Hamilton, William Alexander Anthony Archibald Douglas, 11th Duke of Hamilton (1811 -1863)

William Alexander Anthony Archibald Hamilton was the only son of Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, and Susan Euphemia, second daughter and coheir of William Beckford, of Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, where he matriculated 2 July 1829 and took his B.A. 15 November 1832. He was Grand Master of the Freemasons of Scotland 1833 1835. He married, 23 February 1843, Princess Marie Amelie Elizabeth Caroline of Baden. He was Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire and President of the Highland and Agricultural Society 1853 1858, and succeeded his father in 1859. He inherited the Beckford Library and was an enthusiastic collector himself, but lived mostly in Paris and Baden taking little interest in English politics. The Beckford Library was sold in London in July 1882 and the Hamilton Palace Library in 1884.