ROMANCE OF PEERAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17828, 8 July 1921, Page 9

ROMANCE OF PEERAGE.

MISSING HEIR TO EARLDOM. DEATH IN MELBOURNE. The death occurred in a lodging house in Melbourne on June 25 of Mr. Henry Hamilton Bethune (or Lindsay), who, the Age states, was the second son of Sir Henry Lindsay-Bethune, 9th Ear] of Lindsay, of Kilconquhar, in Fifeshire, Scotland. The latter was born in 1787. Entering the services of the East India Company at an early age, he, being then Major Lindsay, was sent from Madias to Persia to assist Abbas Mirza, the Crown Prince, in organising his artillery. Major Lindsay became celebrated throughout the Empire for ability and gallantry. He served subsequently as accredited agent to the Court of Persia, and on his return was created a baronet in March, 1836, in acknowledgment of his services. He became 9th Earl of Lindsay, etc., de jure in 1839, and died in February, 1851. The second son of the Earl of Lindsay went to sea with the Royal Navy when a lad, and in the course of time he went to France, where it was supposed he died from cholera in 1862, at the age of 28 years. When about 30 years of age "Mi - . Lindsay,'' as he was known in Melbourne, came to Australia, and after a time went to Gippsland. From Gippsland he afterwards went to Queensland In the meantime his father died, and his elder brother, John, in 1878, succeeded to the title of 10th Earl of Lindsay. John died in 1894, leaving no children, and was succeeded by his cousin, David Clark Bethune, it having been thought, as already stated, that Henry had died at Marseilles without issue. Henry preferred the obscure life upon which he was now embarked, but in his later years he was in straitened circumstances. He was of retiring disposition, and made very few friends, but Dr. and Mrs. W. H- Lang (Dr. Lang is a native of Fifeshire) took an interest in the old man. "Mr. Lindsay" recently expressed a wish that he should be buried with his anoestors, and toward fulfilment of that purpose he made arrangements to go to England. But he suddenly became ill, and died at the age of 86. He was buried in the Coburg Cemetery.