The estate of Ulbster is in the parish of Wick.
Amongst the places mentioned is the castle of Brims www.brims.co.uk
The ancestor of this family was William Sinclair, first laird of Mey, the second son of George, fourth Earl of Caithness, who granted him the lands of Mey in 1572. His elder brother, John, Master of Caithness, having, with his connivance, been imprisoned by his father in Girnigo Castle, he was, on the occasion of a visit to the dungeon of the Master, laid hold of and strangled by him. This event took place in 1572 or 1573, for in the latter year his brother, George, got a precept of clare constat [writ for succession to property] as his heir. By Margaret, daughter of James Mowat of Buchollie and Lucy Gordon, daughter of Gordon of Gight, he left two sons, Patrick and John. In the Great Seal Record, Edinburgh, Lib. 45 , No. 18, there occurs a legitimation, dated 20th June 1607, "Patricio et Magistro Joanni Sinclair filiis naturalibus quondam Willelmi Sinclair de Mey". Further notices of the family are to be found in "Stewartiana", 1843, by Mr. John Riddell, Advocate; in "The Gentleman's Magazine", vol. xx. P: 260; and in Father Hay's account of the St. Clairs of Roslyn, printed in 1845.
I. PATRICK SINCLAIR, FIRST OF ULBSTER; got a disposition of these lands in 1596 from his cousin, George, fifth Earl of Caithness, and, dying without issue, he was succeeded by his brother, John.
II. JOHN SINCLAIR of ULBSTER was a man of education and ability, and as his name is seldom mentioned without the prefix of Mr. or "Maister", there is ground for thinking that he was brought up as a pedagogue or teacher, although it was not unusual to designate as "Maister" gentlemen of landed property, as well as pedagogues, preachers, notaries, and the like. In 1601 the General Assembly arranged that certain ministers should plant themselves in the families of the Catholic nobles; and Lord Gordon - eldest son of the Marquis of Huntly, and the Master of Caithness, eldest son of the Earl, "were brought up together under the care of two pedagogues, Thomas Gordon and John Sinclair, who were compelled to declare themselves adherents of the reformed faith". That John Sinclair, the pedagogue, was John Sinclair, afterwards Mr. John Sinclair of Ulbster, seems to admit of no doubt, for we find by a letter from him to his uncle, George of Mey, that, in 1604, he and the Master lived in the family of the Marquis of Huntly at Bogg Gight and in regard to the Master he writes: "always the Master is very well, God be praised, and commends him heartily to you". ("Domestic Annals of Scotland").
John Sinclair was twice married - first, to Jean Chisholm, who is no doubt the "Kesolme, daughter to the laird of Straglass", who is said by Hay to have married the first laird of Ulbster; and, secondly, to Katharine Stewart. . By his first wife he had two sons and a daughter: -
III. PATRICK SINCLAIR OF ULBSTER was served heir to his father, John, in 1640, and in 1647 he married Elizabeth, daughter of John McKay of Strathy and Dirlot. He had two sons and seven daughters: -
IV. JOHN SINCLAIR OF ULBSTER, married Janet, daughter of George Sinclair of Brabster, Patrick, his brother, John Sinclair of Lybster, William, Robert, and George, his brothers, John Sinclair of Assery, Patrick Dunbar of Bowermadden, and his brothers, William, James, and David, the whole substitutes, except John Sinclair of Brims, being the descendants of his sisters.
V. JOHN SINCLAIR OF BRIMS AND ULBSTER was twice married, first to Jean, daughter of Munro of Culrain, and, secondly, to Jean Cores. By his first marriage he had four sons and three daughters: -
VIII. SIR JOHN SINCLAIR OF ULBSTER, the celebrated statistician of Scotland, was born in 1754, and was created baronet in 1788, with remainder, in default of male issue, to the male issue of his daughters.
John Sinclair, on 14th February 1786, was created a baronet with remainder in default of his own male issue, to the male issue of his daughters respectively.
A more complete notice of Sir John appears later on.
He married, first, 26th March 1776, Sarah, daughter of Alexander Maitland of Stoke Newington, by whom he had one surviving daughter -
II SIR GEORGE SINCLAIR OF ULBSTER, M.P., was born on the 23rd August 1790.
He married, 1st May 1816, Lady Catherine Camilla, sister of Lionel, 6th Earl of Dysart, and had -
III SIR JOHN GEORGE TOLLEMACHE SINCLAIR, second son of the preceding, succeeded his father.
He was formerly a Page of Honour to Queen Adelaide, and Lieutenant Scots Fusilier Guards; is Vice-Lieutenant and a D.L. for Caithness; sat as Member of Parliament for same (Liberal) 1869-85. Married 22nd November 1853, Emma Isabella Harriet (whom he divorced 4th July 1878), daughter of the late William Standish Standish, of Duxbury Park, Lancashire, and Cockell Hall, Durham. Issue -
ARMS - See Armoury.
By his second wife John Sinclair had a son and two daughters: -
John Sinclair of Tannach had two natural sons, one of whom was James, probably James Sinclair "in Lythmore", and the same James Sinclair who, in 1702, obtained from his brother, John of Ulbster and Brims, a wadset of Holbornhead, Uttersquoy, and Sandiquoy.
Patrick Sinclair's daughters were: -
In 1660 Patrick Sinclair and his son, John, purchased from the Earl of Caithness, for 22,485 merks, or little more than £1200 sterling, East and Mid Clyth, Roster, and Tannach. In 1676 Lord Glenorchy granted a wadset of West Clyth, and the rest of that estate, redeemable for 15,465 merks, and in 1706 he disponed these lands so wadsetted, and Swordale, Aimster, Carsgo, Gerston, Achscoraclate, Stainland or Staneland, and fishings of Thurso.
VI. JOHN SINCLAIR OF ULBSTER, sometime younger of Brims, married Henrietta, daughter of George Brodie of Brodie, and died in 1736. He had three sons and a daughter: -
VII. GEORGE SINCLAIR OF ULBSTER, heritable sheriff of Caithness, married Janet, daughter of William, Lord Strathnaver, and sister of William, Master [heir apparent] of Strathnaver, the 17th Earl of Sutherland. He died in 1776, and left a son and three daughters: -
[from Burke's Peerage and Debrett]
He married, secondly, 6th March 1788, Diana, daughter of Alexander, first Lord Macdonald, by whom (who died 22nd April 1845) he had -
The Right Hon. Sir John Sinclair, Privy Council, who was Cashier of the Excise of Scotland, died 21st December 1835. He was offered a peerage, which he refused.
The Rev W.M. Sinclair married, second, in 1846, Sophia, daughter of the Rev. James Tripp, Rector of Spofforth, and by her he had -
SIR GEORGE died on the 9th October 1868.
Seat - Thurso Castle; Town Resdence - 14, King Street, St.James', London S.W.; Club Travellers.
Five generations of this family have represented the Earldom of Caithness in the Imperial Parliament.
Residence - Thurso Castle; Club - Bachelors'.
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