George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll

His Grace The Duke of Argyll KG KT PC FRS FRSE
Portrait by Herbert Rose Barraud, c. 1870-75
Lord Privy Seal
In office 4 January 1853 – 7 December 1855
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Aberdeen The Viscount Palmerston
Preceded by	The Marquess of Salisbury
Succeeded by	The Earl of Harrowby
In office 18 June 1859 – 26 June 1866
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Viscount Palmerston The Earl Russell
Preceded by	The Earl of Hardwicke
Succeeded by	The Earl of Malmesbury
In office 28 April 1880 – 2 May 1881
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	William Ewart Gladstone
Preceded by	The Duke of Northumberland
Succeeded by	The Lord Carlingford
Postmaster General
In office 30 November 1855 – 21 February 1858
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Viscount Palmerston
Preceded by	The Viscount Canning
Succeeded by	The Lord Colchester
Secretary of State for India
In office 9 December 1868 – 17 February 1874
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	William Ewart Gladstone
Preceded by	Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt
Succeeded by	The Marquess of Salisbury
Personal details
Born	30 April 1823 (1823-04-30) Ardencaple Castle, Dunbartonshire
Died	24 April 1900(1900-04-24) (aged 76) Inveraray Castle, Argyll
Nationality	British
Political party	Liberal
Spouses	Lady Elizabeth Sutherland-Leveson-Gower ​ ​ (m. 1844; died 1878)​ Amelia Claughton ​ ​ (m. 1881; died 1894)​ Ina McNeill ​ (m. 1895)​
Children	12, including John, Colin, Victoria and Frances
Parents	John Campbell, 7th Duke of Argyll Joan Glassel
Signature

George John Douglas Campbell, 8th and 1st Duke of Argyll KG, KT, PC, FRS, FRSE (30 April 1823 – 24 April 1900; styled Marquess of Lorne until 1847), was a British polymath and Liberal statesman. He made a significant geological discovery in the 1850s when his tenant found fossilized leaves embedded among basalt lava on the Island of Mull. He also helped to popularize ornithology and was one of the first to give a detailed account of the principles of bird flight in the hopes of advancing artificial aerial navigation (i.e. flying machines). His literary output was extensive writing on topics varying from science and theology to economy and politics. In addition to this, he served prominently in the administrations of Lord Aberdeen, Lord Palmerston, John Russell and William Gladstone.