Camsell

ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, DUKE OF ARGYLL (d. 1703)

After a life of political activity in England and Scotland, one verdict on Campbell was:

'... in outward appearance a good-natur'd, civil, and modest gentleman; but his actions were quite otherwise, being capable of the worst things to promote his interest, and altogether addicted to a lewd profligate life: he was not cut out for business, only applying himself to it in so far as it tended to secure his Court interest and politicks, from whence he got great sums of money to lavish upon his pleasures.'

From 1696 Argyll and his wife were separated. Argyll set up home at Chirton, near North Shields, in his later years with Margaret (Peggie) Allison and had a yacht berthed at North Shields to make travel easy. He was a keen follower of the turf and was a racehorseowner. Argyll died at Chirton in September 1703. He had been seriously ill for some time, a symptom being black jaundice. However, stab wounds received in a brawl in a brothel were the more immediate cause of his death.