Buchanan, Meriel, 1886-1959

The Buchanan family were originally from Ardenconnel in Dunbartonshire. Sir Andrew Buchanan (1807-1882) entered the diplomatic service in 1825 and spent his early career in Constantinople and Corfu. He was in St Petersburg from 1838 to 1841, when he moved to Florence, before returning to St Petersburg in 1844. In 1852 he moved to the Swiss Confederation, and in 1853 to Denmark. After service in Madrid from 1858 and subsequently in the Hague from 1860, he held postings in Prussia (1862), Russia (1864) and Austria (1871-1878). He married firstly, in 1839, Frances Katherine Mellish (d 1854), daughter of the Rev. Edward Mellish, Dean of Hereford and grand-daughter of William Mellish of Blyth Hall and Hodsock, Nottinghamshire (1708-1791), and had five sons and four daughters. After her death he married Georgina Eliza Stuart (d 1904), 3rd daughter of Robert Walter, 11th Baron Blantyre in 1857. He purchased Craigend Castle, Milngavie near Glasgow as a family residence.

His first son, Sir James Buchanan inherited the title and Craigend Castle and died, without issue in 1901.

Sir Andrew Buchanan's third son, Eric (1830-1911), became the third baronet in 1901 and attended Wellington College, where he was a Queen's Medallist. He married in 1898 Constance Augusta (d 1914), daughter of Captain Charles Edmund Tennant, RN, of Needwood House, Burton-on-Trent, who had died in a tragic shooting accident. Eric Buchanan died in London in 1928.

Sir George Buchanan (1854-1924), fifth son to Sir Andrew, was also a diplomat. He was stationed with his family at the court of Emperor Nikolai II at the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917. His daughter, Meriel Buchanan (1886-1959) subsequently wrote about their experiences at this time.

Eric Buchanan was born in 1848 and attended Wellington College, where he was a Queen's Medallist. He married in 1898 Constance Augusta (d 1914), daughter of Captain Charles Edmund Tennant, RN, of Needwood House, Burton-on-Trent, who had died in a tragic shooting accident.

Charles Buchanan, fourth baronet was the first son of Sir Eric Buchanan and was born in 1899, attending Harrow School, followed by Sandhurst. He served in India as ADC to the governor of Madras from 1928 to 1932 where he married Barbara Helen Stanley in 1932. On his return to England he served as a JP in Nottinghamshire and as High Sheriff in 1962. He had two sons and two daughters and died in 1984.

His son, Sir Andrew Buchanan, fifth baronet moved into Hodsock Priory after the death of Mary Constance Mayhew, sister of Charles James Buchanan in 1966.

The Buchanan family was connected by marriage with the Mellishes of Hodsock Priory in Nottinghamshire, and succeeded the Mellishes there when the last of that family died.

From the guide to the Buchanan Collection, 1755-1982, (The University of Nottingham)