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John Ruaridh Grant Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Cromartie (born 12 June 1948) is a Scottish engineer and peer. He is the current chief of Clan Mackenzie.[1][2]

Early life

He is the only child of Roderick Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Cromartie and his second wife, the former Olga (née Laurence) Mendoza (d. 1996).[1] His mother, who was previously married to Peter Mendoza, was a daughter of Stuart Laurance of Paris. From his father's first marriage to Dorothy Downing Porter, he has two elder half-sisters, Lady Julia Blunt-Mackenzie and Lady Gilean Blunt-Mackenzie.[3]

His paternal grandmother was Lady Sibell Lilian Mackenzie, suo jure Countess of Cromartie, who married his grandfather, Lt.-Col. Edward Walter Blunt later Blunt-Mackenzie DL (the eldest son of Maj.-Gen. Charles Harris Blunt of Adderbury Manor).[3]

He was educated at Rannoch School, Perthshire and at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.[1]

Career

Lord Cromartie is registered as a Member of the Institution of Explosives Engineers (M.I.Exp.E.) as an explosives engineer.[1]

He has held the position of Chief of Clan Mackenzie since 1980, he wrote the SMC climbing guidebook Selected Climbs in Skye, which was published in 1982.[4] He succeeded to the titles of 5th Baron Castlehaven, of Castlehaven, 5th Viscount Tarbat, of Tarbat, 5th Baron MacLeod of Castle Leod, and 5th Earl of Cromartie on 13 December 1989.[1]

The seat of the Earl is at Castle Leod, Strathpeffer, Ross-shire.[1]

Personal life

Cromartie married firstly Helen Murray, daughter of John Murray, a steelworker at Lanarkshire, in 1973, and divorced in 1983, by whom he had an only son:[3]

  • Hon. Kenneth Mackenzie (1980–1980), who died in infancy.[1]

He married secondly Janet Clare Harley, daughter of Christopher James Harley of Strathpeffer, Ross-shire, in 1985. They have two sons:[1]

  • Colin Ruaridh Mackenzie, Viscount Tarbat (b. 1987)[3]
  • Hon. Alasdair Kenelm Stuart Mackenzie (b. 1989)[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 977. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  2. ^ "Mackenzie chief and wife part company". Ross-shire Journal. 30 March 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Cromartie, Earl of (UK, 1861)". cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Heraldic Media Limited. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  4. ^ MacKenzie, John R. (1982). Rock and Ice Climbs in Skye. Scottish Mountaineering Club. ISBN 9780907521051.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Earl of Cromartie
1989–present
Incumbent
Heir apparent:
Colin Mackenzie, Viscount Tarbat


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