Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart, Knight of the Thistle, Lord High Commissioner in the general assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, Ambassador to St. Petersburg, Rector of Glasgow University. Charles was a son of Charles Cathcart, 8th Lord Cathcart and Marion Schaw. He married Jane (Jean) Hamilton in 1753 and had nine children, namely: Jane; William, 1st Earl Cathcart; Mary; Louisa; Charles; John (who died in infancy); Archibald; Catherine; and a second son who died in infancy. He lived 1721-1776.
[Charles Schaw Cathcart] was very proud of his Fontenoy* scar, and twice sat for Sir Joshua Reynolds (June 1761 and March 1773**) for his portrait. 'It's not often a man has had a pistol-bullet through the head and lived,' and he always requested Sir Joshua to arrange that the black patch on his cheek might be visible, a desire which was complied with. (Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-22)
Image Credit: Artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792). Manchester Art Gallery. Portrait of Charles Schaw Cathcart. Oil on canvas. Image in in the public domain.
*During the War of the Austrian Succession, the English were defeated by the French in a battle at Fontenoy, Antoing, Belgium, 11 May 1745.
**The Manchester Art Gallery gives the date of this portrait as 1753-1755, but the Dictionary of national Biography gives the two dates Charles Cathcart was painted by Joshua Reynolds as 1761 and 1773. Therefore, the actual date of this portrait can only be estimated at this time as "during his lifetime".
