Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll

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Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay (June 1682–April 15, 1761) was a Scottish nobleman, politician, lawyer, and soldier. He was known as Lord Archibald Campbell from 1703 to 1706, and as the Earl of Ilay from 1706 until 1743, when he succeeded to the dukedom.

Born in Petersham, Surrey, he supported his brother, John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll (on many topics, most notably the Act of Union), earning him the title of Earl of Ilay in 1706. His military career, which was less successful than his brother's, was somewhat distinguished. He assisted his brother at the 1715 Battle of Sheriffmuir. Four years earlier, he had been appointed to the Privy Council. Many called him the "most powerful man in Scotland", at least until the era of Henry Dundas.

Lord Ilay was one of the founders of the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1727, and acted as the bank's first governor. His portrait has appeared on the front of all Royal Bank of Scotland banknotes, and as a watermark on the notes, since they were redesigned in 1987. The portrait is based on a painting by Allan Ramsay, in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

He succeeded his brother to the title of Duke of Argyll in October 1743. He worked on Inveraray Castle, his brother's estate, which was finished in the 1750s; however, he never lived in it, and he died in 1761. He was the uncle of Lord William Campbell.

The Duke established an estate at Whitton Park, Whitton in Middlesex in 1722 on land that had been enclosed some years earlier from Hounslow Heath. The Duke was an enthusiastic gardner and he imported large numbers of exotic species of plants and trees for his estate. He was nicknamed the 'Treemonger' by Horace Walpole. On his death, many of these, including mature trees, were moved by his nephew, the third Earl of Bute to the Princess of Wales' new garden at Kew. This later became Kew Gardens and some of the Duke's trees are still to be seen there to this day. The Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree is an imported shrub named after him which has become established in hedgegrows in some parts of England.

[edit] References

• Royal Bank of Scotland banknotes Accessed 30th August 2006.

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