| Birth Date: | 1726 |
| Birth Place: | London, England |
| Death Place: | Saint Petersburg |
| Death Date: | 1771 |
| Spouse: | Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart |
| Issue-Type: | Children |
| Issue: | 9 |
| Parents: | Lord Archibald Hamilton Lady Jane Hamilton |
Jane Cathcart (born Jane Hamilton; 19 August 1726 – 13 November 1771) was the wife of Lord Cathcart the British ambassador to Russia. She was a personal friend of Catherine the Great and a patron to Josiah Wedgewood.
Cathcart was born in 1726 in London. Her mother was Lady Jane Hamilton who was said to be the mistress of Frederick, Prince of Wales and she was the second wife of Lord Archibald Hamilton governor of the Royal Naval Hospital in Greenwich and youngest son of Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton.
On 24 July 1753, at her father's Royal Naval Hospital, she married Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart.
Her husband was offered the role of Ambassador to Russia despite his lack of diplomatic experience as it was not an attractive appointment. He is thought to have accepted it, because he needed the money. He was there for some years but he made significant mistakes. However Jean fared better and she became a personal friend of Catherine the Great. She told the Empress about the work of her brother, Sir William Hamilton, who was an antiquarian. Cathcart was a patron to Josiah Wedgewood and her influence helped to create the sale of the Wedgewood Frog Service.[1] The service was created in 1773-4 and is considered to be one of Josiah Wedgewood's greatest achievements. The pottery was stamped with a frog and the pieces contained views of notable British buildings, gardens and antiquities. [2] The majority of the service is now in the Hermitage Museum.
On 24 July 1753 she married Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart.[3]
They had nine children and six survived: