Randolph Wemyss

He was born in Wemyss Castle on 11 July 1858, the eldest son on James Hay Erskine Wemyss, MP for Fife (a grandson of the 17th Earl of Erroll), and Augusta Millicent Anne Mary Kennedy Erskine. Among his siblings were Mary Frances Erskine-Wemyss, who married Cecil Stratford Paget (a son of Gen. Lord George Paget), Dora Mina Erskine-Wemyss, who married Lord Henry Grosvenor (third son of the 1st Duke of Westminster),^[2] and Rosslyn Wemyss, who was created 1st Baron Wester Wemyss.^[3]

His maternal grandparents were the Hon. John Kennedy Erskine of Dun (son of the 1st Marquess of Ailsa) and his wife Lady Augusta FitzClarence (an illegitimate daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom by his mistress Dora Bland).^[4] Through his sister Dora, he was uncle to William Grosvenor, 3rd Duke of Westminster.^[4]

He was tutored at home by Revd. John Thomson; minister of St. Adrian's church in West Wemyss, until he entered Eton College in 1873.

In January 1900 he embarked on the steam yacht "Vanadis" for a honeymoon cruise to Egypt and South Africa. The honeymoon, however, was interrupted by the outbreak of the Boer War. Wemyss donated the yacht to the war effort as a hospital ship and he was promoted to the rank of Captain and on 4 September 1900 travelled to Mafeking with Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham. He returned from South Africa in July 1901.

Following the early death of his father in March 1864, he inherited the Lairdship and the estates. Day-to-day management was carried out by his mother until he reached the age of twenty-one.

The principal activity on the estate was coal extraction centred on West Wemyss, under the Wemyss Coal Company. A new wet dock was opened in 1872 at a cost of £10,000 (equivalent to £1,127,786 as of 2023).^[5] Railway schemes were developed to assist the business, and construction of the Wemyss Private Railway from Thornton to Buckhaven began in 1879, and was completed in 1881 at a cost of £25,000 (equivalent to £3,185,484 as of 2023).^[5]

After his service in the Boer War, business continued in the coalfields on his estates, the docks at Methil and the creation of the Wemyss and District Tramways Company from Leven to Kirkcaldy.

As a benevolent landlord, he provided improved housing for workers. He oversaw the developments at East and Coaltown of Wemyss, and a new village at Denbeath. He personally spent around £75,000 (equivalent to £9,891,083 as of 2023),^[5] on housing in the parish.