PEERAGE
Last updated 06/12/2024
     Date Rank Order Name Born Died  Age
WELLESLEY
2 Oct 1760 V[I] 1 Garret Wesley,2nd Baron Mornington 19 Jul 1735 22 May 1784 48
Created Viscount Wellesley and Earl 
of Mornington 2 Oct 1760
See "Mornington"
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2 Dec 1799 M[I] 1 Richard Colley Wellesley 20 Jun 1760 26 Sep 1842 82
Created Baron Wellesley 20 Oct 1797 
and Marquess Wellesley 2 Dec 1799
See "Mornington" - peerages extinct on
his death
WELLINGTON
11 May 1814 D 1 Arthur Wellesley 1 May 1769 14 Sep 1852 83
Created Baron Douro and Viscount 
Wellington 4 Sep 1809,Earl of
Wellington 28 Feb 1812,Marquess of
Wellington 3 Oct 1812 and Marquess 
of Douro and Duke of Wellington
11 May 1814
MP for Rye 1806, St.Michaels 1807 and
Newport 1807-1809. Chief Secretary for
Ireland 1807-1809. Field Marshal 1813.
Lord Lieutenant Hampshire 1820-1852 and
Tower Hamlets 1826-1852. Commander in 
Chief 1827 and 1842-1852. Prime Minister
1828-1830. Lord Warden of the Cinque
Ports 1829-1852. Foreign Secretary 1834-
1835.  PC 1807  PC [I] 1807  KG 1813
14 Sep 1852 2 Arthur Richard Wellesley 3 Feb 1807 13 Aug 1884 77
MP for Aldborough 1829-1832 and Norwich
1837-1852. Lord Lieutenant Middlesex
1868-1884.  PC 1853  KG 1858
13 Aug 1884 3 Henry Wellesley 5 Apr 1846 8 Jun 1900 54
MP for Andover 1874-1880
8 Jun 1900 4 Arthur Charles Wellesley 15 Mar 1849 18 Jun 1934 85
KG 1902
18 Jun 1934 5 Arthur Charles Wellesley 9 Jun 1876 11 Dec 1941 65
11 Dec 1941 6 Henry Valerian George Wellesley 14 Jul 1912 16 Sep 1943 31
16 Sep 1943 7 Gerald Wellesley 21 Aug 1885 4 Jan 1972 86
Lord Lieutenant London 1944-1949 and
Hampshire 1949-1960.  KG 1951
4 Jan 1972 8 Arthur Valerian Wellesley 2 Jul 1915 31 Dec 2014 99
KG 1990
31 Dec 2014 9 Arthur Charles Valerian Wellesley  [Elected 19 Aug 1945
hereditary peer 2015-]
WELLS-PESTELL
10 May 1965 B[L] 1 Reginald Alfred Wells-Pestell 27 Jan 1910 17 Jan 1991 80
to     Created Baron Wells-Pestell for life
17 Jan 1991 10 May 1965
Peerage extinct on his death
WEMYSS
25 Jun 1633 E[S] 1 Sir John Wemyss,1st baronet 1586 22 Nov 1649 63
Created Lord Wemyss 1 Apr 1628
and Lord Elcho and Methell and Earl 
of Wemyss 25 Jun 1633
22 Nov 1649 2 David Wemyss 6 Sep 1610 Jul 1679 68
Jul 1679 3 Margaret Mackenzie 1 Jan 1659 11 Mar 1705 46
11 Mar 1705 4 David Wemyss 29 Apr 1678 15 Mar 1720 41
15 Mar 1720 5 James Wemyss 30 Aug 1699 21 Mar 1756 56
On his death the next heir was under 
attainder and the peerage was therefore
forfeited
[21 Mar 1756] [6] David Wemyss 30 Jul 1721 29 Apr 1787 65
[29 Apr 1787] [7] Francis Charteris 21 Oct 1723 24 Aug 1808 84
[24 Aug 1808] Francis Charteris-Wemyss-Douglas 15 Apr 1772 28 Jun 1853 81
1826 8 He succeeded as 4th Earl of March 23 Dec 1810
Created Baron Wemyss [UK] 17 Jul 1821
He obtained a reversal of the attainder
in 1826
Lord Lieutenant Peebles 1821-1853
28 Jun 1853 9 Francis Wemyss-Charteris-Douglas  (also 5th
Earl of March) 14 Aug 1795 1 Jan 1883 87
Lord Lieutenant Peebles 1853-1880
1 Jan 1883 10 Francis Charteris  (also 6th Earl of March) 4 Aug 1818 30 Jun 1914 95
MP for Gloucestershire East 1841-1846
and Haddingtonshire 1847-1883
30 Jun 1914 11 Hugo Richard Wemyss Charteris  (also 7th Earl
of March) 25 Aug 1857 12 Jul 1937 79
MP for Haddingtonshire 1883-1885 and
Ipswich 1886-1895. Lord Lieutenant 
Haddington 1918-1937
12 Jul 1937 12 Francis David Charteris  (also 8th Earl of March) 19 Jan 1912 12 Dec 2008 96
KT 1966. Lord Lieutenant East Lothian
1967-1987
12 Dec 2008 13 James Donald Charteris  (also 9th Earl of March) 22 Jun 1948
WENDOVER
16 Jul 1895 V 1 Charles Robert Carington 16 May 1843 13 Jun 1928 85
to     Created Viscount Wendover and Earl
13 Jun 1928 Carrington 16 Jul 1895 and Marquess
of Lincolnshire 1912
These creations extinct on his death
WENLOCK
26 Jul 1461 B 1 John Wenlock 4 May 1471
to     Summoned to Parliament as Lord
4 May 1471 Wenlock 26 Jul 1461
KG 1461
Peerage extinct on his death
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10 Sep 1831 B 1 Sir Robert Lawley,6th baronet 1768 10 Apr 1834 65
to     Created Baron Wenlock 10 Sep 1831
10 Apr 1834 MP for Newcastle 1802-1806
Peerage extinct on his death
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13 May 1839 B 1 Paul Beilby Lawley-Thompson 1 Jul 1784 9 May 1852 67
Created Baron Wenlock 13 May 1839
MP for Wenlock 1826-1832 and East Riding
of Yorkshire 1832-1837. Lord Lieutenant
E Riding Yorkshire 1840-1847
9 May 1852 2 Beilby Richard Lawley 21 Apr 1818 6 Nov 1880 62
MP for Pontefract 1851-1852. Lord
Lieutenant E Riding Yorkshire 1864-1880
6 Nov 1880 3 Beilby Lawley 12 May 1849 15 Jan 1912 62
MP for Chester 1880. Governor of
Madras 1891-1895.  PC 1901
15 Jan 1912 4 Richard Thompson Lawley 21 Aug 1856 25 Jul 1918 61
25 Jul 1918 5 Algernon George Lawley 25 Dec 1857 14 Jun 1931 73
14 Jun 1931 6 Arthur Lawley 12 Nov 1860 14 Jun 1932 71
to     Governor of Western Australia 1901-1902,
14 Jun 1932 Transvaal 1902-1905 and Madras 1906-1911
Peerage extinct on his death
For information on the last four peers,see the
note at the foot of this page
WENMAN
30 Jul 1628 V[I] 1 Sir Richard Wenman 1573 3 Apr 1640 66
Created Baron and Viscount Wenman
30 Jul 1628
3 Apr 1640 2 Thomas Wenman 1596 25 Jan 1665 68
MP for Brackley 1621-1622, 1624-1625 and
Oxfordshire 1626, 1640-1648 and 1660
25 Jan 1665 3 Philip Wenman 17 Aug 1610 20 Apr 1686 75
MP for Oxfordshire 1660
In 1683,he obtained letters patent which stated
that,in the event of his dying without male issue, 
the titles would be granted to his nearest relative,
his great-nephew,Sir Richard Wenman. Some
peerage references treat this as being a fresh
grant of the peerage and commence a new
numbering sequence; I have shown both sequence
numbers below
20 Apr 1686 4 or 1 Sir Richard Wenman,2nd baronet 1657 1 Mar 1690 32
MP for Brackley 1679-1690
1 Mar 1690 5 or 2 Richard Wenman 29 Jan 1688 28 Nov 1729 41
28 Nov 1729 6 or 3 Philip Wenman 23 Nov 1719 16 Aug 1760 40
MP for Oxford 1749-1754 and Oxfordshire
1754-1755
16 Aug 1760 7 or 4 Philip Wenman 18 Apr 1742 26 Mar 1800 57
to     MP for Oxfordshire 1768-1796
26 Mar 1800 Peerages extinct on his death
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3 Jun 1834 B 1 Sophia Elizabeth Wykeham 10 Jun 1790 9 Aug 1870 80
to     Created Baroness Wenman 3 Jun 1834
9 Aug 1870 Peerage extinct on her death
WENSLEYDALE
16 Jan 1856 B[L] 1 Sir James Parke 22 Mar 1782 25 Feb 1868 85
23 Jul 1856 B 1 Created Baron Wensleydale for life 16 Jan
to     1856 and again, as an hereditary peerage,
25 Feb 1868 23 Jul 1856
PC 1833
Peerages extinct on his death
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    
19 Dec 1900 B 1 Sir Matthew White Ridley,5th baronet 25 Jul 1842 28 Nov 1904 62
Created Baron Wensleydale and Viscount 
Ridley 19 Dec 1900
See "Ridley"
WENTWORTH
2 Dec 1529 B 1 Sir Thomas Wentworth 1501 3 Mar 1551 49
Summoned to Parliament as Lord
Wentworth 2 Dec 1529
3 Mar 1551 2 Thomas Wentworth 1525 13 Jan 1584 58
MP for Suffolk 1547-1551
13 Jan 1584 3 Henry Wentworth 1558 16 Aug 1593 35
16 Aug 1593 4 Thomas Wentworth 1591 25 Mar 1667 75
Created Earl of Cleveland 
5 Feb 1626
Oct 1640 5 Thomas Wentworth 2 Feb 1613 1 Mar 1665 52
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Wentworth Oct 1640
1 Mar 1665 6 Henrietta Maria Wentworth 11 Aug 1660 23 Apr 1686 25
23 Apr 1686 7 Anne Lovelace 29 Jul 1623 7 May 1697 73
7 May 1697 8 Martha Johnson c 1667 18 Jul 1745
18 Jul 1745 9 Sir Edward Noel,6th baronet 30 Aug 1715 31 Oct 1774 59
5 May 1762 V 1 Created Viscount Wentworth 
5 May 1762
31 Oct 1774 10 Thomas Noel 18 Nov 1745 17 Apr 1815 69
to     2 On his death the Viscountcy became
17 Apr 1815 extinct whilst the Barony fell into
abeyance
19 Nov 1856 11 Anne Isabella Byron 17 May 1792 26 May 1860 68
Abeyance terminated in her favour 1856
26 May 1860 12 Byron Noel King-Noel 12 May 1836 1 Sep 1862 26
For further information of this peer, see the
note at the foot of this page.
1 Sep 1862 13 Ralph Gordon Noel King-Noel,later [1893] 2nd Earl of
Lovelace 2 Jul 1829 28 Aug 1906 77
For information on this peer's successful claim to
this title,see the note at the foot of this page.
 
28 Aug 1906 14 Ada Mary King-Milbanke 26 Feb 1871 18 Jun 1917 46
18 Jun 1917 15 Anne Isabella King 22 Sep 1837 15 Dec 1917 80
15 Dec 1917 16 Judith Anne Dorothea Blunt-Lytton 6 Feb 1873 8 Aug 1957 84
8 Aug 1957 17 Noel Anthony Scawen Lytton,4th Earl of 
Lytton 7 Apr 1900 18 Jan 1985 84
He had previously succeeded to the Earldom of
Lytton (qv) in 1951 with which title this peerage
then merged and so remains
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22 Jul 1628 B 1 Thomas Wentworth 13 Apr 1593 12 May 1641 48
13 Dec 1628 V 1 Created Baron Wentworth and Baron 
to     of Newmarch and Oversley 22 Jul 1628,
12 May 1641 Viscount Wentworth 13 Dec 1628 and
Baron Raby and Earl of Strafford
12 Jan 1640
See "Strafford"
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29 Jun 1711 V 1 Thomas Wentworth,3rd Baron Raby 17 Sep 1672 15 Nov 1739 67
Created Viscount Wentworth and Earl
of Strafford 29 Jun 1711
See "Strafford"
WESSEX
19 Jun 1999 E 1 HRH Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis 10 Mar 1964
Created Viscount Severn and Earl of 
Wessex 19 Jun 1999
KG 2006
See "Edinburgh"
WEST
21 Jun 1402 B 1 Sir Thomas West 1365 17 Apr 1405 39
Summoned to Parliament as Lord
West 21 Jun 1402
17 Apr 1405 2 Thomas West 1392 30 Sep 1415 23
30 Sep 1415 3 Reginald West,6th Lord de la Warr 7 Sep 1395 27 Aug 1450 54
27 Aug 1450 4 Richard West,7th Lord de la Warr 28 Oct 1430 10 Mar 1476 45
10 Mar 1476 5 Thomas West,8th Lord de la Warr c 1455 11 Oct 1525
11 Oct 1525 6 Thomas West,9th Lord de la Warr 25 Sep 1554
to     On his death the peerage fell into 
25 Sep 1554 abeyance
WEST OF SPITHEAD
9 Jul 2007 B[L] 1 Sir Alan William John West 21 Apr 1948
Created Baron West of Spithead for life
9 Jul 2007
PC 2010
WESTBURY
27 Jun 1861 B 1 Sir Richard Bethell 30 Jun 1800 20 Jul 1873 73
Created Baron Westbury 27 Jun 1861
MP for Aylesbury 1851-1859 and
Wolverhampton 1859-1861. Solicitor 
General 1852-1856. Attorney General 1856-
1858 and 1859-1861. Lord Chancellor
1861-1865.  PC 1861
For further information on this peer, see
the note at the foot of this page.
20 Jul 1873 2 Richard Augustus Bethell 11 Mar 1830 28 Mar 1875 45
28 Mar 1875 3 Richard Luttrell Pilkington Bethell 25 Apr 1852 21 Feb 1930 77
For further information on this peer, see
the note at the foot of this page.
21 Feb 1930 4 Richard Morland Tollemache Bethell 9 Oct 1914 26 Jun 1961 46
26 Jun 1961 5 David Allan Bethell 16 Jul 1922 12 Oct 2001 79
12 Oct 2001 6 Richard Nicholas Bethell 29 May 1950
WESTCOTE
29 Apr 1776 B[I] 1 William Henry Lyttelton 24 Dec 1724 14 Sep 1808 83
Created Baron Westcote 29 Apr 1776
and Baron Lyttelton 13 Aug 1794
See "Lyttelton"
WESTER WEMYSS
18 Nov 1919 B 1 Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss 12 Apr 1864 24 May 1933 69
to     Created Baron Wester Wemyss
24 May 1933 18 Nov 1919
Admiral of the Fleet 1919
Peerage extinct on his death
WESTERN
28 Jan 1833 B 1 Charles Callis Western 9 Aug 1767 4 Nov 1844 77
to     Created Baron Western 28 Jan 1833
4 Nov 1844 MP for Maldon 1790-1806 and 1807-1812
and Essex 1812-1832
Peerage extinct on his death
WESTMEATH
4 Sep 1621 E[I] 1 Richard Nugent,7th Baron Delvin 1583 1642 59
Created Earl of Westmeath 4 Sep 1621
1642 2 Richard Nugent c 1622 Feb 1684
Feb 1684 3 Richard Nugent Apr 1714
Apr 1714 4 Thomas Nugent 1669 30 Jun 1752 82
30 Jun 1752 5 John Nugent 1671 3 Jul 1754 83
3 Jul 1754 6 Thomas Nugent Apr 1714 7 Sep 1792 78
PC [I] 1758  KP 1783
7 Sep 1792 7 George Frederick Nugent 18 Nov 1760 30 Dec 1814 54
PC [I] 1793
30 Dec 1814 8 George Thomas John Nugent 17 Jul 1785 5 May 1871 85
12 Jan 1822 M[I] 1 Created Marquess of Westmeath
to     12 Jan 1822
5 May 1871 Lord Lieutenant Westmeath 1831-1871
On his death the Marquessate became
extinct whilst the Earldom passed to -
5 May 1871 9 Anthony Francis Nugent 1 Nov 1805 12 May 1879 73
For further information about this peer,see
the note at the foot of this page
12 May 1879 10 William St.George Nugent 28 Nov 1832 31 May 1883 50
31 May 1883 11 Anthony Francis Nugent 11 Jan 1870 12 Dec 1933 63
PC [I] 1902
12 Dec 1933 12 Gilbert Charles Nugent 9 May 1880 20 Nov 1971 91
20 Nov 1971 13 William Anthony Nugent 21 Nov 1928
WESTMINSTER
13 Sep 1831 M 1 Robert Grosvenor,2nd Earl Grosvenor 22 Mar 1767 17 Feb 1845 77
Created Marquess of Westminster
13 Sep 1831
MP for East Looe 1788-1790 and Chester
1790-1802. Lord Lieutenant Flint 1798-
1845  PC 1793  KG 1841
17 Feb 1845 2 Richard Grosvenor 27 Jan 1795 31 Oct 1869 74
MP for Chester 1818-1830, Cheshire 1830-
1832 and Cheshire South 1832-1835. Lord
Lieutenant Cheshire 1845-1867.  PC 1850
KG 1857
31 Oct 1869 3 Hugh Lupus Grosvenor 13 Oct 1825 22 Dec 1899 74
27 Feb 1874 D 1 Created Duke of Westminster
27 Feb 1874
MP for Chester 1847-1869. Lord Lieutenant
Cheshire 1883-1899 and London 1889-99
KG 1870  PC 1880
22 Dec 1899 2 Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor 19 Mar 1879 19 Jul 1953 74
Lord Lieutenant Cheshire 1905-1920
For further information on this peer,see the
note at the foot of this page
19 Jul 1953 3 William Grosvenor 23 Dec 1894 22 Feb 1963 68
22 Feb 1963 4 Gerald Hugh Grosvenor 13 Feb 1907 25 Feb 1967 60
PC 1964
25 Feb 1967 5 Robert George Grosvenor 24 Apr 1910 19 Feb 1979 68
Lord Lieutenant Fermanagh 1977-1979
MP for Fermanagh & South Tyrone 1955-1964
19 Feb 1979 6 Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor 22 Dec 1951 9 Aug 2016 64
KG 2003
9 Aug 2016 7 Hugh Richard Lupus Grosvenor 29 Jan 1991
WESTMORLAND
29 Sep 1397 E 1 Ralph de Nevill,4th Lord Nevill de Raby c 1364 21 Oct 1425
Created Earl of Westmorland 
29 Sep 1397
KG c 1403
21 Oct 1425 2 Ralph Nevill c 1406 3 Nov 1484
3 Nov 1484 3 Ralph Nevill 1456 6 Feb 1499 42
6 Feb 1499 4 Ralph Nevill 21 Feb 1498 24 Apr 1549 51
KG 1525
24 Apr 1549 5 Henry Nevill c 1525 Aug 1563
KG 1552
Aug 1563 6 Charles Nevill 1543 16 Nov 1601 58
to     He was attainted and the peerage 
1571 forfeited
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29 Dec 1624 E 1 Sir Francis Fane Feb 1580 23 Mar 1629 49
Created Baron of Burghersh and Earl
of Westmorland 29 Dec 1624
MP for Kent 1601, Maidstone 1604-1611 
and 1620-1622 and Peterborough 1624.
23 Mar 1629 2 Mildmay Fane 24 Jan 1602 12 Feb 1666 64
MP for Peterborough 1620-1622, Kent 1625
and Peterborough 1626 and 1628-1629.
Lord Lieutenant Northampton 1660-1666
12 Feb 1666 3 Charles Fane 6 Jan 1635 18 Sep 1691 56
MP for Peterborough 1660 and 1661-1666
18 Sep 1691 4 Vere Fane 13 Feb 1645 29 Dec 1693 48
MP for Peterborough 1671-1679 and
Kent 1679-1685 and 1689-1691.  Lord 
Lieutenant Kent 1692-1693
29 Dec 1693 5 Vere Fane 13 Apr 1678 19 May 1699 21
19 May 1699 6 Thomas Fane 3 Oct 1683 4 Jul 1736 52
President of the Board of Trade 1719-1735.
PC 1718
4 Jul 1736 7 John Fane,1st Baron Catherlough 24 Mar 1686 26 Aug 1762 76
MP for Hythe 1708-1711, Kent 1715-1722
and Buckingham 1727-1734. Lord Lieutenant
Northampton 1737-1749
26 Aug 1762 8 Thomas Fane 8 Mar 1701 25 Nov 1771 70
MP for Lyme Regis 1753-1762
25 Nov 1771 9 John Fane 5 May 1728 25 Apr 1774 45
MP for Lyme Regis 1762-1771
25 Apr 1774 10 John Fane 1 Jan 1759 15 Dec 1841 82
Postmaster General 1789. Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland 1789-1795. Lord Privy Seal
1798-1806 and 1807-1827. Lord Lieutenant
Northampton 1828-1841. PC 1789 KG 1793
15 Dec 1841 11 Sir John Fane 2 Feb 1784 16 Oct 1859 75
MP for Lyme Regis 1806-1816.  PC 1822
16 Oct 1859 12 Francis William Henry Fane 19 Nov 1825 3 Aug 1891 65
3 Aug 1891 13 Anthony Mildmay Julian Fane 16 Aug 1859 9 Jun 1922 62
9 Jun 1922 14 Vere Anthony Francis St.Clair Fane 15 Mar 1893 12 May 1948 55
12 May 1948 15 David Anthony Thomas Fane 31 Mar 1924 8 Sep 1993 69
8 Sep 1993 16 Anthony David Francis Henry Fane 1 Aug 1951
WESTON
13 Apr 1628 B 1 Richard Weston 1 Mar 1577 13 Mar 1635 58
Created Baron Weston 13 Apr 1628
and Earl of Portland 17 Feb 1633
See "Portland"
WESTON-SUPER-MARE
30 Jan 1963 E 1 Albert Victor Alexander  1 May 1885 11 Jan 1965 79
to     Created Baron Weston-super-Mare and
11 Jan 1965 Earl Alexander of Hillsborough
30 Jan 1963
See "Alexander of Hillsborough"
WESTPORT
24 Aug 1768 V[I] 1 John Browne,1st Baron Monteagle 1709 4 Jul 1776 67
Created Viscount Westport 24 Aug 1768
He was created Earl of Altamont (qv) 4 Dec 1771
This peerage is now a subsidiary title of the
Marquess of Sligo (qv)
WESTWOOD
29 Jan 1944 B 1 William Westwood 28 Aug 1880 13 Sep 1953 73
Created Baron Westwood 29 Jan 1944
13 Sep 1953 2 William Westwood 25 Dec 1907 8 Nov 1991 83
8 Nov 1991 3 William Gavin Westwood 30 Jan 1944
WEYMOUTH
11 Dec 1682 V 1 Sir Thomas Thynne,2nd baronet 8 Sep 1640 28 Jul 1714 73
Created Baron Thynne and Viscount
Weymouth 11 Dec 1682
MP for Oxford University 1674-1679 and
Tamworth 1679-1681. President of the
Board of Trade 1702-1707.  PC 1702
28 Jul 1714 2 Thomas Thynne 21 Mar 1710 13 Jan 1751 40
13 Jan 1751 3 Thomas Thynne 13 Sep 1734 19 Nov 1796 62
He was created Marquess of Bath (qv) in
1789 with which title this peerage then 
merged
WHADDON
27 Aug 1616 B 1 George Villiers 28 Aug 1592 23 Aug 1628 35
Created Baron Whaddon and Viscount
Villiers 27 Aug 1616,Earl of
Buckingham 5 Jan 1617,Marquess of
Buckingham 1 Jan 1618 and Earl of 
Coventry and Duke of Buckingham 
18 May 1623
See "Buckingham"
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26 Apr 1978 B[L] 1 John Derek Page 14 Aug 1927 16 Aug 2005 78
to     Created Baron Whaddon for life 26 Apr 1978
16 Aug 2005 MP for Kings Lynn 1964-1970
Peerage extinct on his death
WHARNCLIFFE
12 Jul 1826 B 1 James Archibald Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie 6 Oct 1776 19 Dec 1845 69
Created Baron Wharncliffe 12 Jul 1826
MP for Bossiney 1802-1818 and Yorkshire
1818-1826. Lord Privy Seal 1834-1835.
Lord President of the Council 1841-1846.
Lord Lieutenant W Riding Yorkshire 1841-1845
PC 1834
19 Dec 1845 2 John Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie 20 Apr 1801 22 Oct 1855 54
MP for Bossiney 1823-1830 and 1831-1832, Perth 
1830-1831 and W Riding Yorkshire 1841-1845
22 Oct 1855 3 Edward Montagu Stuart Granville Montagu-
15 Jan 1876 E 1 Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie 15 Dec 1827 13 May 1899 71
Created Viscount Carlton and Earl of
Wharncliffe 15 Jan 1876
For details of the special remainders included in the
creation of these peerages,see the note at the 
foot of this page
13 May 1899 2 Francis John Montagu-Stuart-Wortley-
Mackenzie 9 Jun 1856 8 May 1926 69
8 May 1926 3 Archibald Ralph Montagu-Stuart-Wortley-
Mackenzie 17 Apr 1892 16 May 1953 61
16 May 1953 4 Alan James Montagu-Stuart-Wortley-
Mackenzie 23 Mar 1935 3 Jun 1987 52
For further information on this peer,see the
note at the foot of this page
3 Jun 1987 5 Richard Alan Montagu Stuart Wortley 26 May 1953
WHARTON
c Mar 1544 B 1 Sir Thomas Wharton c 1495 23 Aug 1568  
Created Baron Wharton c Mar 1544
MP for Appleby 1529-1536 and Cumberland
1542-1544
23 Aug 1568 2 Thomas Wharton 1520 14 Jun 1572 51
MP for Cumberland 1545 and 1547-1552,
Hedon 1554 and Northumberland 1555-1559
14 Jun 1572 3 Philip Wharton 23 Jun 1555 26 Mar 1625 69
26 Mar 1625 4 Philip Wharton 8 Apr 1613 5 Feb 1696 82
5 Feb 1696 5 Thomas Wharton 23 Oct 1648 12 Apr 1715 66
15 Feb 1715 M 1 Created Viscount Winchendon and
Earl of Wharton 23 Dec 1706,Baron of
Trim,Earl of Rathfarnham and 
Marquess of Catherlough 7 Jan 1715,
and Marquess of Wharton and 
Marquess of Malmesbury 15 Feb 1715
MP for Wendover 1673-1679 and
Buckinghamshire 1679-1696. Lord Lieutenant
Oxford 1697-1702 and Buckingham 1702.
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1708-1710.
Lord Privy Seal 1714-1715.  PC 1689
12 Apr 1715 6 Philip Wharton Dec 1698 31 May 1731 32
28 Jan 1718 D 1 Created Duke of Wharton 28 Jan 1718
to     PC [I] 1717
31 May 1731 On his death the Earldom,Marquessate and
Dukedom became extinct and the Barony
fell into abeyance
For further information, see the note at the
foot of this page
15 Feb 1916 7 Charles Theodore Halswell Kemeys-Tynte 18 Sep 1876 4 Mar 1934 57
Abeyance terminated in his favour 1916
For further information, see the note at the
foot of this page
4 Mar 1934 8 Charles John Halswell Kemeys-Tynte 12 Jan 1908 11 Jul 1969 61
11 Jul 1969 9 Elisabeth Dorothy Vintcent 4 May 1906 4 May 1974 68
to     On her death the peerage again fell into
4 May 1974 abeyance
1990 10 Myrtle Olive Felix Robertson 20 Feb 1934 15 May 2000 66
Abeyance terminated in her favour
[Elected hereditary peer 1999-2000]
15 May 2000 11 Myles Christopher David Robertson 1 Oct 1964
WHARTON OF YARM
4 Sep 2020 B[L] 1 James Stephen Wharton 16 Feb 1984
Created Baron Wharton of Yarm 
04 Sep 2020
WHEATCROFT
22 Dec 2010 B[L] 1 Patience Jane Wheatcroft 28 Sep 1951
Created Baroness Wheatcroft for life 
22 Dec 2010
WHEATLEY
28 Jul 1970 B[L] 1 John Wheatley 17 Jan 1908 28 Jul 1988 80
to     Created Baron Wheatley for life 28 Jul 1970
28 Jul 1988 MP for Edinburgh East 1947-1954. Lord
Advocate 1947-1951.  PC 1947
Peerage extinct on his death
WHEELER
20 Jun 2010 B[L] 1 Margaret Eileen Joyce Wheeler 25 Mar 1949
Created Baroness Wheeler for life 20 Jun 2010
WHITAKER
5 Aug 1999 B[L] 1 Janet Alison Whitaker 20 Feb 1936
Created Baroness Whitaker for life 5 Aug 1999
WHITBURGH
10 Dec 1912 B 1 Sir Thomas Banks Borthwick,2nd baronet 21 Aug 1874 29 Sep 1967 93
to     Created Baron Whitburgh 10 Dec 1912
29 Sep 1967 Peerage extinct on his death
WHITBY
10 Sep 2013 B[L] 1 Michael John Whitby 6 Feb 1948
Created Baron Whitby for life 10 Sep 2013
WHITE
12 Oct 1970 B[L] 1 Eirene Lloyd White 7 Nov 1909 23 Dec 1999 90
to     Created Baroness White for life 12 Oct 1970
23 Dec 1999 MP for Flintshire East 1950-1970
Peerage extinct on her death
WHITE OF HULL
25 Jan 1991 B[L] 1 Vincent Gordon Lindsay White 11 May 1923 23 Aug 1995 72
to     Created Baron White of Hull for life
23 Aug 1995 25 Jan 1991
Peerage extinct on his death
WHITELAW
16 Jun 1983 V 1 William Stephen Ian Whitelaw 28 Jun 1918 1 Jul 1999 81
to     Created Viscount Whitelaw 16 Jun 1983
1 Jul 1999 MP for Penrith and the Border 1955-1983.
Lord President of the Council 1970-1972. 
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
1972-1973. Secretary of State for
Employment 1973-1974. Home Secretary 
1979-1983. Lord President 1983-1988
PC 1967  CH 1974  KT 1990
Peerage extinct on his death
WHITTY
21 Oct 1996 B[L] 1 John Lawrence Whitty 15 Jun 1943
Created Baron Whitty for life 21 Oct 1996
PC 2005
WHITWORTH
9 Jan 1721 B[I] 1 Charles Whitworth 14 Oct 1675 23 Oct 1725 50
to     Created Baron Whitworth 9 Jan 1721
23 Oct 1725 MP for Newport IOW 1722-1725
Peerage extinct on his death
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25 Nov 1815 E 1 Sir Charles Whitworth 29 May 1752 13 May 1825 72
to     Created Baron Whitworth [I] 
13 May 1825 21 Mar 1800,Viscount Whitworth
14 Jun 1813 and Earl of Whitworth
25 Nov 1815
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1813-1817
PC 1800
Peerages extinct on his death
WICKLOW
23 Jun 1785 V[I] 1 Ralph Howard c 1726 26 Jun 1789
Created Baron Clonmore 21 Jul 1776
and Viscount Wicklow 23 Jun 1785
PC [I] 1770
20 Dec 1793 E[I] 1 Alice Howard 1736 7 Mar 1807 70
Created Countess of Wicklow
20 Dec 1793
Widow of the first Viscount
26 Jun 1789 2 Robert Howard 7 Aug 1757 23 Oct 1815 58
7 Mar 1807 2
23 Oct 1815   3 William Forward-Howard Jan 1761 27 Sep 1818 57
PC [I] 1793
27 Sep 1818 4 William Howard 13 Feb 1788 22 Mar 1869 81
Lord Lieutenant Wicklow 1831-1869
KP 1842
For further information on the Wicklow Peerage
Case of 1869-70, see the note at the foot of
this page.
22 Mar 1869 5 Charles Francis Arnold Howard 5 Nov 1839 20 Jun 1881 41
20 Jun 1881 6 Cecil Ralph Howard 26 Mar 1842 24 Jul 1891 49
24 Jul 1891 7 Ralph Francis Howard 24 Dec 1877 11 Oct 1946 68
11 Oct 1946 8 William Cecil James Philip John Paul Howard 30 Oct 1902 8 Feb 1978 75
to     Peerages extinct on his death
8 Feb 1978            
 
 
WIDDRINGTON
2 Nov 1643 B 1 Sir William Widdrington,1st baronet 11 Jul 1610 3 Sep 1651 41
Created Baron Widdrington 2 Nov 1643
3 Sep 1651 2 William Widdrington Dec 1675
Dec 1675 3 William Widdrington 26 Jan 1656 10 Feb 1695 39
10 Feb 1695 4 William Widdrington 19 Apr 1743
to     He was attainted and the peerage forfeited
31 May 1716
WIDGERY
20 Apr 1971 B[L] 1 Sir John Passmore Widgery 24 Jul 1911 26 Jul 1981 70
to     Created Baron Widgery for life 20 Apr 1971
26 Jul 1981 Lord Justice of Appeal 1968-1971. Lord 
Chief Justice 1971-1980   PC 1968
Peerage extinct on his death
WIGAN
5 Jul 1826 B 1 James Lindsay,24th Earl of Crawford 27 Apr 1783 15 Dec 1869 86
Created Baron Wigan 5 Jul 1826
See "Crawford"
WIGG
27 Nov 1967 B[L] 1 George Edward Wigg 28 Nov 1900 11 Aug 1983 82
to     Created Baron Wigg for life 27 Nov 1967
11 Aug 1983 MP for Dudley 1945-1967. Paymaster
General 1964-1967.  PC 1964
Peerage extinct on his death
WIGLEY
19 Jan 2011 B[L] 1 Dafydd Wynne Wigley 1 Apr 1943
Created Baron Wigley for life 19 Jan 2011
MP for Caernarvon 1974-1983 and Caernarfon
1983-2001.  PC 1997
WIGMORE
1666 E 1 Charles Stuart 4 Jul 1666 22 May 1667  -    
to     Designated Baron of Holdenby,Earl of
22 May 1667 Wigmore and Duke of Kendal 1666
3rd son of James II
Peerages extinct on his death
WIGODER
16 May 1974 B[L] 1 Basil Thomas Wigoder 12 Feb 1921 12 Aug 2004 83
to     Created Baron Wigoder for life 16 May 1974
12 Aug 2004 Peerage extinct on his death
WIGRAM
25 Jun 1935 B 1 Sir Clive Wigram 5 Jul 1873 3 Sep 1960 87
Created Baron Wigram 25 Jun 1935
PC 1932
3 Sep 1960 2 George Neville Clive Wigram 2 Aug 1915 23 May 2017 101
23 May 2017 3 Andrew Francis Clive Wigram 18 Mar 1949
WIGTOUN
9 Nov 1341 E[S] 1 Sir Malcolm Fleming c 1360
Created Earl of Wigtoun 9 Nov 1341
c 1360 2 Thomas Fleming after 1372
to     He surrendered the peerage in 1372
1372
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
19 Mar 1606 E[S] 1 John Fleming 1567 Apr 1619 51
Created Lord Fleming and Cumbernauld
and Earl of Wigtoun 19 Mar 1606
Apr 1619 2 John Fleming Dec 1589 7 May 1650 60
7 May 1650 3 John Fleming Feb 1665
Feb 1665 4 John Fleming Apr 1668
Apr 1668 5 William Fleming 8 Apr 1681
8 Apr 1681 6 John Fleming c 1673 10 Feb 1744
10 Feb 1744 7 Charles Fleming c 1675 22 May 1747
to     On his death the peerage became either
22 May 1747 extinct or dormant
WILBERFORCE
1 Oct 1964 B[L] 1 Sir Richard Orme Wilberforce 11 Mar 1907 15 Feb 2003 95
to     Created Baron Wilberforce for life 1 Oct 1964
15 Feb 2003 Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 1964-1982
PC 1964
Peerage extinct on his death
WILCOX
16 Jan 1996 B[L] 1 Judith Ann Wilcox 31 Oct 1940
Created Baroness Wilcox for life 16 Jan 1996
WILCOX OF NEWPORT
14 Oct 2019 B[L] 1 Deborah Ane Wilcox 1969
Created Baroness Wilcox of Newport for life 14 Oct 2019
WILINGTON
14 Jun 1329 B 1 John de Wilington Dec 1338
Summoned to Parliament as Lord
Wilington 14 Jun 1329
Dec 1338 2 Ralph de Wilington 14 Apr 1348
to     Peerage extinct on his death
14 Apr 1348
WILKINS
30 Jul 1999 B[L] 1 Rosalie Catherine Wilkins 6 May 1946 1 Dec 2024
to Created Baroness Wilkins for life 30 Jul 1999
1 Dec 2024 Peerage extinct on her death
WILLETTS
16 Oct 2015 B[L] 1 David Lindsay Willetts 9 Mar 1956
Created Baron Willetts for life 16 Oct 2015
MP for Havant 1992-2015. PC 2010
WILLIAMS
24 Jun 1948 B 1 Thomas Edward Williams 26 Jul 1892 18 Feb 1966 73
to     Created Baron Williams 24 Jun 1948
18 Feb 1966 Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIAMS OF BAGLAN
23 Jul 2010 B[L] 1 Michael Charles Williams 11 Jun 1949 23 Apr 2017 67
to     Created Baron Williams of Baglan for life
23 Apr 2017 23 Jul 2010
Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIAMS OF BARNBURGH
2 Feb 1961 B[L] 1 Thomas Williams 18 Mar 1888 29 Mar 1967 79
to     Created Baron Williams of Barnburgh for life
29 Mar 1967 2 Feb 1961
MP for Don Valley 1922-1959. Minister of
Agriculture and Fisheries 1945-1951
PC 1941
Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIAMS OF CROSBY
1 Feb 1993 B[L] 1 Shirley Vivien Teresa Brittain Williams 27 Jul 1930 12 Apr 2021l  90
to Created Baroness Williams of Crosby for life
12 Apr 2021 1 Feb 1993
MP for Hitchin 1964-1974, Hertford and
Stevenage 1974-1979 and Crosby 1981-1983.
Minister of State,Education and Science
1967-1969. Minister of State,Home Office
1969-1970. Secretary of State for Prices
and Consumer Protection 1974-1976.
Secretary of State for Education and 
Science 1976-1979. Paymaster General
1976-1979.  PC 1974  CH 2016
Peerage extinct on her death
WILLIAMS OF ELVEL
22 May 1985 B[L] 1 Charles Cuthbert Powell Williams 9 Feb 1933 30 Dec 2019
to Created Baron Williams of Elvel for life
30 Dec 2019 22 May 1985
PC 2013
Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIAMS OF MOSTYN
30 Jul 1992 B[L] 1 Gareth Wyn Williams 5 Feb 1941 20 Sep 2003 62
to     Created Baron Williams of Mostyn for life
20 Sep 2003 30 Jul 1992
PC 1999. Attorney General 1999-2001. Lord
Privy Seal 2001-2003
Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIAMS OF OYSTERMOUTH
8 Jan 2013 B[L] 1 Rowan Douglas Williams 14 Jun 1950
Created Baron Williams of Oystermouth
for life 8 Jan 2013
Archbishop of Canterbury 2002-2012.  PC 2002
WILLIAMS DE THAME
17 Feb 1554 B 1 Sir John Williams c 1500 14 Oct 1559
to     Summoned to Parliament as Lord
14 Oct 1559 Williams de Thame 17 Feb 1554
Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIAMS OF TRAFFORD
20 Sep 2013 B[L] 1 Susan Frances Maria Williams 16 May 1967
Created Baroness Williams of Trafford for life
20 Sep 2013
WILLIAMSON
15 May 1962 B[L] 1 Sir Thomas Williamson 2 Sep 1897 27 Feb 1983 85
to     Created Baron Williamson for life
27 Feb 1983 15 May 1962
MP for Brigg 1945-1948
Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIAMSON OF HORTON
5 Feb 1999 B[L] 1 Sir David Francis Williamson 8 May 1934 30 Aug 2015 81
to     Created Baron Williamson of Horton for life
30 Aug 2015 5 Feb 1999
PC 2007
Peerage extinct on his death
WILLINGDON
26 May 1936 M 1 Freeman Freeman-Thomas 12 Sep 1866 12 Aug 1941 74
Created Baron Willingdon 20 Jul 1910,
Viscount Willingdon 23 Jun 1924,
Viscount Ratendone and Earl of
Willingdon 20 Feb 1931 and Marquess
of Willingdon 26 May 1936
MP for Hastings 1900-1906 and Bodmin
1906-1910. Governor of Bombay 1913-1918
and Madras 1919-1924. Governor General
of Canada 1926-1930. Viceroy of India
1931-1936.  PC 1931
12 Aug 1941 2 Inigo Brassey Freeman-Thomas 25 Jul 1899 19 Mar 1979 79
to     Peerages extinct on his death
19 Mar 1979
WILLIS
21 Jan 1964 B[L] 1 Edward Henry Willis 13 Jan 1918 22 Dec 1992 74
to     Created Baron Willis for life 21 Jan 1964
22 Dec 1992 Peerage extinct on his death
WILLIS OF KNARESBOROUGH
18 Jun 2010 B[L] 1 George Philip Willis 30 Nov 1941
Created Baron Willis of Knaresborough for life
18 Jun 2010
MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough 1997-2010
WILLIS OF SUMMERTOWN
8 Jul 2022 B[L] 1 Prof Katherine Jane Willis 16 Jan 1964
Created Baroness Willis of Summertown for life
8 Jul 2022
 
WILLOUGHBY DE BROKE
12 Aug 1491 B 1 Sir Robert Willoughby c 1452 23 Aug 1502
KG c 1488
Summoned to Parliament as Lord
Willoughby de Broke 12 Aug 1491
23 Aug 1502 2 Robert Willoughby 1472 10 Nov 1521 49
to     On his death the peerage fell into abeyance
10 Nov 1521
after 1535 3 Elizabeth Greville 1560
She became entitled to the peerage after
1535
1560 4 Fulke Greville c 1536 15 Nov 1606
15 Nov 1606 5 Fulke Greville c 1554 30 Sep 1628
30 Sep 1628 6 Margaret Verney c 1561 26 Mar 1631
26 Mar 1631 7 Greville Verney c 1586 12 May 1642
12 May 1642 8 Greville Verney 1619 9 Dec 1648 29
 
26 Jan 1649 9 Greville Verney 26 Jan 1649 23 Jul 1668 19
23 Jul 1668 10 William Verney 12 Jun 1668 23 Aug 1683 15
23 Aug 1683 11 Richard Verney 28 Jan 1621 18 Jul 1711 90
MP for Worcestershire 1685 and 1688
His claim to the Barony was allowed
13 Feb 1696
18 Jul 1711 12 George Verney 20 Mar 1659 26 Dec 1728 69
26 Dec 1728 13 Richard Verney 1693 11 Aug 1752 59
11 Aug 1752 14 John Peyto-Verney 4 Aug 1738 15 Feb 1816 77
15 Feb 1816 15 John Peyto-Verney 28 Jun 1762 1 Sep 1820 58
1 Sep 1820 16 Henry Peyto-Verney 5 Apr 1773 16 Dec 1852 79
16 Dec 1852 17 Robert John Verney 17 Oct 1809 5 Jun 1862 52
5 Jun 1862 18 Henry Verney 14 May 1844 19 Dec 1902 58
19 Dec 1902 19 Richard Grenville Verney 28 Mar 1869 16 Dec 1923 54
MP for Rugby 1895-1900
16 Dec 1923 20 John Henry Peyto Verney 21 May 1896 25 May 1986 90
Lord Lieutenant Warwickshire 1939-1968
25 May 1986 21 Leopold David Verney 14 Sep 1938
[Elected hereditary peer 1999-]
WILLOUGHBY DE ERESBY
26 Jul 1313 B 1 Sir Robert Willoughby c 1255 1316
Summoned to Parliament as Lord
Willoughby de Eresby 26 Jul 1313
1316 2 John Willoughby 6 Jan 1304 13 Jun 1349 45
13 Jun 1349 3 John Willoughby Jan 1329 29 Mar 1372 43
29 Mar 1372 4 Robert Willoughby c 1349 9 Aug 1396
9 Aug 1396 5 William Willoughby c 1370 30 Nov 1409
KG 1400
30 Nov 1409 6 Robert Willoughby 1385 25 Jul 1452 67
KG 1416
25 Jul 1452 7 Joan Willoughby 1505
26 May 1455 She married (1) Sir Richard de Welles who
to     was summoned to parliament in her right 26
12 Mar 1469 May 1455. He was attainted and the
peerage forfeited 1469. He was born c 1425
15 Nov 1482 8 and died 12 Mar 1469.  She married (2) Sir
Richard Hastings who was summoned to
parliament in her right 15 Nov 1482. He 
died Sep 1503
1505 9 William Willoughby 19 Oct 1525
19 Oct 1525 10 Katharine Bertie 22 Mar 1519 19 Sep 1580 61
19 Sep 1580 11 Peregrine Bertie 12 Oct 1555 25 Jun 1601 45
25 Jun 1601 12 Robert Bertie,later [1626] 1st Earl of Lindsey 17 Dec 1582 23 Oct 1642 59
3 Nov 1640 13 Montagu Bertie,2nd Earl of Lindsey c 1608 25 Jul 1666
23 Oct 1642 He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Willoughby de Eresby
3 Nov 1640
25 Jul 1666 14 Robert Bertie,3rd Earl of Lindsey c 1630 8 May 1701
19 Apr 1690 15 Robert Bertie,4th Earl of Lindsey and later [1715] 30 Oct 1660 26 Jul 1723 62
1st Duke of Ancaster
8 May 1701 He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Willoughby de Eresby
19 Apr 1690
16 Mar 1715 16 Peregrine Bertie,2nd Duke of Ancaster 29 Apr 1686 1 Jan 1742 55
26 Jul 1723 He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Willoughby de Eresby
16 Mar 1715
1 Jan 1742 17 Peregrine Bertie,3rd Duke of Ancaster 1714 12 Aug 1778 64
12 Aug 1778 18 Robert Bertie,4th Duke of Ancaster 17 Oct 1756 8 Jul 1779 22
to     On his death the peerage fell into abeyance
8 Jul 1779
18 Mar 1780 19 Priscilla Barbara Elizabeth Burrell 15 Feb 1761 29 Dec 1828 67
Abeyance terminated in her favour
29 Dec 1828 20 Peter Robert Drummond-Burrell,2nd Baron
Gwydyr 19 Mar 1782 22 Feb 1865 82
PC 1821  Lord Lieutenant Caernarvon 1828-1851
22 Feb 1865 21 Alberic Drummond-Willoughby,3rd Baron
to     Gwydyr 25 Dec 1821 26 Aug 1870 48
26 Aug 1870 On his death the peerage fell into abeyance
12 Nov 1871 22 Clementina Elizabeth Heathcote 2 Sep 1809 13 Nov 1888 79
Abeyance terminated in her favour
13 Nov 1888 23 Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby,
2nd Baron Aveland,later [1892] 1st Earl of Ancaster 1 Oct 1830 24 Dec 1910 80
24 Dec 1910 24 Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 29 Jul 1867 19 Sep 1951 84
2nd Earl of Ancaster
19 Sep 1951 25 Gilbert James Heathcote-Drummond-
Willoughby,3rd Earl of Ancaster 8 Dec 1907 29 Mar 1983 75
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Lord Willoughby de Eresby
16 Jan 1951
He succeeded to the Earldom of Ancaster (qv)
on 19 Sep 1951
29 Mar 1983 26 Nancy Jane Marie Heathcote-Drummond-
Willoughby 1 Dec 1934
WILLOUGHBY OF PARHAM
20 Feb 1547 B 1 Sir William Willoughby c 1515 Aug 1574
Created Baron Willoughby of Parham
20 Feb 1547
Aug 1574 2 Charles Willoughby 1537 1603 66
1603 3 William Willoughby 1584 28 Aug 1617 33
28 Aug 1617 4 Henry Willoughby c 1612 c 1618
c 1618 5 Francis Willoughby 1614 23 Jul 1666 52
23 Jul 1666 6 William Willoughby c 1616 10 Apr 1673
10 Apr 1673 7 George Willoughby 18 Mar 1638 1674 36
1674 8 John Willoughby 16 Jul 1669 early 1678 8
early 1678 9 John Willoughby 29 Dec 1643 Sep 1678 34
Sep 1678 10 Charles Willoughby 6 Oct 1650 9 Dec 1679 29
9 Dec 1679 11 Henry Willoughby Nov 1626 26 Nov 1685 59
26 Nov 1685 12 Henry Willoughby 13 Apr 1665 22 Oct 1722 57
22 Oct 1722 13 Henry Willoughby 14 May 1696 29 Jun 1775 79
29 Jun 1775 14 George Willoughby 24 Apr 1742 29 Oct 1779 37
to     Peerage extinct on his death
29 Oct 1779
WILLS
10 Jul 2010 B[L] 1 Michael David Wills 20 May 1952
Created Baron Wills for life 10 Jul 2010
MP for Swindon North 1997-2010. Minister of
State for Justice 2007-2010.  PC 2008
The Wenlock peerage created in 1839
The following interesting article appeared in the 'Singleton Argus' on 25 November 1932. Singleton
is a town about 200 kilometres NNW of Sydney.
'The tragedy of four brothers who succeeded each other in a peerage and died within 20 years,
without any of them having an heir, was completed by the death at Freiburg, Germany, of Lord
Wenlock, the sixth baron, from pneumonia, aged 71. A strange coincidence was that he died
exactly a year to the day after the fifth baron.
'Rarely has there been such a case of four brothers following each other in the title because
none left a son to succeed him. 
'Now for the second time the peerage becomes extinct. Originally the barony was created in
1831, but the holder (Sir Robert Lawley) died without a son in 1834, and it lapsed.
'Five years later the barony was revived in favour of his brother, Paul, who thus became the
first Lord Wenlock of the present peerage. He had four sons, but while the eldest, Beilby Richard,
succeeded him as second baron in 1852, one of the others died a bachelor, and the other two
had no children.
'The second baron was the father of the four tragic brothers, the eldest of whom, Beilby, 
succeeded him as third baron in 1880. In 1872 Beilby had married Lady Constance Lascelles,
daughter of the fourth Earl of Harewood, but they had only a daughter, and when he died in
1912 the title went to his brother, the Hon. R.T. Lawley, the fourth baron.
'He, though married, had no children, and on his death in 1918 he was succeeded by the next
brother, the Hon. Algernon George Lawley, as fifth baron. This Lord Wenlock was for 30 years
a clergyman in the East End of London, and afterwards vicar of St. Peter's. Eaton-square, W.
The last peer, who was formerly Sir Arthur Lawley, spent a great deal of his life in the Empire
overseas. He was in turn Administrator of Matabeleland, Governor of Western Australia,
Lieutenant-Governor of the Transvaal, and Governor of Madras. He had a son, Edward Richard,
and two daughters, but the son died in 1909.'
Byron Noel King-Noel, 12th Baron Wentworth
Under the entry for the Earldom of Lovelace in 'Burke's Peerage' the reader will find an entry
relating to Byron Noel King-Noel, 12th Baron Wentworth, who is described as becoming 'an
out-and-out radical.'
Wentworth, who was better known by the courtesy title of Viscount Ockham, was the son 
of Augusta Ada Byron, daughter of the famous poet Lord Byron. She married, in 1835, William
King, 8th Baron King of Ockham, who was created Earl of Lovelace in 1838. Ada has achieved
fame after her death, since she is now regarded as being the forerunner of all computer
programmers.
The following report is taken from 'The Ipswich Journal' of 13 September 1862:-
'Noel Byron, Lord Ockham, the grandson of the poet, is dead. He was an inoffensive young man,
who inherited the eccentricity of his illustrious ancestor, without the genius, and some of the
tastes without the libertinage. His home was not happy. He quitted it abruptly, and entered the
Royal Navy as a midshipman; left the service after two or three weeks, and went before the
mast in a common trading vessel. Sick of this pursuit he next became a common workman in the
shipyard of Mr Scott Russell, in the Isle of Dogs. Subsequently he served in Woolwich Arsenal,
and was distinguished for his attention to his duties and his general steadiness. In appearance
(we speak from personal recollection of him) he had the air of a gentlemanly son of Wapping
out for a holiday, proud of his clothing and not ashamed of his calling. In manners he was quiet,
and if his life was wild his disposition was harmless. As an instance of the transmission of
hereditary qualities, he was a curious object of contemplation. He had Byron's love of the sea,
his hatred of discipline, his proud independence, his contempt for humbug. He felt, we may
justly suppose, unfitted for his position as a peer of the realm, and he straightway went and did
what he was capable of doing. For his grandmother, the widow of the poet, he retained a
strong affection, and during her lifetime he used frequently to make the walk from Esher to
Woolwich, in time to be at his post when the morning call was sounded……..'
According to other contemporary newspapers, the cause of the young peer's death was a
ruptured blood vessel.
For information on the subsequent successful claim made by Ockham's next oldest brother,
see the following note.
The successful claim made for the Barony of Wentworth in 1863-1864
Following the death of the 12th Baron Wentworth in 1862 (see the preceding note), the peerage
was claimed by his next brother. The following report appeared in "The Sheffield and Rotherham
Independent" on 19 August 1863:-
'The House of Lords sat at the close of the session as a Committee of Privileges, to receive
evidence in support of peerage claims. The holders of this dignity, the Barony of Wentworth, 
have been prominent in England since the time it was created by Henry VIII, and its later history
is connected with the genius of Byron, and with an episode of eccentric self-will as singular as
any to be found in the annals of the peerage.
'The first holder of the Barony of Wentworth was one of those worthy persons who in the time
of the eighth Henry passed from the rank of country gentlemen to that of a magnate of the land.
His coat [of arms] showed that he was a cadet of the house of Wentworth Woodhouse, from
which in latter days sprang the great Lord Strafford. He is said to have been a cordial Protestant,
and it is certain that he got some Church lands. It was probable as a safe politician that he was, 
with five other new peers, summoned by Henry to the Parliament which met in the twenty-first
year of the reign [i.e. 1529]. No formal record of the creation of these six barons exists, and the
fact is inferred from the entries in a journal of a session of the same Parliament held five years
later. What is more important with reference to the present claim is that these baronies were
held to be descendible to heirs female as well as heirs male - in technical language, to heirs 
general of the original barons. The consequence is that except two which unluckily came to
grief at a very early date, they may be said to be indestructible. Occasionally they fall into
abeyance when two or more sisters succeed as co-heirs, but an absolute extinction of the whole
issue of the parent stocks is almost impossible. 
'The first Lord Wentworth had a troop of sons, and he was succeeded in 1550-1 by his eldest, a
second Thomas. The second baron was as prudent as his father, but on one notable occasion
he was not so fortunate. He duly witnessed the will of Edward VI, giving the succession to Lady
Jane Grey; as duly he went over to Mary on the death of her brother, and he carried out the
whole duty of man by sitting in judgment on the degraded favourite, Dudley, the Duke of 
Northumberland. Such a faithful servant deserved to be made Governor of Calais, but then
unluckily he lost it. We are accustomed to look upon poor Mary's despair as the passionate
outburst of an immensely morbid woman; but in fact the fall of Calais roused a storm of 
indignation throughout England. We may conceive the feeling by imagining the rage which would
be felt against the commander who should lose Gibraltar in a war with Spain....England had held
Calais more than 200 years; its possession was the symbol and justification of the style King of
England and France and the quartering [on the Royal Coat of Arms] of the French lilies; when it
was lost, the process of English law was strained in a fashion that can only be paralleled in Sir
Bulwer Lytton's "Strange Story." An indictment was found against Lord Wentworth, in his 
absence, for having traitorously surrendered the town to the French king; his estates were 
sequestered and his goods were confiscated. He did not return to England until the death of
Mary, when he was formally tried by the Peers and acquitted. He lived to sit himself in judgment
on the Duke of Norfolk, and to marry his son to a daughter of Burleigh. 
'An insignificant third baron begot a fourth, who was one of the most gallant supporters of
Charles I; the Earldom of Cleveland marked the king's sense of the loyalty of his subject. The
Earl served the son [i.e. Charles II] with the same zeal that he served the father; he fought at
Worcester, and, though upwards of sixty, he is said to have come to the battle after twenty-
one days continuous hard riding. The gallant cavalier had an only son, who died without male
issue in his father's lifetime, so that the earldom became extinct with the first possessor, but
the barony descended to the son's only daughter, a Henrietta Maria, a god-daughter of the
Queen. The fair Henrietta was loyal after the fashion of the Restoration. The worthless Monmouth
deserted his Scotch wife, the Duchess of Buccleuch, for the charms of Lady Wentworth. With a
provision of the doctrine of elective affinities, for which he is rarely credited, he obstinately
refused to acknowledge, when in the Tower, the criminality of the connection, and - as even the
divines of that age had limits to their complaisance - he went to the scaffold without the last
sacraments of the Church. Let is be said to the grace of Henrietta that she did not long survive
her lover, but died unmarried in 1686.
'The barony went to her aunt, the only daughter of the old cavalier [i.e. the 4th Baron], and 
after passing through two more females, was carried to the family of Noel of Kirkby Mallory. In
1745, Sir Edward Noel took his seat in the House of Lords as Baron Wentworth; but his only son
died without male issue [in 1815], and the barony fell into abeyance between a single daughter, 
Judith Noel, who married Sir Ralph Milbanke, and the issue of another daughter, Sophia, who had
been married to Lord Scarsdale. The issue of Lady Scarsdale became extinct, in 1856, by the 
death of the late Lord Scarsdale, and the abeyance terminated, the inheritor of the barony being
Anne Isabella, the only child of Sir Ralph Milbanke and Dame Judith. Anne Isabella Milbanke was 
the wife of THE Lord Byron; and as all the world knows, the only issue of her unhappy marriage 
was Ada, the late wife of the present Earl of Lovelace. The only surviving son of Lord Lovelace
now claims the barony of Wentworth.
'All the world knows, as we have said, that Lady Byron had only one child, but it was necessary
that the fact should be proved for the satisfaction of the Committee. The reader of Moore's
Memoirs will remember, that when intolerable wrong drove Lady Byron from her husband's house,
Dr. Lushington was her friend and adviser, and the learned judge appeared at the bar of the 
House to prove the facts which six-and-forty years' intimacy and friendship with her qualified him
to know......Lord Byron's eldest grandson was a Philistine; the late Lord Ockham, the present
claimant's elder brother, rebelled against the stupid dullness of ordinary settled people, and
deserting his family and his home, was from the age of eighteen to five or six and twenty lost to
the world. Last year he returned, but after a short interval died. Rumour invented a thousand
ways of accounting for the missing years, the most commonly accepted of which was that the
poet's grandson had, like Peter the Great, taken to working in a dockyard. It is unnecessary to
know the history of these Wanderjahre [wandering years], but it will be seen that the present
claimant must prove that his elder brother left no legitimate issue. The difficulty of proving such
a negative under the circumstances was of course immense, and both Dr. Lushington and the
Earl of Lovelace were examined on the subject. Both deposed that they were firmly persuaded
that the late Lord Ockham was never married, and Lord Lovelace added, that neither before nor
since his son's death had anyone claimed to be his wife. This closed the case of the claimant,
and at this stage the committee adjourned the consideration of the claim. Until next session the
question must remain undecided; but we shall probably learn then whether the claim may be
admitted as proved.'
The Committee for Privileges admitted the claim in March 1864.
Sir Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury
After graduating from Oxford University, Richard Bethell entered the legal profession, steadily
working his way to its highest rank. In 1851 he entered the House of Commons as member for
Aylesbury, for which he sat until 1859, when he became MP for Wolverhampton. During this
period, he was Solicitor General between 1852 and 1856, and Attorney General from 1856 to
1858 and again from 1859 to 1861. On the death of Baron Campbell in 1861, Sir Richard Bethell
was appointed Lord Chancellor and created a peer as Baron Westbury.
In an obituary published in 'Trewman's Exeter Flying Post' on 23 July 1873, it is stated that:-
'Everything promised for him a protracted tenure of the Chancellorship. His party was in a
considerable majority. His own capacity for the post was undisputed. His zeal as a law reformer
had been evidenced by constant although not always successful efforts to deal with difficult 
and important subjects, but his comparative failures did not materially lessen the confidence 
with which his great ability and manifest earnestness inspired the public. Early in 1865, however,
a dark cloud gathered which soon burst with terrible force over him. Unpleasant rumours got
abroad as to the manner in which some of his appointments were made, and the means by 
which his favour might be secured. A Parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances was held, in 
the course of which the Lord Chancellor was cross-examined by the present Chief Justice of the 
Common Pleas [Sir William Bovill]. The inquiry exculpated Lord Westbury from personal 
corruption, but it proved that he had shown a lamentable lack of caution in discharging such of
the duties of his high office as related to the patronage with which he was entrusted for public
purposes………….'
A motion condemning Lord Westbury was subsequently passed in the House of Commons and
Lord Westbury was left with no choice other than to resign his position. What, then, was the
background to this story? The following is extracted from an article which appeared in the 'New
York Tribune' of 18 July 1865:-
'There have been two investigations - one known as the Edmunds case, the other and later as
the Leeds bankruptcy scandal. In the former the Lord Chancellor was shown to have 
recommended or acquiesced in the recommendation of a retiring pension to an officer of the
House of Lords, who made way for a son of Lord Westbury, and whom he knew at the time to
be guilty of peculation and other crimes in office. But this offense in the Lord Chancellor, though
unsparingly denounced in the Times, was condoned in Parliament. The Leeds case stood on a
different ground. It was distinctly proved that the Chancellor himself caused a pension to be
conferred upon the Registrar of the Leeds Court of Bankruptcy, although charges of malfeasance
were pending against him at the time. It was proved also that the office Mr. Wilde thus vacated
was sought for by Mr. Welch, who had paid Mr. Richard Bethell, the son of the Chancellor,
£1,050 for his influence, and that immediately upon the resignation of Mr. Wilde, Mr. Welch
was appointed. And the vote of the House [of Commons] was equivalent to a declaration of its
belief that the corrupt practices of the Chancellor's son, though they may not have been 
actually known to his father, were assisted by the criminal carelessness of the Chancellor in the
administration of his duties. That Mr. Richard Bethell was a rascal, that his father knew that he
was a rascal, and that nevertheless he allowed his recommendation to influence his own
official action, was admitted even by the partisans of Lord Westbury.'
From all accounts, Lord Westbury possessed an extremely caustic tongue. When he first
entered the House of Lords, the Prime Minister, Lord Derby, had to remind him to tone down his 
language, after Lord Westbury had addressed his fellow peers as 'your lordships, who are still by
courtesy called learned.' On another occasion, it is reported that, when addressing the Duke of
Somerset, Lord Westbury commented that 'The Noble Duke has been turning over in what he is
pleased to call his mind.' Once, when an earl asked him for some explanation on a particular
point, Lord Westbury is reputed to have replied that 'it would have required more time than I
can spare and, perhaps, greater effort than I can employ, to render the judgment of the Privy
Council intelligible to the noble Earl.'
Richard Luttrell Pilkington Bethell, 3rd Baron Westbury
Lord Westbury committed suicide on 21 February 1930, by jumping from a seventh-story
window in his flat. The following report is taken from 'The Times' of 22 February 1930:-
'Lord Westbury was found dead in the street early yesterday morning, having fallen from a 
window of his flat in St.James's Court, S.W., where he had been living in order to be near his
doctor. He was 77. He had been ill for some considerable time, and was attended by day and
night nurses. At an inquest held later in the day a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind"
was recorded.
'Mr. Ingleby Oddie held the inquest, which took place at the Westminster Coroner's Court. 
Evidence of identification was given by Mr. Ernest Charles Daintrey, solicitor, of Essex-street,
Strand, who stated that Lord Westbury had been ill for a long time.
'The Coroner - At times was he mentally affected? - I have never seen him so, but I have seen
him somewhat sleepy and confused. He has had day and night nurses for months.
'Has he ever threatened to take his life that you know of? - I think about five years ago I heard
him say something of the sort, but I took it as a joke. I have not heard him say anything 
certainly for five years.
'Mr. Daintry produced two letters written on black-edged notepaper, which were difficult to
decipher. Of one he said, "I cannot read it all. It begins 'Dearest' something."
'A police officer interposed to say that the letter appeared to commence "Dearest George."
'Mr. Daintry - It goes on, "I really can't stand any more horrors" - the word may be "horrors."
Mr. Oddie - It is very difficult to make it out, but that is obviously a farewell letter? - Yes
'Is the other one the same, to his wife? - It is in an envelope to Lady Westbury. The other one
was apparently to a Mrs. White Forwood, or a similar name.
'Another passage in the letters read: "You overwhelm with kindnesses. As I am off where I hope
to meet you again."
'A police officer said that he thought it was the housekeeper who was referred to.
'The letter ended: "Will say no more. Au revoir. Affectionately yours, Westbury."
'Miss Mary Terras, a nurse, of Gloucester-place, said that he had nursed Lord Westbury and had
been with him 10 weeks on night duty. He did not have great difficulty in sleeping unless he had
something worrying him. He usually had a [sleeping] draught.
'Mr. Oddie - He lost a son not very long ago, did he not? - Yes, sir. That upset him more than
anything.
'Miss Terras said that on Thursday night she gave Lord Westbury a dram and a half of bromide
at 8.30, and 1-24th of a grain of heroin. He slept very well on that, and about 12 woke up for a
little time, had a drink of barley water, and said it was too early to have his Ovaltine. He went
off to sleep again until 2.30 a.m. He had some Ovaltine and 1-24th of a grain of heroin at 3 
o'clock. He settled down to sleep again after that. Later he woke up and was very quiet, 
comfortable, and drowsy. At 7 o'clock he asked the time, has a glass of barley water, and she
shook his pillows and he turned on his side, said he was very comfortable, and thanked her. A
little later he said it was too early to wake up, and told her to go out of his room and not wake
him till 8 o'clock. As she had different things to do, she put some coal on his fire about 7.10,
put on his coffee, and came back to see to the milk and things for breakfast. Then she heard 
the awful crash.
'Nurse Terras continued: - "I heard a noise and ran to his room, thinking he had dropped
something. I heard a crash of glass. I found his bed empty and the window open. It had been
closed. The washing-stand had been moved and the curtains dislodged. The letters produced
were found on the dressing table. I ran downstairs at once, but they would not let me go
farther."
'The Coroner - Did you know he was likely to commit suicide? - No. He often thought he was ill
and that he was going to die, but never anything like that.
'Cyril Evans, a valet at King's House, which is two doors away, described Lord Westbury's fall.
"Roughly about 7.25 this morning," he said, "as I was going into the court I saw a felt slipper
fall into the courtyard at the staff entrance. I looked up about 30ft. and saw, coming through
the air, the body of Lord Westbury.
'Evans said the body turned a complete somersault before touching a glass canopy. Before he 
had time to shout Lord Westbury had fallen on top of the glass, and a woman was just in time
to throw herself clear. He crashed through the glass.
'Evans added that he went to Lord Westbury, who was very badly injured. He was certainly
unconscious. He just gave a couple of groans and a slight spasmodic heave. He was gone within
about a minute after that.
'Sergeant Nicholls, the Coroner's officer, said it was about 72ft. from the ground to the window
on the seventh floor, which was open. To get out Lord Westbury would have had to go over the
sill, which was 2ft. 3in. Then there was a sill about 8in. in width and a gutter, 2ft. 6in. There 
was also a parapet 13in. wide.
'The Coroner said that one of the letters left by Lord Westbury read: - "I really cannot stand
any more horrors, and I hardly see what good I am going to do here, so I am going to make my
exit. Good-bye, and if you are right all will be well. Your affectionate………."
'The rest of the letter, the Coroner said, was difficult to make out, but he wrote something
about Sister Catherine, a nurse, having £100, and thanking his housekeeper for her
overwhelming kindness. The letter ended up with "I am off."
'The Coroner added, "No doubt poor Lord Westbury had been suffering very much and had great
difficulty in sleeping. He also was old and depressed, and lost his son not very long ago. He
appears to have kept his feelings very much to himself, as one would have expected." The
Coroner then recorded a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind."
                                     *********************
Lord Westbury's son, Richard, to whom reference is made in the report above, was secretary to
Howard Carter, the man who first opened the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. While 'The Times'
limited its reporting to the facts of Lord Westbury's death, newspapers in America indulged in
an orgy of speculation that his death was caused by the "Curse of Tutankhamen."
The following report in the 'New York Times' on 22 February 1930 is typical:-
'The superstition that a "curse" follows all those connected with the opening of King Tut-ankh-
Amen's tomb in Egypt was revived today when Lord Westbury, 78-year-old peer, leaped from a
seventh-story window near Buckingham Palace and plunged through a glass roof to his death.
'He had been grieving over the strange death of his son, the Hon. Richard Bethell, who was
Howard Carter's secretary during the excavations in the Valley of the Kings and who was found
dead in the Mayfair Club last year. Ever since Tut-ankh-Amen's tomb was opened Egyptians
have been repeating the ancient malediction, "Death shall come on swift wings to him that
toucheth the tomb of a Pharaoh."
The American newspaper reports then generally proceed to catalogue the list of deaths of
those people associated with the opening of the tomb. For a good discussion of these deaths,
see "The World's Strangest Mysteries" by Rupert Furneaux [Odhams, London 1961]. As a final
postscript to Lord Westbury's death, when the hearse bearing his body was en route to the
crematorium, it knocked down and killed an 8-year-old boy named Joseph Greer - he too is
counted by the superstitious as being another victim of the "Curse."
Anthony Francis Nugent, 9th Earl of Westmeath
On the death of the Marquess of Westmeath in 1871, the marquessate became extinct, but
the earldom of Westmeath was inherited by a distant relation, Anthony Francis Nugent, who
became the 9th Earl. However, before he could claim to be the rightful heir, Anthony Francis
Nugent had to petition the House of Lords Committee for Privileges, claiming the right to vote
at the election of representative peers for Ireland. As only Irish peers could vote in such
elections, he was effectively seeking confirmation of his right to the earldom.
The following report appeared in 'Freeman's Journal and Daily Commercial Advertiser' [Dublin]
on 7 July 1871:-
'The Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords assembled today to hear the case of the
Earldom of Westmeath. This was the case of Anthony Francis, Earl of Westmeath in the peerage
of Ireland, claiming the right to vote at the election of representative peers for Ireland. It
appeared that the title was originally created in the person of Sir Richard Barron, of Delvin [I
think this should read 'Sir Richard, Baron of Delvin'], by letters patent of James I, in the year 
1621. The eighth earl was advanced to the dignity of the Marquis of Westmeath in the peerage
of Ireland, with limitation to heirs male of his body, in 1822. He was married three times - first
to Lady Anne Bennett Elizabeth Cecil, daughter of James, Marquis of Salisbury, by whom he had
issue William, Lord Delvin, who died in infancy, and Lady Rosa, now the wife of Foulke
Southwoode, Lord Greville; second, to Mary Jarvis; and third, to Elizabeth Charlotte, daughter
of Davis Verner, Esq., by neither of whom he had issue. He died on the 18th of May, 1871 [sic -
he died on 5 May 1871], without leaving male issue, whereupon the Marquisate of Westmeath 
became extinct, and the Earldom devolved on the descendant and heir male of Thomas Nugent,
of Pallas, second son of Richard, the second earl.
'Mr. Hodgson appeared for the claimant, Lady Greville, who occupied a seat in the body of the 
house, and proceeding to examine her, she stated, in answer to questions from him, that she 
was the daughter of the late Marquis of Westmeath, who died without leaving any male issue;
he never had but one male child, who died whilst young; she was acquainted with her grand-
father's second wife, also with her aunts and uncles, the half brothers and sisters of her father;
her uncles left no male issue that she was aware of; her uncle Thomas Hugh Nugent was 
married, but she had not heard that he left any issue; none of her other uncles ever married to
her knowledge; her uncle Frederick died when a boy at Harrow; her aunts, with the exception 
of Lady Mary Hope, were dead; the question of the successor to the earldom in the event of 
the late marquis dying without male issue was frequently discussed among them, and the 
present claimant was always considered to be the next in succession; witness's father 
frequently referred to him as being the next in succession.
'Lady Mary Hope, who was examined at the bar of the house, said she was the widow of the 
Hon. James Hope, and half sister of the late marquis; her father was George Frederick, seventh
Earl of Westmeath, and by his marriage left three sons - viz, Henry Edward, and Robert 
Seymour, who both died young when at school, and Edward Thomas Hugh, who married, but 
died without issue in 1849.
'The Dowager Marchioness of Westmeath, who occupied a seat in the body of the house, was
next examined, and said she was the widow of the late Marquis of Westmeath, who had died 
without leaving male issue; the subject of the successor to the earldom in the event of her 
husband dying without a son was often discussed in her presence and the present claimant was
always referred to as the next in succession upon the death of her husband; witness examined
his papers, which she handed to the son-in-law of the deceased, Lord Greville; among those
papers she found the original letters patent creating the marquisate, but not those creating the
earldom.'
The Committee subsequently resolved that Anthony Francis Nugent had proved his claim to the
earldom of Westmeath.
Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster
The following biography of the 2nd Duke of Westminster appeared in the April 1964 issue of the
Australian monthly magazine "Parade":-
'Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, second Duke of Westminster and the last of the so-called
wicked dukes of England, was a 20th century throw back to the swashbuckling feudal age. He
was four times married, 50 times a millionaire and the biggest private landlord in the world. He
owned two luxury yachts and is said to have been seasick only once in his life, on this memorable
occasion ordering his captain to take the vessel back to port. The captain explained that 
weather conditions made this impossible for the time being. This would not do for the duke.
"Then beach the bitch," he said.
'Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor was born in 1879 and educated at Eton. He succeeded to the
title of Duke of Westminster at 20. He inherited 160,000 choice acres scattered across half a
dozen counties in England, Scotland and Ireland. But the backbone of the fortune was some
600 acres in the fashionable areas of Mayfair and Belgravia in London. The property was worth
about £20 million.
 
'It dated back to 1690 when Sir Robert Grosvenor (then only comfortably wealthy with an estate
in Cheshire called Eaton Hall) married a 12-year-old heiress, Mary Davies. From her farmer father
Mary inherited 6 acres of rich agricultural land outside the city limits of London. It was known as
Westminster. In time it became part of London. Hundreds of fine mansions were built on it 
although the land could only be leased from the current holder of the Grosvenor baronetcy.
 
'The baronetcy was exchanged for the higher rank of marquisate [via a barony created in 1761,
an earldom in 1784 and the marquisate in 1831] and in 1874 Hugh Grosvenor, third Marquess of
Westminster, was recommended by Prime Minister Gladstone to what remains the last [non-]
royal dukedom created.
 
His son, the 2nd duke, was acknowledged the wealthiest peer in England. Among his properties
were the ancestral manor, Eaton Hall, six other huge estates, three mansions in London, an
apartment in Paris, a shooting box in Normandy, a castle in Dieppe, villas in Cannes and Monte 
Carlo, a ranch in Canada, and a 12,000-acre farm in South Africa.
 
'The second duke served in the Boer War as aide-de-camp to Lord Roberts and there began his
lifelong friendship with Winston Churchill. Back from South Africa in 1901, he married a teenaged
court beauty, Constance Cornwallis-West. During the long engagement she heard that the
dashing young duke was spending his leaves in London with Mamie Atherton, a famous beauty.
It is believed that a personal plea - or command - from King Edward VII was necessary to 
persuade Westminster to go through with the marriage. For all that, the union was a happy one
for some years. Two daughters and a son were born, but the boy died at the age of five. It was
the duke's tragedy that, despite four wives, he was never again to have a direct male heir.
 
'He spent his life shooting, hunting, playing polo and travelling the world. Then came World War I.
As an officer of the Royal Horse Guards he immediately went to the Western Front as a staff 
officer with the British Commander-in-Chief, Sir John French [later 1st Earl of Ypres]. He took
his own Rolls-Royce car with a machine-gun mounted in the back and with this waged a minor
war of his own. In 1915 he was on Gallipoli. The following year he won a DSO when he 
commanded a fleet of armoured cars (supplied at his own expense) in a spectacular dash across
the Egyptian desert to rescue 90 British prisoners.
 
'Back in England the duke was divorced by his first wife, who, among other things, alleged that
one night he had locked her out of his Mayfair mansion. The new duchess was Violet, daughter
of Sir William Nelson, a shipping magnate [and 1st baronet]. The union was a stormy one and
lasted until 1926. The duchess told the divorce court how she had once burst into her husband's
luxurious Monte Carlo residence to find it decorated with a number of attractive young girls. 
When she protested the duke threw a champagne glass at her. She was willing to forget that
but the last straw came when she found a French countess on his yacht and had to fight a
hair-pulling contest with her. 
 
'Between such matrimonial misadventures, the Duke of Westminster roved the world, shooting
wild boar in Albania, gambling in Monaco, cruising in his yachts and fishing in Norway, where he
paid £6000 annually for sole rights to a certain river. One of his yachts, a steam vessel called the
Cutty Sark, had been converted from a Royal Navy destroyer. The other, the Flying Cloud, was a
four-masted schooner of 200 feet and carried a crew of 40. He had strings of horses which raced
in England, Ireland and half a dozen continental countries. Each year the duke attended the 
Grand National in his own special train. Westminster was passionately devoted to dogs, especially
to the score or so dachshunds which had the run of Eaton Hall in Cheshire. Guests were appalled
not only by the dogs lying on the furniture of the great house, but also because no one had
bothered to house-train them. 
'In 1930, during a party at London's Cafe de Paris, the middle-aged duke met Loella Ponsonby,
the young daughter of Sir Frederick Ponsonby [later Baron Sysonby], controller of the household
of King George V. Next day she received a telephone message saying the duke was expecting
her that evening at Eaton Hall to join a shooting party. She spent a day and two nights at the
Cheshire residence and a week or so later accepted an invitation to dinner at Bourdon House in
London. Driving her home later, Westminster casually pointed out a side street in which was the
registry office where he married his second wife. Not long afterwards they were married in the
same registry office. Winston Churchill was the best man.
'Five hectic years followed. The new duchess was rather frightened of her husband, but dazzled
by his habit of leaving glittering presents of jewellery in her handbag. She once described him as
"not a partner or companion, but a formidable and capricious autocracy - a czar, a sultan, a
Jove hurling thunderbolts, a deity whom I was extremely anxious to placate and whom it was
out of the question to treat as an equal." 
 
'He was given to fits of ungovernable rages and the duchess prepared lists of conversation
topics to prevent her friends and relatives starting him off when they visited her. Subjects to
be attacked when talking to his Grace included White's Club, the Ritz Hotel, all performing
animals, all modern art, Lady Cunard, Russia, royalty in general, but especially the King of Spain,
Lord Londonderry, cocktail parties and Ramsay Macdonald. There was another list to be 
enthusiastic about - Ponticum rhododendrons, South Africa, the Marx Brothers, the London
columnist Beachcomber, and the fictional character Jorrocks created by [Robert Smith] Surtees.
Despite his reputation as a ladies' man, Westminster was incredibly prudish. He once threw 
from a train a book his wife was reading because he noticed the word "adultery" in it. He was
also madly jealous and would sulk if she was 10 minutes late after visiting the hairdresser and
create a scene if in a restaurant or night club she nodded to any man she knew. The duke once
hurled a beautiful clock with diamond hands at her. It missed, hit the wall and shattered into a
thousand pieces. Half an hour later the duke was back with the wastepaper basket and a brush
and began collecting the pieces just in case his wife had any ideas of salvaging the diamonds.
In 1935 the couple separated. Westminster paid his wife an allowance and they went different 
ways.
 
'Too old for service in World War II, the duke nevertheless is supposed to have engineered a
secret, single-handed operation. It is believed that one night in 1942 he dashed to Nazi-occupied
in a powerful launch and picked up an allied agent, Bettine Baudelot. Information gained from
Bettina Baudelot is said to have assisted Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was then planning the
Dieppe commando raid. 
 
In 1946 the duchess amicably divorced him and it was rumoured that the lovely Madame Baudelot
would become the fourth Duchess of Westminster. Such was not the case. The duke married
Nancy Sullivan, the 33-year-old daughter of an Irish brigadier. That union was said to have been
Westminster's happiest. 
'In the post-war years he plunged into work associated with the expansion of his real estate
interests. His purchase of properties all over the world included £500,000 worth of land in 
Australia. It was a family dictum never to sell land and the duke stuck to it all his life. He kept all
his vast estates intact until his death from coronary thrombosis in 1953. The title then passed to
his 59-year-old invalid cousin, and enormous death duties meant the inevitable splitting-up at
last of the ancient Westminster land holdings.'
The special remainders to the Viscountcy of Carlton and the Earldom of Wharncliffe
From the "London Gazette" of 11 January 1876 (issue 24283, page 99):-
"The Queen has....been pleased to direct Letters Patent to be passed under the....Great Seal
granting the dignities of a Viscount and Earl of the....United Kingdom to Edward Montagu Stuart
Granville, Lord Wharncliffe, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, by the names, 
styles, and titles of Viscount Carlton, of Carlton, and Earl of Wharncliffe, both in the West
Riding of the county of York; with remainder, in default of such issue male, to the Honourable
Francis Dudley Stuart-Wortley (brother of the said Edward Montagu Stuart Granville, Lord
Wharncliffe), and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten."
 
Alan James Montagu-Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Wharncliffe
 
According to his obituary, Wharncliffe had a colourful career, during which he was an able
seaman, a stock-car driver, rock 'n roll drummer, publican and garage mechanic. In the late 
1950s he became the publican of the Wortley Arms on the family estates near Sheffield.
Here he was known to the local community as "Mad Ike," possibly due to his actions when
he found a black and white tomcat in the pub's kitchen, and promptly shot it. Behind the pub
was Wharncliffe Engineering, where he repaired cars.
Unfortunately for Wharncliffe, cars were the cause of his downfall. He was banned from driving
on several occasions, the last occasion being in 1976 when he was banned for three years for
drink driving. 
On 3 April 1979, only 15 days after this ban expired, he was involved in a head-on collision in
which he and the driver of the other car received serious injuries, and the wife of the driver of
the other car was killed. Wharncliffe suffered multiple fractures, and was on a life-support
machine for nearly six weeks, at one stage being pronounced clinically dead.
Wharncliffe was charged with causing death by reckless driving. At his trial in July 1980, 
witnesses gave evidence that Wharncliffe had had two double brandies in 10 minutes before the 
crash. Wharncliffe denied this, saying he had only one double brandy and that the other car
had crossed the white line on the road. However, the jury found him guilty, and he was
sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and his driving licence cancelled for 10 years. Shortly
after his release in 1981, his daughter was killed in a car crash, aged only 21.
Philip Wharton, 1st and only Duke of Wharton
The following biography of Wharton appeared in Robert Chambers' "Book of Days" first published
in 1864:-
'Brilliant almost beyond comparison was the prospect with which this erratic nobleman began his
earthly career. His family, hereditary lords of Wharton Castle and large estates in Westmorland,
had acquired, by his grandfather's marriage with the heiress of the Goodwins, considerable 
property, including two other mansions, in the county of Buckingham. His father, Thomas, fifth
Lord Wharton, was endowed with uncommon talent, and had greatly distinguished himself at
court, in the senate, and in the country.
'Having proved himself a skilful politician, an able debater, and no less a zealous advocate of the
people than supporter of the reigning sovereign, he had considerably advanced his family, both 
in dignity and influence. In addition to his hereditary title of Baron Wharton, he had been 
created Viscount Winchenden and Earl of Wharton in 1706; and in 1715, George I made him Earl
of Rathfarnham and Marquis of Catherlough in Ireland, and Marquis of Wharton and Malmesbury
in England. He was also entrusted with several posts of honour and emolument. Thus, possessed
of a large income, high in the favour of his sovereign, the envy or admiration of the nobility, and
the idol of the people, he lived in princely splendour - chiefly at Wooburn, in Bucks, his favourite
country-seat, on which he had expended £100,000 merely in ornamenting and improving it.
 
'With the view of qualifying Philip, his only surviving son, for the eminent position he had achieved
for him, he had him educated at home under his own supervision. And the boy's early years were
as full of promise as the fondest or most ambitious father could desire. Handsome and graceful in
person, he was equally remarkable for the vigour and acuteness of his intellect. He learned with
great facility ancient and modern languages, and, being naturally eloquent, and trained by his
father in the art of oratory, he became a ready and effective speaker. When he was only about
nine years old, Addison, who visited his father at Winchenden House, Bucks, was charmed and
astonished at 'the little lad's' knowledge and intelligence; and [Edward] Young [1683-1765], the
author of the Night Thoughts, called him 'a truly prodigious genius.' But these flattering promises
were soon marred by his early predilection for low and dissolute society; and his own habits 
speedily resembled those of his boon companions. His father, alarmed at his perilous situation,
endeavoured to rescue him from the slough into which he was sinking; but his advice and efforts
were only met by his son's increased deceit and alienation. When scarcely fifteen years old, he
contracted a clandestine marriage with a lady greatly his inferior in family and station. When his
father became acquainted with this, his last hope vanished. His ambitious spirit could not bear
the blow, and he died within six weeks after the marriage.
'Hope still lingered with the fonder and deeper affections of his mother. But self-gratification was
the ruling passion of her son; and, reckless of the feelings of others, he rushed deeper and 
deeper into vice and degradation. His mother's lingering hope was crushed, and she died broken-
hearted within twelve months after his father. These self-caused bereavements, enough to have
softened the heart of a common murderer, made no salutary impression on him. He rather seemed
to hail them as welcome events, which opened for him the way to more licentious indulgence. 
For he now devoted himself unreservedly to a life of vicious and sottish pleasures; but, being
still a minor, he was in some measure subject to the control of his guardians, who, puzzled what
was best to do with such a character, decided on a very hazardous course. They engaged a
Frenchman as his tutor or companion, and sent him to travel on the Continent, with a special
injunction to remain some considerable time at Geneva, for the reformation of his moral and
religious character.
'Proceeding first to Holland, he visited Hanover and other German courts and was everywhere
honourably received. Next proceeding to Geneva, he soon became thoroughly disgusted at the
manners of the place, and, with contempt both for it and for the tutor who had taken him there,
he suddenly quitted both. He left behind him a bear's cub, with a note to his tutor stating that,
being no longer able to submit to his treatment, he had committed to his care his young bear,
which he thought would be a more suitable companion to him than himself - a piece of wit which
might easily have been turned against himself. He had proceeded to Lyons, which he reached on
the 13th of October 1716, and immediately sent from thence a fine horse as a present to the
Pretender, who was then living at Avignon. On receiving this present the Pretender invited him
to his court, and, on his arrival there welcomed him with enthusiasm, and conferred on him the
title of Duke of Northumberland.
'From Lyons he went to Paris, and presented himself to Mary D'Este, widow of the abdicated King
James II. Lord Stair, the British ambassador at the French court, endeavoured to reclaim him by 
acts of courtesy and kindness, accompanied with some wholesome advice. The duke returned his
civilities with politeness - his advice with levity. About the close of the year 1716, he returned
to England, and soon after passed to Ireland; where he was allowed, though still a minor, to take
his seat in parliament as Marquis of Catherlough. Despite his pledges to the Pretender, he now
joined his adversaries, the king and government who debarred him from the throne. So able and
important was his support, that the king, hoping to secure him on his side, conferred on him the
title of Duke of Wharton. When he returned to England, he took his seat in the house as duke,
and almost his first act was to oppose the government from whom he had received his new
dignity.
'Shortly afterwards he professed to have changed his opinions, and told the ministerial leaders
that it was his earnest desire to retrace his steps, and to give the king and his government all 
the support in his power. He was once more taken into the confidence of ministers. He attended
all their private conferences; he acquainted himself with all their intentions; ascertained all their
weak points; then, on the first important ministerial measure that occurred, he used all the info-
rmation thus obtained to oppose the government, and revealed, with unblushing effrontery, the
secrets with which they had entrusted him, and summoned all his powers of eloquence to over-
throw the ministers into whose confidence he had so dishonourably insinuated himself. He made a
most able and effective speech - damaging, indeed, to the ministry, but still more damaging to 
his own character. His fickle and unprincipled conduct excited the contempt of all parties, each
of whom he had in turn courted and betrayed.
 
'Lost to honour, overwhelmed with debt, and shunned by all respectable society, he abandoned
himself to drunkenness and debauchery. 'He drank immoderately,' says Dr. King, 'and was very
abusive and sometimes mischievous in his wine; so that he drew on himself frequent challenges
[presumably to duels], which he would never answer. On other accounts likewise, his character
was become very prostitute.' So that, having lost his honour, he left his country and went to
Spain. While at Madrid he was recalled by a writ of Privy Seal, which he treated with contempt,
and openly avowed his adherence to the Pretender.
 
'By a decree in Chancery his estates were vested in the hands of trustees, who allowed him an
income of £1200 a year. In April 1726, his first wife died, and soon afterwards he professed the
Roman Catholic faith, and married one of the maids of honour to the Queen of Spain. This lady,
who is said to have been penniless, was the daughter of an Irish colonel in the service of the
King of Spain, and appears only to have increased the duke's troubles and inconsistency; for
shortly after his marriage he entered the same service, and fought against his own countrymen
at the siege of Gibraltar. For this he was censured even by the Pretender, who advised him to
return to England; but, contemptuous of advice from every quarter alike, he proceeded to Paris.
 
'From Paris the duke went to Rouen, and living there very extravagantly, he was obliged to quit
it, leaving behind his horses and equipage. He returned to Paris, and finding his finances utterly
exhausted, entered a monastery with the design of spending the remainder of his life in study 
and seclusion; but left it in two months, and, accompanied by the duchess and a single servant,
proceeded to Spain. His erratic career was now near its close. His dissolute life had ruined his
constitution, and in 1731 his health began rapidly to fail. He found temporary relief froma mineral
water in Catalonia, and shortly afterwards relapsing into his former state of debility, he again set
off on horseback to travel to the same springs, but ere he reached them, he fell from his horse in
a fainting fit, near a small village, from whence he was carried by some Bernardine monks to a
small convent near at hand. Here, after languishing for a few days, he died, at the age of thirty-
two, without a friend to soothe his dying moments, without a servant to minister to his bodily
sufferings or perform the last offices of nature.
 
'On the 1st of June 1731, the day after his decease, he was buried at the convent in as plain
and humble manner as the poorest member of the community. Thus, in obscurity, and dependent 
upon the charity of a few poor monks, died Philip Duke of Wharton - the possessor of six
peerages, the inheritor of a lordly castle, and two other noble mansions, with ample estates, and
endowed with talents that might have raised him to wealth and reputation, had he been born in
poverty and obscurity. By his death his family, long the pride of the north, and all his titles 
extinct [except for the barony of Wharton, which fell into abeyance]. The remnant of his estates
was sold to pay his debts; and his widow, who survived him many years, lived in great privacy in 
London, on a small pension from the court of Spain.'
Charles Theodore Halswell Kemeys-Tynte, 7th Baron Wharton and the termination
of the barony's abeyance in 1916
The barony of Wharton had been in abeyance since 1731 when a petition to terminate the
abeyance was made in 1915, as reported in "The Times" of 14 December of that year. The
claim turned upon the method of creation of the barony of Wharton - was it created by way of a
summons to Parliament (in which case it would descend to heirs general of either sex), or was it 
created by patent (in the absence of any special remainder, it would descend to heirs male of
the body of the original grantee). The result of the petition was that the Committee for Privileges
found that the peerage had been created with remainder to heirs general. The report in "The 
Times" mentioned above reads:-
'The Committee [for Privileges of the House of Lords] sat to hear the petition of Mr. Charles
Theodore Halswell Kemeys-Tynte praying that the abeyance in the barony of Wharton should be
determined in his favour.
'Inquiries had been made in 1843 whether the barony had been created by patent. By the special
direction of the Committee inquiries were made whether any case was known in which a barony
was created by patent and the patent was not to be found in the ordinary way enrolled and
recorded. The result of the inquiries was that no patent was found either of the preliminary 
stages towards the perfecting of the patent or of the enrolment of the patent itself.
'The barony was created in 1543, the first holder being Mr. Thomas Wharton, a distinguished
soldier and Governor of Carlisle. The barony afterwards descended to the Duke of Wharton, who
died in 1731 after he had been outlawed.
'Since the first inquiry there had been introduced into the peerage and in other books on the 
like subject a letter which it was said had been found since that inquiry, and which it was 
contended had a bearing on the subject. This letter appeared in the Hamilton papers, which were
sold to the German Government and afterwards bought back for the British Museum. The letters
purported to be an account of the creation by "lettres patentes" of Baron Wharton and of his
being appointed as Lord Warden of the East and Middle Marches. The letter purported to be 
signed by Lord Hertford and others.
'Subject to the question of the admissibility and the effect of this letter the proofs were purely
formal.
'Mr. Boxall, K.C., on behalf of the petitioner, submitted that the letter of Lord Hertford was not
admissible in evidence as it did not come from the proper custody, and that, even if it was, the
expression "lettres patentes" was probably used in a loose sense as equivalent to a writ of 
summons, which would have the same appearance. The importance of the question was that a
barony created by letters patent usually descended to heirs male only. But, so far as appeared
from Lord Hertford's letter, this patent contained no limitations at all, and, unless the limitations
could be presumed, the letters patent were void: Cruise on Dignities, cap. 3, sections 76,77.
[which reads as follows:- 76. It is laid down by lord Coke, that when a person is created a peer
by letters patent, the state of inheritance must be limited by apt words, or else the grant is
void; 77. The usual limitation in letters patent is to the heirs male of the body of the grantee.
In some it is confined to his heirs male by a particular woman; and in some few it is limited, in
default of heirs male, to heirs general, or to the eldest heir female.]
'The Attorney-General said that the letter came from the Hamilton Papers, a collection of docu-
ments of admitted authenticity; and he was prepared to prove that the letter was a genuine
document. As to the effect of the letter, he could add nothing to what had already been stated.
'Lord Donoughmore intimated that the Committee were of opinion that the proofs should be
proceeded with. In the result the Committee resolved that the petitioner and Mr. George Lockhart
Rives, who made no claim to the barony, were the present co-heirs of the barony.'
Two months later, the abeyance was terminated in favour of Mr. Kemeys-Tynte. "The Times" of
16 February 1916 reported that:-
'The London Gazette of last night [issue 29475, page 1687] states that a Writ dated the 15th 
day of February, 1916, directed to Charles Theodore Halswell Kemeys-Tynte, of Halswell Park, in
the County of Somerset, and Cefn Mably, in the County of Glamorgan, Esquire, summoning him to
the Upper House of Parliament by the name, style, and title of Charles Theodore Halswell Kemeys-
Tynte de Wharton, Chevalier, has been passed under the Great Seal, pursuant to Warrant under
his Majesty's Royal Sign Manual.'
For a similar case, see the note under the barony of Eure.
The Wicklow Peerage Case of 1869-1870
When the 4th Earl of Wicklow died on 22 March 1869, it was assumed that the rightful heir
to the titles was his nephew, Charles Francis Arnold Howard. However, on 25 March 1869, the
following letter appeared in The Times. 
'Sir - I am the widow of William George Howard, married to him at Kensington in February 1863.
My infant son, born in May 1864, is now Lord Wicklow. My husband died the following October.
Immediately on his death, most of the newspapers published letters and comments more or less
untrue. The editors of the Peerages followed suit, and refused to correct their error without the
authority of the late Earl, who was a total stranger to my late husband and myself. With respect
to the estates and in justice to his creditors, I beg to observe that my husband was tenant-in-
tail in remainder, and was at the time of his death, preparing to set aside a most unjust
re-settlement of the estates forced upon him. His will made for the purpose will, I hope, enable
me to establish my absolute claim on the property, and satisfy all just claims due by him. I am,
Sir, your obedient servant, Ellen Howard.'
Charles Howard engaged a solicitor to reply on his behalf. This reply politely doubted the truth
of her claim to have been the wife of William Howard, or that she had borne him a son. The 
letter alleged that Mrs Howard had raised the same claim before the 4th Earl's death, that the 
Earl had offered to pay whatever costs were involved in enabling her to prove her claim if she
could establish it on oath before the Probate Court, and that she had refused to do so.
Mrs Howard, in a letter to The Times published on 30 March 1869, indignantly explained why 
she had not taken advantage of the late Earl's offer. 'I was asked,' she said, 'to cast doubts 
upon my child and myself by appealing to the Court of Probate to prove the legitimacy which no 
one had the right to challenge.'
She followed this up this letter by filing an appeal to the House of Lords to have her claim to
the earldom on her son's behalf upheld. The hearing of her appeal began on 21 June 1869, but
was adjourned for three weeks to enable her to apply for legal assistance. Initially a Mr Charles
Clark was appointed to represent her, but at subsequent hearings she was represented by no
less than Sir John Duke Coleridge (later Baron Coleridge), the Solicitor General at the time. 
Where the money came from for her to be able to afford Coleridge is a mystery in itself.
The case opened on a scandalous note when it was revealed that William Howard, whom Ellen
claimed to have married in 1863, had died, 20 months later, in a Dublin brothel from acute
alcoholism. Further scandal accumulated when Ellen was shown to be the grand-daughter of a
Nellie Holmes, a prostitute in Georgian times who had tricked Lord Rivers into a short-lived
marriage from which a daughter was born. This daughter had married a coachman named
Richardson, Ellen and her sister Harriet being the children of this marriage. After the coachman
died, Ellen's mother remarried, this time to a country parson named Butterfield, who was reputed
to have been sadly addicted to drink. It was this clergyman, Ellen claimed, who officiated at her
wedding to William George Howard.
Ellen was forced to admit that she had been introduced to William George by a shadowy figure
variously known as Bandenave, Bandenaoe, Baudenave and de Bordenave. It was suggested by
Charles' counsel that de Bordenave and Ellen had been somewhat more than friends both before
and after her marriage to William. De Bordenave claimed to be a member of the Spanish nobility
and never appeared at the hearings to testify. 
Ellen testified that she had only consented to marry William 'on his promising to lead a steady 
life.' The Rev. Butterfield had then come to London from his Gloucester parish to perform the
marriage ceremony on 24 February 1863. After their honeymoon, they set up home in London 
but, after a few months William failed to keep his promise to 'lead a steady life' and deserted 
her. He returned to Ireland and drank himself to death the following year. In the meantime she
declared, a son had been born of the marriage; but his birth had not been registered, nor had 
he been christened.
She was asked to call as witness the doctor or midwife who had attended her in her 
confinement, but she said that she had had no medical attendants at all, as the birth had come 
suddenly and was all over before a doctor could be called. In support of her story, she called a
customs officer named Bloor, who was her landlord. Bloor testified that Mrs Howard had given 
birth to an infant in her rooms on 16 May 1864, without medical assistance. Bloor's wife and 
sister-in-law gave corroboratory evidence regarding the birth.
In rebuttal, Sir Roundell Palmer (later Earl of Selborne) who appeared for Charles Howard, 
brought forward several witnesses who testified that they had frequently seen and spoken to
Mrs Howard during the relevant period and at no time had she appeared to be about to become
a mother. One of the witnesses, a dressmaker, testified that she had measured Mrs Howard for
a frock a few days before the alleged date of the boy's birth and that her measurements were
quite normal. A Dr. Baker Brown said that he had examined her two months after the alleged
confinement, and swore that she showed no sign of ever having given birth. Indeed, he said,
she suffered from a 'physical derangement' that made it extremely unlikely that she could ever
have been a mother.
Who, then, was the little boy? Charles' legal team suggested that, if he was Mrs Howard's son,
it was likely that the elusive de Bordenave was the father - a suggestion she vehemently
denied.
The House of Lords Committee for Privileges finally adjourned for an indefinite period without
making any decision on the matter, leaving the way open for either party to re-open the case at
any time should either side have additional evidence. In the meantime, Charles Howard was to
retain the title and estates. Ellen retired into obscurity and it was generally supposed that she
had abandoned hope of proving her claim.
However, at her request, the hearing was resumed in February 1870. She brought forward
witnesses in an effort to prove that Dr. Baker Brown could not possibly have examined her and
found her incapable of bearing children, since she was at her step-father's vicarage in 
Gloucestershire on the day Dr. Brown was said to have examined her. One of her witnesses was
a servant at the vicarage who said she remembered the day well because that evening there 
had been a violent scene between the Rev. Butterfield and his wife, Mrs Howard's mother, when 
the bibulous clergyman had been discovered trying to smuggle a bag of wine into the vicarage 
by climbing up a ladder to his study. The altercation had ended when Mrs Butterfield threw a 
bottle of the forbidden liquor through a window, shattering the pane. The witness swore that
there was such a row as she was never likely to forget. Other witnesses also swore that they
had seen Ellen in Gloucestershire on the day Dr Brown was supposed to have examined her in
London. For a while it looked as if Ellen's claim was looking quite hopeful…….
However, when the case resumed after a weekend adjournment, Charles' legal team begged
leave to introduce four new witnesses from Liverpool. At the mention of 'Liverpool', Ellen was
seen to suddenly go pale, and shortly afterwards it was noted that she was no longer in court.
The hearing was therefore adjourned until she could be found. When she was finally brought
before the Committee, she refused to be sworn until the four new witnesses had given their
evidence. This caused a fierce verbal exchange between Mrs Howard and the Lord Chancellor
(Lord Hatherley) and when she persisted in her refusal to be sworn, she was gaoled for three
days for gross contempt of the House of Lords.
When the hearing was resumed, a Mary Best from Liverpool declared that the four-year-old boy
Mrs Howard claimed to be her son, and for whom she claimed the earldom, was a 'ring-in.' Best
declared that the boy was really her son, born out of wedlock in the Liverpool Workhouse in
August 1864. Mrs Howard, she said, had adopted him there, promising to 'bring him up as a
gentleman' - and to pay her an amount of money which, however, was never paid. This 
testimony was supported by other witnesses from Liverpool, and Mrs Howard's case immediately
collapsed.
Even so, the committee examined the evidence for nearly a month before finally announcing
its verdict on 31 March 1870. Lords Hatherley, Chelmsford, Colonsay and Redesdale expressed
the fear that perjury had been committed by Mrs Howard and her witnesses; the remaining 
member of the committee, the Earl of Winchilsea, declared that 'the story told by Mrs Howard
was utterly incredible, being only worthy to form the plot of a sensational novel. I regret that
Mr. Baudenave, the principal mover in this conspiracy, will escape unscathed.'
Charles Howard, the new Earl, seems to have acted with generosity towards Mrs Howard, for he
allowed the charge of perjury raised against Mrs Howard to drop, and did not protest when £800
was awarded her towards her costs.
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