The Wauchope and Don Families of Niddrie and Edmonstone

The earliest information that we have on the Wauchope family is John Wauchope, 8th Baron of Niddrie, born c1610, and who married twice, Anna Hamilton in 1632, and Jean Ker in 1653. He had two sons by Anna, Sir John Wauchope, and Andrew Wauchope who were both born c1634. Sir John married Anne Rait of Edmonston about 1657, and inherited the Edmonston estate. They had three children, John, Anne and Andrew Wauchope. The title of 9th Baron Niddrie passed to Sir John’s elder brother Andrew who married Margaret Gilmour about 1656. Their son William became 10th Baron Niddrie who died without issue in 1725, and the title of 11th Baron passed to Andrew Wauchope grandson of John Wauchope and Jean Ker, who married Helen Home in June 1735. Their son Andrew became 12th Baron and married Alice Baird on 26th September 1776 and their son William became 13th Baron. His son Andrew born in 1809 became 14th Baron and married Frances Lloyd in Tipperary, Ireland on 26th March 1840. Their son John became 15th Baron and died in 1882 without issue, and his brother Andrew Gilbert Wauchope born 5th July 1846, became 16th Baron. Andrew married twice, but his twin sons from his first Marriage died in infancy, and when Major General Andrew Wauchope was killed in action at Magersfontein, South

Africa in December 1899, the line ended. Meanwhile Alexander Don had bought an estate near Kelso called Newton in 1648, becoming the first Baronet of Newton in 1667. He died in 1687 and the title passed to son James who married Marion Scott of Goranbury on 3rd July 1680. James’ brother Patrick Don married Anne Wauchope, adopting the family surname of Wauchope in the process, which was to be of great importance in 1862. The son of James and Marion, Alexander Don, became 3rd Baron Newton and he married Margaret Carre, and died in October 1749, leaving the estate to son Alexander Don who became 4th Baron. He married Mary Murray, and died on 2nd October 1776 leaving a son Alexander who became the 5th Baron. This Alexander married Lady Harriet Cunningham in 1778 but died in 1815, leaving the estate to son (yet another Alexander), who became 6th Baron. He married twice, and from first wife Grace Stein he had a son William Henry Don who became the 7th Baron on the death of his father in1826. Henry was married twice but died without male issue, and the hunt was on to find an heir.

You will recall that Patrick Don had married Anne Wauchope, adopting the Wauchope family name in the process. Their grandson John Wauchope married Anne Margaret Erskine, and their son also John, married Henrietta Warrender Cecilia Baird on 15th September 1815. Their son John Wauchope born June 1816 became 8th Baron on the death of William Henry Don in 1862, adopting the name John Don Wauchope. Unfortunately for him, there was only the title of Baron Newton to inherit, since the Newton estate had been sold some years earlier to the Balfour family, however he still had the Edmonston estate. John married Bethia Hamilton Buchanan in April 1853, and their son John Douglas Don Wauchope became 9th Baron Newton, and died in April 1951. Having no heirs, the title passed to Patrick George Don-Wauchope the son of his deceased brother Patrick Hamilton Don-Wauchope. Patrick George became the 10th Baronet, and married Ismay Lilian Ursula Hodges in 1936, and when Patrick George died on 15th September 1989, the title passed to their son Sir Roger Hamilton Don-Wauchope who became the 11th and current Baronet. Sir Roger married Sallee Mill-Colman on 14th December 1963, and they have three children; Andrew Craig Don-Wauchope who was born on 18th May 1966 and married Louise Silvia Johnstone-Dougall in 1990, John Hamilton Don-Wauchope who was born on 5th January 1969, and married Despina Makris in 1995, and Georgina Anne Don-Wauchope born 20th November 1970 who married Nikolaos Makris in 1994.

Unfortunately neither Edmonston House nor Niddrie House have survived, the latter was demolished many years ago to make way for the Jack Kane Centre, and the former and its parklands are still up for sale.

Newton Don House had a totally different fate, being used as a military hospital during both World Wars, and is still the home of the Balfour family. This fine house with about 1,500 acres of mainly woodland, was refurbished in the 1970s, and is open to the public on specific set days.