The canal was first proposed by Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton in 1791.

Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton, had already spent £ 100, 000 on a separate project to build a dead sea harbour at Ardrossan, at the proposed terminus of the canal.

Immediately after the Norman Conquest, King William of England installed three of his most trusted confidants, Hugh d ' Avranches, Roger de Montgomerie, and William FitzOsbern, as Earls of Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford respectively, with responsibilities for containing and subduing the Welsh.

Eglinton was born in Palermo, Sicily, the son of Major-General Archibald Montgomerie, Lord Montgomerie ( 30 July 1773 – 4 January 1814 ), the eldest son of Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton.

* Hugh Montgomerie, 2nd Lord Montgomerie ( c. 1460 – 1545 ) ( created Earl of Eglinton in 1508 )

* Hugh Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Eglinton ( c. 1460 – 1545 )

* Hugh Montgomerie, 2nd Earl of Eglinton ( d. 1546 )

* Hugh Montgomerie, 4th Earl of Eglinton ( 1563 – 1586 )

* Hugh Montgomerie, 5th Earl of Eglinton ( d. 1612 )

* Hugh Montgomerie, 7th Earl of Eglinton ( 1613 – 1669 )

** Hugh Montgomerie, Master of Montgomerie ( 1680 – 1696 )

* Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton ( 1739 – 1819 )

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Hugh Archibald William Montgomerie, Lord Montgomerie ( b. 1966 )

* November 5 – Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton, politician and composer ( died 1819 )

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Montgomerie was a younger son of the Ayrshire laird Hugh Montgomerie of Hessilheid ( d. 1558 ) and so was related to the Earl of Eglinton and a distant relation of James VI.

Led by Montgomerie ’ s friend and fellow-poet Hugh Barclay of Ladyland, this enterprise soon collapsed, Barclay being killed in the process, and on 14 July 1597 Montgomerie was declared an outlaw.

The brothers had supporters in England, ready to rise up ; led by Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester, the rebellion in England from Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk, Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester, and William I of Scotland.

) He appointed as regents Hugh de Puiset, Bishop of Durham, and William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex — who soon died and was replaced by Richard's chancellor William Longchamp.

** Hugh Shearer, Jamaican politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Jamaica ( b. 1923 )

* Hugh de Kevelioc, 3rd Earl of Chester ( d. 1181 )

* Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk ( b. 1186 )

* June 30 – Hugh de Kevelioc, 3rd Earl of Chester, English politician ( b. 1147 )

* Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk ( d. 1225 )

# Maud Marshal ( 1194 – 27 March 1248 ), married ( 1 ) Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk, they had four children ; ( 2 ) William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey, they had two children ; ( 3 ) Walter de Dunstanville.

# Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke ( c. 1199 – November 1245 ), married Margaret de Quincy, Countess of Lincoln, granddaughter of Hugh de Kevelioc, 3rd Earl of Chester.

The title of " Marshal " went to the husband of the oldest daughter, Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk, and later passed to the Mowbray dukes of Norfolk and then to the Howard dukes of Norfolk, becoming " Earl Marshal " along the way.

He was succeeded by his son William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby (?– 1247 ) who married Agnes de Kevelioc ( also known as Agnes of Chester ), daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc, 3rd Earl of Chester.

Hugh, 3rd Earl Fortescue, AD 1861 ".

In 1744, he settled finally at Battersea with his friend Hugh Hume, 3rd Earl of Marchmont, and was present at Pope's death in May.

Minto was born in Edinburgh, the eldest son of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet, and Agnes, daughter of Hugh Dalrymple-Murray-Kynynmound .< ref >

The title Duke of Westminster was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster.

* Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster ( 1825 – 1899 ) ( created Duke of Westminster in 1874 )

* Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk ( d. 1225 )

* Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk ( c. 1182 – 1225 ), the eldest son of Roger Bigod, Sheriff of Norfolk

* Hugh de Kevelioc, 3rd Earl of Chester ( 1147 – 1181 )

Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester ( d. 1190 ) landed at Walton, in Suffolk, on 29 September 1173 and marched to Framlingham, joining forces with Hugh.

He was the eldest son and heir of Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk ( 1182-1225 ) by his wife Matilda, a daughter of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke ( 1147-1219 ), Marshal of England.

# Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk who married in 1206 / 1207, Maud, a daughter of William Marshal

# Hugh Hume, 3rd Earl of Marchmont 1763-1790

* Hugh de Stafford, 3rd Baron Audley