| Honorific Prefix: | The Right Honourable |
| The Earl Cathcart | |
| Honorific Suffix: | JP DL LL.D. |
| Birth Name: | Alan Frederick Cathcart |
| Birth Date: | 14 November 1828 |
| Education: | Scottish Naval and Military Academy |
| Parents: | Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart Henrietta Mather |
| Children: | 11 |
Alan Frederick Cathcart, 3rd Earl Cathcart (1828–1905) was a wealthy landowner and writer on agriculture.[1] [2] [3] [4] Cathcart introduced the term "economic ornithology" at a time when there was a public debate over whether the English sparrow was a pest or a friend of the farmer.[5]
Cathcart was the second, but eldest surviving, son of Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart and the former Henrietta Mather (second daughter of Thomas Mather). His father was the Commander-in-Chief, Scotland and of North America and served as the Governor-General of Canada.
He was educated in Edinburgh at the Scottish Naval and Military Academy, which was founded in 1825 and closed in 1869.
He was commissioned into the 23rd Foot as a Second lieutenant in 1845 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1848. He served as Aide-de-camp to his father in Canada 1849–50, but resigned from the Regular Army on his marriage in 1850. When the part-time Militia was reformed in 1852 he was one of the younger officers appointed to the North York Rifle Militia as a Captain, and was enthusiastic in procuring recruits.
He was rapidly promoted to Major (1853) and Lieutenant-Colonel (1854). However, he resigned in 1855 in protest at what he saw as a lack of support from the Colonel.[6] When the Volunteer Force was formed he was appointed on 7 July 1860 as Lieutenant-Colonel of the 1st Administrative Battalion of Yorkshire North Riding Rifle Volunteers (later the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Green Howards), and became its Honorary Colonel on 17 June 1871; he was awarded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration.[1] [7] [8] After he left the Regular Army he devoted himself to agriculture and county business in Yorkshire. Cathcart was president of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1872–1873. He owned 5554 acres.[1]
On 2 April 1850 Cathcart married Elizabeth Mary Crompton, the eldest daughter and heiress of Sir Samuel Crompton, 1st Baronet and the former Isabella Sophia Cathcart (second daughter of the Rev. Hon. Archibald Hamilton Cathcart, third son of Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart). Together, they were the parents of five sons and six daughters, including:[8]
In 1894 he was awarded an Hon. LL.D. by the University of Cambridge.