th 1763 was the 7th Prime Minister of Great Britain. Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘That’s a short stint in No. 10 Steve’ although, to be fair, by 2022 standards I’d judge that to be quite a lengthy term. Seriously though, why less than a year? Well, Bute’s government was one of the most unpopular ever, its fundamental raison d’etre being the upholding of the royal prerogative (Bute was arguably the last significant royal ‘favourite’ in British politics). A straw poll would have revealed the reasons for Bute’s unpopularity: He was incapable and ‘unfit to be PM’; he was Scottish (I jest not); he was the King’s pal; and, worst, he was honest. So it’s true, we prefer our leaders to lack integrity. Bute retained his hold over the king for a while but come 1768 he was mostly resigned to retirement and country living. He indulged in botany and scientific study, and built the first High Cliff Mansion of which the Lord Bute’s entrance lodges survive. It was Bute’s grandson who constructed today’s Highcliffe Castle.

The role of Groom of the Stole was established during the reign of the malevolent warthog, Henry VIII, and was not finally abolished until 1901, when the new king, Edward VII, decided he could manage on his own although I doubt he purchased his own loo roll.

By Stephen Roberts www.steveroberts.org.uk Twitter: @SRChristchurch

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