Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland, KG (20 July 1851– 27 June 1913), styled Lord Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower until 1858, Earl Gower between 1858 and 1861 and Marquess of Stafford between 1861 and 1892, was a British peer and politician from the Leveson-Gower family.
As Marquess of Stafford, Sutherland entered the 2nd Life Guards as a cornet. He retired from regular army service as a lieutenant in 1875, but was commissioned Captain in the Staffordshire Yeomanry in 1876 and commanded that regiment as Lieutenant-Colonel from 1891 to 1898, after which he became its honorary colonel. He was also Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sutherland Rifles, a volunteer regiment of his ducal county in Scotland, from 1882 to 1891. From 1911 until his death he was honorary colonel of the 5th Territorial Force battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders.
Under the name of Marquess of Stafford, Sutherland served as member of parliament for Sutherland from the election of 1874, when he was unopposed, standing as a Liberal, and held the seat as a Liberal until he stood down at the 1886 election. On succeeding to his father's peerages in 1892, he became a member of the House of Lords. By then his political allegiance had shifted, and he sat on the Conservative benches. He also served as Mayor of Longton, near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in 1895–96, and was an alderman of the borough from 1898. For some years he was Master of Foxhounds of the North Staffordshire Hunt.
The Duke was President of the Staffordshire Territorial Forces Association from the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908.
Despite being very rich, Sutherland became concerned that his landed estates were no longer viable. Towards the end of his life, he sold properties in Great Britain, such as Trentham Hall and Stafford House, and began moving his wealth to Canada.
From a 1906 Book
Was born in 1851, and succeeded the late Duke in 1892. He has been a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron since 1878, when as Marquis of Stafford he owned the yawl
Menai. This was succeeded by the
Harelda in 1879, and in 1892 by the
Blue Bell, 174-ton schooner, which once
was very famous as a racer. After succeeding to the dukedom he became owner of the s.y. Catania, 668 tons, designed by Mr. G. L. Watson, and built by D. and W. Henderson, of Glasgow, in 1895. In 1901 he owned the 68-ton cutter Susan, followed by the Kriemhilda, 106-ton cutter, so famous in the early days of yachting. In addition to being owner of the Catania, the Duke of Sutherland is part-owner with Mr. Eric Chaplin of the schooner Lisette, 116 tons, which was designed and built by Hansen in 1873. The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland are devoted to cruising both in home and foreign waters.
Club: Royal Yacht Squadron.
Residences: Stafford House, St. James’s, and Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland.
Vessels: Menai; Harelda; Blue Bell; Catania; Susan; Kriemhilda; Saxford; More Vane; Grianaig