BARONETAGE
Last updated 05/12/2017 (29 Dec 2024)
Date	Type	Order	Name	Born	Died	Age
Names of baronets shown in blue have not yet been placed on the Official Roll of the Baronetage.
Dates in italics in the "Born" column indicate that the baronet was baptised on that date; dates in italics in the "Died" column indicate that the baronet was buried on that date.
RADCLIFFE of Keppington, Kent
21 Jul 1726	GB		See "Farnaby"
RADCLIFFE of Milnsbridge House, Yorks
2 Nov 1813	UK	1	Joseph Radcliffe	8 May 1744	19 Feb 1819	74
19 Feb 1819		2	Joseph Radcliffe	5 Jun 1799	29 Nov 1872	73
29 Nov 1872		3	Joseph Percival Pickford Radcliffe	4 Oct 1824	27 Apr 1908	83
27 Apr 1908		4	Joseph Edward Radcliffe	1 Aug 1858	29 Sep 1949	91
29 Sep 1949		5	Everard Joseph Radcliffe	27 Jan 1884	23 Nov 1969	85
23 Nov 1969		6	Joseph Benedict Everard Henry Radcliffe	10 Mar 1910	7 Feb 1975	64
7 Feb 1975		7	Sebastian Everard Radcliffe	8 Jun 1972
RADCLYFFE of Derwentwater, Cumberland
31 Jan 1620	E	1	Francis Radclyffe	1569	c 1640
c 1640		2	Edward Radclyffe		13 Dec 1663
13 Dec 1663		3	Francis Radclyffe He was subsequently created Earl of Derwentwater in 1688 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its forfeiture in 1716	1625	Apr 1697	71
RAE of Esk Grove, Midlothian
27 Jun 1804	UK	1	David Rae	c 1724	23 Oct 1804
23 Oct 1804		2	David Rae		22 May 1815
22 May 1815 to     19 Oct 1842		3	William Rae MP for Anstruther Easter Burghs 1819‑1826, Harwich 1827‑1830, Buteshire 1830‑1831 and 1833‑1842, and Portarlington 1831‑1832; Lord Advocate 1819; PC 1830 Extinct on his death	14 Apr 1769	19 Oct 1842	73
RAEBURN of Helensburgh, Dumbarton
25 Jul 1923	UK	1	Sir William Hannay Raeburn MP for Dunbartonshire 1918‑1923	11 Aug 1850	12 Feb 1934	83
12 Feb 1934		2	William Norman Raeburn	16 Aug 1877	5 Feb 1947	69
5 Feb 1947		3	Edward Alfred Raeburn	18 May 1919	21 Apr 1977	57
21 Apr 1977		4	Michael Edward Norman Raeburn	12 Nov 1954
RALLI of Park Street, Westminster
8 Feb 1912	UK	1	Lucas Eustratio Ralli	30 Mar 1846	5 May 1931	85
5 May 1931		2	Eustratio Lucas Ralli [he changed his name to Strati Ralli by deed poll 19 May 1931]	14 Jul 1876	12 Nov 1964	88
12 Nov 1964		3	Godfrey Victor Ralli	9 Sep 1915	3 Jan 2010	94
3 Jan 2010		4	David Charles Ralli	5 Apr 1946
RAMSAY of Balmain, Kincardine
3 Sep 1625	NS	1	Gilbert Ramsay		c 1663
c 1663		2	David Ramsay		Sep 1673
Sep 1673		3	Charles Ramsay		1695
1695		4	David Ramsay MP for Scotland 1707‑1708 and Kincardineshire 1708‑1710	after 1673	1 Sep 1710
Sep 1710		5	Alexander Ramsay MP for Kincardineshire 1710‑1713	c 1679	27 Jan 1754
27 Jan 1754 to     11 Feb 1806		6	Alexander Ramsay-Irvine MP for Kincardineshire 1765‑1768 On his death the baronetcy became dormant		11 Feb 1806
RAMSAY of Whitehill, Edinburgh
2 Jun 1665	NS	1	John Ramsay	1624	5 Jun 1674	49
5 Jun 1674		2	John Ramsay	26 Feb 1645	14 Apr 1715	70
14 Apr 1715		3	John Ramsay		5 Oct 1717
5 Oct 1717		4	Andrew Ramsay	26 Jun 1678	24 Dec 1721	43
24 Dec 1721 to     22 Oct 1744		5	John Ramsay Extinct on his death	1720	22 Oct 1744	24
RAMSAY of Banff House, Perth
3 Dec 1666	NS	1	Gilbert Ramsay		c 1686
c 1686		2	James Ramsay		1730
1730		3	John Ramsay		1738
1738		4	James Ramsay	c 1706	23 Mar 1782
23 Mar 1782		5	John Ramsay		20 Apr 1783
20 Apr 1783		6	George Ramsay For information on the death of this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page		16 Apr 1790
16 Apr 1790		7	William Ramsay		17 Feb 1807
17 Feb 1807		8	James Ramsay	26 Sep 1797	1 Jan 1859	61
1 Jan 1859		9	George Ramsay	10 Mar 1800	22 Feb 1871	70
22 Feb 1871		10	James Henry Ramsay	21 May 1832	17 Feb 1925	92
17 Feb 1925		11	James Douglas Ramsay	19 Apr 1878	14 Mar 1959	80
14 Mar 1959 to     7 Mar 1986		12	Neis Alexander Ramsay Extinct on his death	4 Oct 1909	7 Mar 1986	76
RAMSAY of Abbotshall, Fife
23 Jun 1669	NS	1	Andrew Ramsay	24 Dec 1648	1680	31
1680 to     1709		2	Andrew Ramsay Extinct on his death		1709
RAMSAY of Balmain, Kincardine
13 May 1806	UK	1	Alexander Burnett Ramsay	1757	17 May 1810	52
17 May 1810		2	Alexander Ramsay MP for Kincardineshire 1820‑1826	14 Feb 1785	26 Apr 1852	67
26 Apr 1852		3	Alexander Ramsay MP for Rochdale 1857‑1859	26 May 1813	3 Mar 1875	61
3 Mar 1875		4	Alexander Entwisle Ramsay	14 Jan 1837	1 Oct 1902	65
1 Oct 1902		5	Herbert Ramsay	9 Feb 1868	22 Mar 1924	56
22 Mar 1924		6	Alexander Burnett Ramsay	26 Mar 1903	25 Sep 1965	62
25 Sep 1965		7	Alexander William Burnett Ramsay	4 Aug 1938
RAMSAY-FAIRFAX-LUCY of The Holmes, Roxburgh
14 Mar 1836	UK	1	Henry Fairfax	3 Feb 1790	3 Feb 1860	70
3 Feb 1860		2	William George Herbert Taylor Fairfax (Ramsay‑Fairfax from 1876)	15 Mar 1831	19 Jan 1902	70
19 Jan 1902		3	Henry William Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy (Cameron-Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy from 25 Feb 1921)	25 Sep 1870	20 Aug 1944	73
20 Aug 1944		4	Henry Montgomerie Cameron-Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy	20 Oct 1896	22 Dec 1965	69
22 Dec 1965		5	Brian Fulke Cameron-Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy	18 Dec 1898	21 Jan 1974	75
21 Jan 1974		6	Edmund John William Hugh Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy	4 May 1945	30 Mar 2020	75
30 Mar 2020		7	John Frederick Hugh Ramsay-Fairfax-Lucy	12 Jul 1998
RAMSAY-GIBSON-MAITLAND of Clifton Hall, Midlothian
30 Nov 1818	UK		See "Maitland"
RAMSAY-STEEL-MAITLAND of Sauchie, Stirling
13 Jul 1917	UK	1	Arthur Herbert Drummond Ramsay-Steel-Maitland MP for Birmingham East 1910‑1918, Erdington 1918‑1929 and Tamworth 1929‑1935; Minister of Labour 1924‑1929; PC 1924	5 Jul 1876	30 Mar 1935	58
30 Mar 1935		2	Arthur James Drummond Ramsay-Steel-Maitland	27 May 1902	1 Mar 1960	57
1 Mar 1960 to     4 Apr 1965		3	Keith Richard Felix Ramsay-Steel-Maitland Extinct on his death	6 May 1912	4 Apr 1965	52
RAMSDEN of Byrom, Yorks
30 Nov 1689	E	1	John Ramsden	Apr 1648	11 Jun 1690	42
11 Jun 1690		2	William Ramsden	22 Oct 1672	27 Jun 1736	63
27 Jun 1736		3	John Ramsden MP for Appleby 1727‑1754	21 Mar 1699	10 Apr 1769	70
10 Apr 1769		4	John Ramsden MP for Grampound 1780‑1784	1 Dec 1755	15 Jul 1839	83
15 Jul 1839		5	John William Ramsden MP for Taunton 1853‑1857, Hythe 1857‑1859, Yorkshire West Riding 1859‑1865, Monmouth 1868‑1874, Yorkshire West Riding East 1880‑1885 and Osgoldcross 1885‑1886	14 Sep 1831	15 Apr 1914	82
15 Apr 1914		6	John Frecheville Ramsden	7 Jan 1877	6 Oct 1958	81
6 Oct 1958		7	Geoffrey William Pennington-Ramsden	28 Aug 1904	13 Jan 1986	81
13 Jan 1986		8	Caryl Oliver Imbert Ramsden	4 Apr 1915	27 Mar 1987	71
27 Mar 1987		9	John Charles Josslyn Ramsden	19 Aug 1950
RAMSDEN of Birkenshaw, Yorks
1 Jul 1938	UK	1	Sir Eugene Joseph Squire Hargreaves Ramsden He was subsequently created Baron Ramsden in 1945 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1955	2 Feb 1883	9 Aug 1955	72
RANCHHODLAL (or RANCHORELAL) of Shahpur, India
6 Feb 1913	UK	1	Sir Chinubhai Madhowlal Ranchhodlal	26 May 1864	3 Mar 1916	51
3 Mar 1916		2	Chinubhai Madhowlal [Girijaprasad] Ranchhodlal	18 Apr 1906	28 Aug 1990	84
28 Aug 1990		3	Chinubhai Madhowlal [Udayan] Ranchhodlal	25 Jul 1929	1 Sep 2006	77
1 Sep 2006		4	Prashant Chinubhai Ranchhodlal	15 Dec 1955
RANKIN of Bryngwyn, Hereford
20 Jun 1898	UK	1	James Rankin MP for Leominster 1880‑1885, 1886‑1906 and 1910‑1912	25 Dec 1842	17 Apr 1915	72
17 Apr 1915		2	Reginald Rankin	31 Aug 1871	9 Sep 1931	60
9 Sep 1931		3	Hugh Charles Rhys Rankin For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	8 Aug 1899	25 Apr 1988	88
25 Apr 1988		4	Ian Niall Rankin	19 Dec 1932	10 Nov 2020	87
10 Nov 2020		5	Gavin Niall Rankin	19 May 1962
RANKIN of Broughton Tower, Lancs
5 Mar 1937 to     11 Oct 1960	UK	1	Robert Rankin MP for Kirkdale 1931‑1945 Extinct on his death	18 Oct 1877	11 Oct 1960	82
RAPHAEL of Allestree Hall, Derby
10 Feb 1911 to     24 Sep 1924	UK	1	Herbert Henry Raphael MP for Derbyshire South 1906‑1918 Extinct on his death	23 Dec 1859	24 Sep 1924	64
RASCH of Woodhill, Essex
29 Aug 1903	UK	1	Frederic Carne Rasch MP for Essex South East 1886‑1900 and Chelmsford 1900‑1908	9 Nov 1847	26 Sep 1914	66
26 Sep 1914		2	Frederic Carne Rasch	27 Sep 1880	12 Jun 1963	82
12 Jun 1963		3	Richard Guy Carne Rasch	10 Oct 1918	24 Jun 1996	77
24 Jun 1996		4	Simon Anthony Carne Rasch	26 Feb 1948
RASHLEIGH of Prideaux, Cornwall
30 Sep 1831	UK	1	John Colman Rashleigh	23 Nov 1772	4 Aug 1847	74
4 Aug 1847		2	Colman Rashleigh MP for Cornwall East 1874‑1880	4 May 1819	27 Oct 1896	77
27 Oct 1896		3	Colman Battie Rashleigh	11 Mar 1846	28 Oct 1907	61
28 Oct 1907		4	Colman Battie Walpole Rashleigh	7 Nov 1873	22 Feb 1951	77
22 Feb 1951		5	Harry Evelyn Battie Rashleigh	17 May 1923	6 Sep 1984	61
6 Sep 1984		6	Richard Harry Rashleigh	8 Jul 1958
RAWDON of Moira, Down
20 May 1665	E	1	George Rawdon	1604	18 Aug 1684	80
18 Aug 1684		2	Arthur Rawdon MP [I] for Down County 1692‑1693 and 1695; PC [I] 1695	17 Oct 1662	17 Oct 1695	33
17 Oct 1695		3	John Rawdon MP [I] for Down County 1717‑1724	1690	2 Feb 1724	33
2 Feb 1724		4	John Rawdon He was subsequently created Earl of Moira in 1762 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1868	17 Mar 1720	20 Jun 1793	73
RAWLINSON of North Walsham, Norfolk
7 Feb 1891	UK	1	Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson MP for Reigate 1858 and Frome 1865‑1868 For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	11 Apr 1810	5 Mar 1895	84
5 Mar 1895		2	Henry Seymour Rawlinson, later [1919] 1st Baron Rawlinson	20 Feb 1864	26 Mar 1925	61
26 Mar 1925		3	Alfred Rawlinson	17 Jan 1867	1 Jun 1934	67
1 Jun 1934		4	Alfred Frederick Rawlinson	23 Aug 1900	15 Jun 1969	68
15 Jun 1969		5	Anthony Henry John Rawlinson	1 May 1936	8 Jan 2023	86
8 Jan 2023		6	Alexander Noel Rawlinson	15 Jul 1964
RAYMOND of Valentine House, Essex
31 May 1774	GB		See "Burrell"
RAYNEY of Wrotham, Kent
19 Dec 1635 13 Sep 1636	NS NS	1 1	John Rayney He received a fresh creation [NS] 13 Sep 1636 and [E] 22 Jan 1642 (see below). The Scottish baronetcies became dormant in 1721	5 Apr 1601	3 Mar 1661	59
RAYNEY of Wrotham, Kent
22 Jan 1642	E	1	Sir John Rayney, 1st baronet	5 Apr 1601	3 Mar 1661	59
3 Mar 1661		2	John Rayney	c 1627	1680
1680		3	John Rayney	1660	Feb 1705	44
Feb 1705		4	John Beaumont Rayney	c 1688	1716
1716 to     1721		5	Thomas Rayney Extinct on his death	1690	1721
REA of Eskdale, Cumberland
8 Jul 1935	UK	1	Walter Russell Rea He was subsequently created Baron Rea in 1937 with which title the baronetcy remains merged	18 May 1873	26 May 1948	75
READE of Brocket Hall, Herts
16 Mar 1642	E	1	John Reade	c 1616	6 Feb 1694
Feb 1694		2	James Reade	10 Mar 1655	16 Oct 1701	46
16 Oct 1701 to     22 Feb 1712		3	John Reade Extinct on his death	1691	22 Feb 1712	20
READE of Barton, Berks
4 Mar 1661	E	1	Compton Reade	24 Jan 1625	29 Sep 1679	54
29 Sep 1679		2	Edward Reade	30 Jun 1659	4 Sep 1691	32
4 Sep 1691		3	Winwood Reade	25 Jul 1682	30 Jun 1692	9
30 Jun 1692		4	Thomas Reade MP for Cricklade 1713‑1747	c 1684	25 Sep 1752
25 Sep 1752		5	John Reade	21 Jun 1721	9 Nov 1773	52
9 Nov 1773		6	John Reade	8 Mar 1762	7 Nov 1789	27
7 Nov 1789		7	John Chandos Reade For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	13 Jan 1785	14 Jan 1868	83
14 Jan 1868		8	Chandos Stanhope Reade	5 Sep 1851	28 Jan 1890	38
28 Jan 1890		9	George Compton Reade	17 Dec 1845	7 Apr 1908	62
7 Apr 1908		10	George Reade	22 Nov 1869	30 May 1923	53
30 May 1923		11	John Reade	12 Sep 1896	18 Jan 1958	61
18 Jan 1958		12	Clyde Nixon Reade	8 Sep 1906	1982	75
1982 to     4 Nov 2012		13	Kenneth Ray Reade Extinct on his death	23 Mar 1926	4 Nov 2012	86
READHEAD of Westoe, Durham
20 Jan 1922	UK	1	James Readhead	1852	18 Mar 1930	77
18 Mar 1930		2	James Halder Readhead	1879	8 May 1940	60
8 May 1940 to     7 Aug 1988		3	James Templeman Readhead Extinct on his death	12 Feb 1910	7 Aug 1988	78
READING of Dublin
27 Aug 1675 to     Mar 1689	I	1	Robert Reading Extinct on his death		25 Mar 1689
REARDON-SMITH of Appledore, Devon
1 Jul 1920	UK	1	William Reardon Smith	7 Aug 1856	23 Dec 1935	79
23 Dec 1935		2	Willie Reardon-Smith	26 May 1887	24 Nov 1950	63
24 Nov 1950		3	William Reardon Reardon-Smith	12 Mar 1911	13 Jun 1995	84
13 Jun 1995		4	William Antony John Reardon-Smith	20 Jun 1937	8 Jun 2022	84
8 Jun 2022		5	William Nicholas Henry Reardon-Smith	10 Jun 1963
RECKITT of Swanland Manor, Yorks
17 Jul 1894	UK	1	James Reckitt	14 Nov 1833	18 Mar 1924	90
18 Mar 1924		2	Harold James Reckitt MP for Pontefract 1893 and Brigg 1895‑1906	5 May 1868	29 Dec 1930	62
29 Dec 1930 to     17 Nov 1944		3	Philip Bealby Reckitt Extinct on his death	1 Jan 1873	17 Nov 1944	71
REDMAYNE of Rushcliffe, Nottingham
29 Dec 1964	UK	1	Martin Redmayne, later [1966] Baron Redmayne [L]	16 Nov 1910	28 Apr 1983	72
28 Apr 1983		2	Nicholas John Redmayne	1 Feb 1938	18 Oct 2008	70
18 Oct 2008		3	Giles Martin Redmayne	1 Dec 1968
REDWOOD of Avenue Road, St. Marylebone
24 Jul 1911	UK	1	Sir Boverton Redwood	26 Apr 1846	4 Jun 1919	73
4 Jun 1919		2	Thomas Boverton Redwood	15 Oct 1906	11 Apr 1974	67
11 Apr 1974		3	Peter Boverton Redwood	1 Dec 1937
REES of Aylwards Chase, Middlesex
8 May 1919	UK	1	Sir John David Rees MP for Montgomery 1906‑1910 and Nottingham East 1912‑1922 For further information on the death of this baronet, and a curious provision in his will, see the note at the foot of this page	16 Dec 1854	2 Jun 1922	67
2 Jun 1922 to     24 Jul 1970		2	Richard Lodowick Edward Montagu Rees Extinct on his death	4 Apr 1900	24 Jul 1970	70
REEVE of Thwaite, Suffolk
22 Jan 1663	E	1	George Reeve MP for Eye 1660‑1678	c 1618	c Oct 1678
c Oct 1678 to     19 Aug 1688		2	Robert Reeve MP for Eye 1675‑1679 and 1681‑1685 Extinct on his death	29 Jun 1652	19 Aug 1688	36
REID of Barra, Aberdeen
30 Nov 1703	NS	1	John Reid		after 1722
after 1722		2	Alexander Reid MP for Elgin Burghs 1710‑1713		5 Mar 1750
5 Mar 1750		3	James Reid		c Sep 1772
c Sep 1772		4	John Reid	4 Jun 1760	4 Nov 1829	69
4 Nov 1829		5	John Reid	9 May 1794	27 Apr 1844	49
27 Apr 1844		6	William Reid	19 Aug 1795	20 Oct 1845	50
20 Oct 1845 to     7 Dec 1885		7	Alexander Reid Extinct on his death	12 Nov 1798	7 Dec 1885	87
REID of Ewell Grove, Surrey
10 Nov 1823	UK	1	Thomas Reid	26 Oct 1762	29 Feb 1824	61
29 Feb 1824		2	John Rae Reid	2 Dec 1791	30 Jul 1867	75
30 Jul 1867		3	John Rae Reid	14 Aug 1841	7 May 1885	43
7 May 1885 to     4 Sep 1903		4	Henry Valentine Rae Reid Extinct on his death	13 Feb 1845	4 Sep 1903	58
REID of Ellon, Aberdeen
28 Aug 1897	UK	1	Sir James Reid	23 Oct 1849	28 Jun 1923	73
28 Jun 1923		2	Edward James Reid	20 Apr 1901	23 Feb 1972	70
23 Feb 1972		3	Alexander James Reid	6 Dec 1932	8 Apr 2019	86
8 Apr 2019		4	Charles Edward James Reid	25 Jun 1956
REID of Springburn, Glasgow and Kilmaurs, Ayr
26 Jan 1922	UK	1	Hugh Reid	9 Feb 1860	7 Jul 1935	75
7 Jul 1935		2	Douglas Neilson Reid	12 Feb 1898	31 Aug 1971	73
31 Aug 1971 to     20 Nov 2012		3	Hugh Reid Extinct on his death	27 Nov 1933	20 Nov 2012	78
REID of Rademon, Down
8 Feb 1936 to     23 Mar 1939	UK	1	David Douglas Reid MP for East Down 1918‑1922 and co. Down 1922‑1939 Extinct on his death	24 Aug 1872	23 Mar 1939	66
REMNANT of Wenhaston, Suffolk
14 Jul 1917	UK	1	James Farquharson Remnant He was subsequently created Baron Remnant in 1928 with which title the baronetcy remains merged	13 Feb 1862	30 Jan 1933	70
RENALS of London
4 Sep 1895	UK	1	Sir Joseph Renals	21 Feb 1843	1 Nov 1908	65
1 Nov 1908		2	James Herbert Renals For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	5 Nov 1870	27 Mar 1927	56
27 Mar 1927		3	Herbert Renals	29 Sep 1919	19 Aug 1961	41
19 Aug 1961		4	Stanley Renals	20 May 1923	13 Jun 2020	97
13 Jun 2020		5	Stanley Michael Renals	14 Jan 1958
RENSHAW of Coldharbour, Sussex
7 Jan 1903	UK	1	Charles Bine Renshaw MP for Renfrewshire West 1892‑1906	9 Dec 1848	6 Mar 1918	69
6 Mar 1918		2	Charles Stephen Bine Renshaw	9 Dec 1883	1 Nov 1976	92
1 Nov 1976		3	Charles Maurice Bine Renshaw	7 Oct 1912	18 Aug 2002	89
18 Aug 2002		4	John David Renshaw	9 Oct 1945
RENWICK of Newminster Abbey, Northumberland
22 Jun 1921	UK	1	George Renwick MP for Newcastle upon Tyne 1900‑1906 and 1908‑1910, and Newcastle upon Tyne Central 1918‑1922	8 Mar 1850	19 Jun 1931	81
19 Jun 1931		2	John Robert Renwick	13 Nov 1877	20 Nov 1946	69
20 Nov 1946		3	Eustace Deuchar Renwick	27 Nov 1902	3 Nov 1973	70
3 Nov 1973		4	Richard Eustace Renwick	13 Jan 1938
RENWICK of Coombe, Surrey
28 Jun 1927	UK	1	Sir Harry Benedetto Renwick	13 Jun 1861	7 Jan 1932	70
7 Jan 1932		2	Robert Burnham Renwick He was subsequently created Baron Renwick in 1964 with which title the baronetcy remains merged	4 Oct 1904	30 Aug 1973	68
RERESBY of Thribergh, Yorks
16 May 1642	E	1	John Reresby	11 Apr 1611	Apr 1646	35
Apr 1646		2	John Reresby MP for Aldborough 1673‑1679 and 1681‑1685, and York 1685‑1689	14 Apr 1634	12 May 1689	55
12 May 1689		3	William Reresby	19 Jan 1669	c 1735
c 1735 to     14 Aug 1748		4	Leonard Reresby Extinct on his death	23 Oct 1679	14 Aug 1748	68
REYNELL of Laleham, Middlesex
27 Jul 1678	I	1	Richard Reynell MP for Ashburton 1690‑1695; PC [I] 1682	1626	18 Oct 1699	73
18 Oct 1699		2	Richard Reynell	8 Dec 1673	Jun 1723	49
Jun 1723		3	Thomas Reynell	1699	15 Sep 1775	76
15 Sep 1775		4	Richard Reynell	c 1735	17 Nov 1798
17 Nov 1798		5	Richard Littleton Reynell	30 Apr 1772	4 Sep 1829	57
4 Sep 1829 to     10 Feb 1848		6	Thomas Reynell Extinct on his death	9 Apr 1777	10 Feb 1848	70
REYNOLDS of Grosvenor Street, London
28 Feb 1895 to     29 May 1896	UK	1	John Russell Reynolds Extinct on his death	22 May 1828	29 May 1896	68
REYNOLDS of Woolton, Lancs
6 Mar 1923	UK	1	Sir James Philip Reynolds MP for Liverpool Exchange 1929‑1932	16 Feb 1865	12 Dec 1932	67
12 Dec 1932		2	John Francis Roskell Reynolds	23 Jun 1899	20 Aug 1956	57
20 Aug 1956		3	David James Reynolds	26 Jan 1924	13 Feb 2015	91
13 Feb 2015		4	James Francis Reynolds	10 Jul 1971
RHODES of Hollingworth, Cheshire
29 May 1919	UK	1	George Rhodes	3 Sep 1860	5 Feb 1924	63
5 Feb 1924		2	John Phillips Rhodes MP for Stalybridge & Hyde 1922‑1923	19 Jul 1884	14 Nov 1955	71
14 Nov 1955		3	Christopher George Rhodes	30 Apr 1914	22 Jun 1964	50
22 Jun 1964		4	John Christopher Douglas Rhodes	24 May 1946
RHYS-WILLIAMS of Miskin, Glamorgan
25 Jun 1918	UK	1	Rhys Rhys-Williams MP for Banbury 1918‑1922	20 Oct 1865	29 Jan 1955	89
29 Jan 1955		2	Brandon Meredith Rhys-Williams MP for Kensington South 1968‑1974 and Kensington 1974‑1988	14 Nov 1927	18 May 1988	60
18 May 1988		3	Arthur Gareth Ludovic Emrys Rhys-Williams	9 Nov 1961
RIBTON of Woodbrook, Dublin
21 Apr 1760	I	1	George Ribton		9 Mar 1762
9 Mar 1762		2	George Ribton	25 May 1740	1806	66
1806		3	John Sheppey Ribton	7 Feb 1797	1 May 1877	80
1 May 1877 to     5 Apr 1901		4	George William Ribton Extinct on his death	16 Aug 1842	5 Apr 1901	58
RICH of Sunning, Berks
20 Mar 1661	E	1	Thomas Rich MP for Reading 1660‑1661	c 1601	15 Oct 1667
15 Oct 1667		2	William Rich MP for Reading 1689‑1698 and 1705‑1708, and Gloucester 1698‑1700	c 1654	3 Jul 1711
Jul 1711		3	Robert Rich	29 Mar 1673	9 Nov 1724	51
9 Nov 1724		4	William Rich	c 1702	17 Jul 1762
17 Jul 1762 to     6 Apr 1803		5	Thomas Rich Extinct on his death	c 1733	6 Apr 1803
RICH of London
24 Jan 1676	E	1	Charles Rich	c 1619	30 May 1677
May 1677		2	Robert Rich MP for Dunwich 1689‑1699	c 1648	1 Oct 1699
1 Oct 1699		3	Charles Rich	c 1680	19 Oct 1706
Oct 1706		4	Robert Rich MP for Dunwich 1715‑1720, Bere Alston 1724‑1727 and St. Ives 1727‑1741; Field Marshal 1757	3 Jul 1685	1 Feb 1768	82
1 Feb 1768		5	Robert Rich	1717	19 May 1785	67
19 May 1785 to     8 Jan 1799		6	George Rich Extinct on his death	13 Jun 1728	8 Jan 1799	70
RICH of Rose Hall, Suffolk
28 Jul 1791	GB	1	Charles Rich	c 1752	12 Sep 1824
12 Sep 1824		2	Charles Henry Rich	19 Apr 1784	22 Oct 1857	73
22 Oct 1857		3	Charles Henry John Rich	22 Dec 1812	12 Dec 1866	53
12 Dec 1866		4	Charles Henry Stuart Rich	7 Mar 1859	2 Jan 1913	53
2 Jan 1913		5	Almeric Edmund Frederic Rich	30 Mar 1859	2 Jul 1948	89
2 Jul 1948 to     29 Jun 1983		6	Almeric Frederic Conness Rich On his death the baronetcy became dormant	9 Feb 1897	29 Jun 1983	86
RICH of Sunning, Berks
22 Jan 1863 to     5 Nov 1869	UK	1	Henry Rich MP for Knaresborough 1837‑1841 and Richmond (Yorks) 1846‑1861 Extinct on his death	1797	5 Nov 1869	72
RICHARDS of Brambletye, Suffolk
22 Feb 1684	E	1	James Richards		c 1705
c 1705		2	John Richards		c 1729
c 1729		3	Joseph Richards	c 1685	2 Jun 1738
2 Jun 1738 to     after 1741		4	Philip Richards On his death the baronetcy became either extinct or dormant		after 1741
RICHARDSON of Pencaithland, Haddington
13 Nov 1630	NS		See "Stewart-Richardson"
RICHARDSON of Yellow Woods, South Africa
26 Jan 1924	UK	1	Sir Lewis Richardson	2 Feb 1873	2 Apr 1934	61
2 Apr 1934		2	Leslie Lewis Richardson	14 Aug 1915	20 Jul 1985	69
20 Jul 1985		3	Anthony Lewis Richardson	5 Aug 1950
RICHARDSON of Weybridge, Surrey
26 Jul 1929	UK	1	Sir Philip Wigham Richardson MP for Chertsey 1922‑1931	26 Jan 1865	23 Nov 1953	88
23 Nov 1953		2	William Wigham Richardson	12 Jun 1893	15 Nov 1973	80
15 Nov 1973 to     15 Apr 1981		3	George Wigham Richardson Extinct on his death	12 Apr 1895	15 Apr 1981	86
RICHARDSON of Eccleshall, Yorks
20 Nov 1963	UK	1	Sir John Samuel Richardson He was subsequently created Baron Richardson [L] in 1979 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 2004	16 Jun 1910	15 Aug 2004	94
RICHARDSON-BUNBURY of Augher, co. Tyrone
30 Aug 1787	I	1	William Richardson MP [I] for Augher 1783‑1790 and Ballyshannon 1798‑1800	after 1749	29 Oct 1830
29 Oct 1830		2	James Mervyn Richardson-Bunbury	1781	4 Nov 1851	70
4 Nov 1851		3	John Richardson-Bunbury	10 Oct 1813	18 Feb 1909	95
18 Feb 1909		4	Mervyn William Richardson-Bunbury	Jun 1874	21 Oct 1952	78
21 Oct 1952		5	Richard David Michael Richardson-Bunbury	27 Oct 1927	1 Dec 2017	90
1 Dec 2017		6	Thomas William Richardson-Bunbury	4 Aug 1965
RICHMOND of Hollington, Sussex
4 Jul 1929	UK	1	Frederick Henry Richmond	30 Nov 1873	11 Nov 1953	79
11 Nov 1953 to     11 Jul 2000		2	John Frederick Richmond Extinct on his death	12 Aug 1924	11 Jul 2000	75
RICKETTS of The Elms, Gloucs
15 Feb 1828	UK	1	Robert Tristram Ricketts	1772	16 Aug 1842	70
16 Aug 1842		2	Cornwallis Ricketts	27 Feb 1803	30 Jan 1885	81
30 Jan 1885		3	Robert Tempest Tempest	7 Dec 1836	4 Feb 1901	64
4 Feb 1901		4	Tristram Tempest Tempest	10 Jan 1865	23 Jun 1909	44
23 Jun 1909		5	Frederick William Rodney Ricketts	27 Sep 1857	18 Sep 1925	67
18 Sep 1925		6	Claude Albert Frederick Ricketts	27 Apr 1880	11 Nov 1937	57
11 Nov 1937		7	Robert Cornwallis Gerald St. Leger Ricketts	8 Nov 1917	6 Oct 2005	87
6 Oct 2005		8	Robert Tristram Ricketts	17 Apr 1946	7 Nov 2007	61
7 Nov 2007		9	Stephen Tristram Ricketts	24 Dec 1974
RIDDELL of Riddell, Roxburgh
14 May 1628	NS	1	John Riddell		Mar 1632
Mar 1632		2	Walter Riddell		c 1669
c 1669		3	John Riddell		1 Apr 1700
1 Apr 1700		4	Walter Riddell	1664	27 Apr 1747	82
27 Apr 1747		5	Walter Riddell	1695	13 May 1765	69
13 May 1765		6	John Riddell	1726	16 Apr 1768	41
16 Apr 1768		7	Walter Buchanan Riddell	1763	7 Feb 1784	20
7 Feb 1784		8	James Buchanan Riddell	1765	4 Sep 1784	19
4 Sep 1784		9	John Buchanan Riddell MP for Lanark Burghs 1812‑1819	1768	26 Apr 1819	50
26 Apr 1819		10	Walter Buchanan Riddell	8 Aug 1810	27 Aug 1892	82
27 Aug 1892		11	James Walter Buchanan Riddell	14 Mar 1849	31 Oct 1924	75
31 Oct 1924		12	Walter Robert Buchanan Riddell	21 Apr 1879	5 Jun 1934	55
5 Jun 1934		13	John Charles Buchanan Riddell Lord Lieutenant Northumberland 2000‑2009	3 Jan 1934	24 Jul 2010	76
24 Jul 2010		14	Walter John Buchanan Riddell	10 Jun 1974
RIDDELL of Ardnamurchan, Argyll
2 Sep 1778	GB	1	James Riddell		2 Nov 1797
2 Nov 1797		2	James Milles Riddell	3 Jun 1787	28 Sep 1861	74
28 Sep 1861		3	Thomas Milles Riddell	25 Dec 1822	18 Jul 1883	60
18 Jul 1883 to     2 Jan 1907		4	Rodney Stuart Riddell Extinct on his death	7 Mar 1838	2 Jan 1907	68
RIDDELL of Walton Heath, Surrey
31 Jan 1918	UK	1	George Allardice Riddell He was subsequently created Baron Riddell in 1920 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1934	25 May 1865	5 Dec 1934	69
RIDGEWAY of Torrington, Devon
25 Nov 1611	E	1	Thomas Ridgeway He was subsequently created Earl of Londonderry in 1622 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1714	c 1565	24 Jan 1632
RIDLEY of Blagdon, Northumberland
6 May 1756	GB	1	Matthew White For details of the special remainder included in this creation, see the note at the foot of this page	c 1727	21 Mar 1763
21 Mar 1763		2	Matthew White Ridley MP for Morpeth 1768‑1774 and Newcastle upon Tyne 1774‑1812	28 Oct 1745	9 Apr 1813	67
9 Apr 1813		3	Matthew White Ridley MP for Newcastle upon Tyne 1812‑1836	18 Apr 1778	14 Jul 1836	58
14 Jul 1836		4	Matthew White Ridley MP for Northumberland North 1859‑1868	9 Sep 1807	25 Sep 1877	70
25 Sep 1877		5	Matthew White Ridley He was subsequently created Viscount Ridley in 1900 with which title the baronetcy remains merged	25 Jul 1842	28 Nov 1904	62
RIGBY of Long Durford, Sussex
24 Jun 1929	UK	1	Sir Hugh Mallinson Rigby	May 1870	17 Jul 1944	74
17 Jul 1944		2	Hugh John Macbeth Rigby	1 Sep 1914	14 Mar 1999	84
14 Mar 1999		3	Anthony John Rigby	3 Oct 1946
RIGGS-MILLER of Ballicasey, Clare
24 Aug 1778	I	1	John Riggs-Miller MP for Newport (Cornwall) 1784‑1790		28 May 1798
28 May 1798 to     2 Aug 1825		2	John Edward Augustus Riggs-Miller Extinct on his death	1770	2 Aug 1825	55
RIPLEY of Rawdon, Yorks and Bedstone, Salop
8 May 1880	UK	1	Henry William Ripley MP for Bradford 1868‑1869 and 1874‑1880	23 Apr 1813	9 Nov 1882	69
9 Nov 1882		2	Edward Ripley	16 May 1840	21 Nov 1903	63
21 Nov 1903		3	Henry William Alfred Ripley	3 Jan 1879	14 Dec 1956	77
14 Dec 1956		4	Hugh Ripley	26 May 1916	28 Oct 2003	87
28 Oct 2003		5	William Hugh Ripley	13 Apr 1950
RIPLEY of Acacia, Yorks
4 Sep 1897	UK	1	Frederick Ripley	28 Nov 1846	22 Nov 1907	60
22 Nov 1907		2	Frederick Hugh Ripley	7 Jul 1878	15 Jul 1945	67
15 Jul 1945 to     16 Nov 1954		3	Geoffrey Arnold Ripley Extinct on his death	4 Aug 1883	16 Nov 1954	71
RITCHIE of Highlands
15 Dec 1903 to     18 Sep 1912	UK	1	Sir James Thomson Ritchie Extinct on his death	1835	18 Sep 1912	77
RITCHIE of Lees House, Kent
23 Jan 1918	UK	1	James William Ritchie	7 Aug 1868	8 May 1937	68
8 May 1937 to     20 Mar 1991		2	James Edward Thomson Ritchie Extinct on his death	16 Jun 1902	20 Mar 1991	88
RIVERS of Chafford, Kent
19 Jul 1621	E	1	John Rivers	c 1579	c 1651
c 1651		2	Thomas Rivers		1657
1657		3	John Rivers		c 1679
c 1679		4	George Rivers	1 Apr 1665	9 Aug 1734	69
Aug 1734		5	John Rivers	c 1718	24 Mar 1743
24 Mar 1743		6	Peter Rivers (Rivers-Gay from c 1760)	c 1721	20 Jul 1790
20 Jul 1790		7	Thomas Rivers-Gay	c 1770	3 Feb 1805
3 Feb 1805		8	James Rivers For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	11 Jun 1772	27 Sep 1805	33
27 Sep 1805		9	Henry Rivers For further information on this baronet and his daughter, see the note at the foot of this page	c 1779	7 Jul 1851
7 Jul 1851		10	James Francis Rivers For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	30 Dec 1822	5 Nov 1869	46
5 Nov 1869 to     31 Oct 1870		11	Henry Chandos Rivers Extinct on his death	1834	31 Oct 1870	36

	Sir George Ramsay, 6th baronet [NS 1666]
	Sir George died following a duel with a Captain Macrae in April 1790. The cause of the duel and its outcome were reported in the World of 26 April 1790:-
	The friends of Mr. Macrae, have hitherto, from motives of delicacy, deferred giving any account of an affair of so serious a nature, flattering themselves, that the Public prints would have been sufficiently candid to have awaited the arrival of an authenticated account signed by the Seconds. But so many false and abusive paragraphs having appeared in the daily papers, they think themselves bound in justice to the character of Mr. Macrae, to publish the following facts:
	On Wednesday the 7th of April, Mr. Macrae handed a Lady out of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, and had passed the corner of the Theatre towards Princes-street, before he could procure a chair for her; he then called out to two Chairmen who were running pretty quickly towards the Theatre with their chair, "Are you engaged?" to which they answered in the negative, and immediately set down their chair; but before the Lady could get into it, Sir George Ramsay's servant laid hold of the left-hand pole, and though Mr. Macrae repeatedly desired him to let go, and struck his fingers gently with a stick he had in his hand - the servant swore "He would be d----d if he would." Another chair coming up, Mr. Macrae put the Lady into it - and though Sir George's servant by this means remained in possession of the first chair, no person appeared to go into it. Mr. Macrae was returning towards the Theatre, when Sir George's servant, who still kept hold of the chair, called out after him - "I know you well, Sir, your name is Macrae, and you are a d----d blackguard scoundrel." Mr. Macrae immediately turned, and followed the servant who ran into the Theatre. These facts will be completely established by the evidence of three of the Chairmen. After Mr. Macrae came up with the servant, he gave him two or three severe blows with the stick which he held in his hand.
	As Sir George and Lady Ramsay and Mr. and Mrs. Macrae were in habits of friendship, and daily visiting each other, Mr. Macrae thought it proper to wait upon Sir George and Lady Ramsay next morning, when he expressed his concern at having been under the necessity of chastising their servant for his insolence; but said, that as he had taken it upon himself to punish him, he would not insist upon his dismission.
	Different Gentlemen who happened to be in the crowd, when Mr. Macrae gave the servant this drubbing, informed him, that a person who said he was an Officer and a Gentleman, had thrown out very severe reflections upon Mr. Macrae's conduct. In consequence of this information, Mr. Macrae thought himself called upon to send a letter to the Printers of some of the News-papers, declaring that he considered that person as assuming a character to which he had no right, and bestowed upon him such Epithets as he thought he deserved.
	On the 12th current, a criminal process before the Sheriff of Edinburgh, was served upon Mr. Macrae at the suit of Sir George Ramsay's servant, still residing in Sir George's family, with concurrence of the Procurator Fiscal or Public Prosecutor, concluding for heavy damages.
	On the 13th current, an anonymous letter was received by Post, at Mr. Macrae's house of Marionville, near Edinburgh; in which a number of opprobrious epithets were bestowed on him - and he was informed that 107 servants had associated themselves for the purpose of gratifying their revenge upon him.
	Mr. Macrae being greatly irritated by these proceedings, wrote to Sir George Ramsay, requesting him to dismiss his servant or to make him withdraw the prosecution. Sir George answered, that he did not countenance the prosecution, but declined complying with Mr. Macrae's request. Mr. Macrae wrote again, insisting that the servant should be dismissed, and informed Sir George that his friend Mr. Amery would deliver a message from him in case his request was not complied with.
	As Sir George still refused to part with his servant, Mr. Amery told him, that Mr. Macrae "did not look upon his conduct in this affair to be that of a gentleman, but of a scoundrel." In consequence to this, a challenge was sent by Sir George to Mr. Macrae, and they met at Musselburgh about six miles from Edinburgh, on the morning of the 14th - but on the preceding evening Mr. Macrae called upon Captain Haig, informed him of what had passed, and expressed his desire that a person of more experience and cooler temper than Mr. Amery should be present in order to affect an accommodation. Mr. Haig declined being Second to Mr. Macrae, but agreed to attend him on the footing proposed. Mr. Macrae was attended by Mr. Amery, and Sir George Ramsay by Sir William Maxwell, as their Seconds; Mr. Bell, surgeon, and Capt. Haig were also present. When the parties had met at Musselburgh, Capt. Haig was authorized by Mr. Macrae to propose an accommodation on the following terms:
	That Sir George should agree to dismiss his servant, and that Mr. Macrae should make an ample apology for the expressions used in the message delivered by Mr. Amery. Much conversation and several messages passed between the Parties concerning this proposal; during all which time, Mr. Macrae expressed an anxious desire that the matter should be honourably accommodated. At last, Sir George's Second proposed, that Mr. Macrae should in the first place apologize to Sir George Ramsay, and that he would undertake for Sir George's afterwards turning off his servant. This being declined by Mr. Macrae, the Parties went to the Field, and it being agreed that they should fire together at the distance of twelve paces, Mr. Macrae's ball took place in Sir George Ramsay's body, and Mr. Macrae was wounded in the cheek. Sir George died on Friday morning last.
	Sir Hugh Charles Rhys Rankin, 3rd baronet
	Sir Hugh was one of the very few baronets who were born in the middle of the Tunisian desert. His father, Sir Reginald, the 2nd baronet, was a big-game hunter who had shot the largest snow-leopard on record in India and who had survived being frozen after falling asleep in the Andes.
	Hugh was educated at Harrow, but ran away to work in a Belfast shipyard before joining the 1st Royal Dragoon Guards. By 1921, he was the broadsword champion of the cavalry. Posted to Ireland during the Troubles, he was shot by a sniper and invalided out of the army.
	He then devoted himself to the study of sheep. When he succeeded to the baronetcy in 1935, he was a sheep shearer in Western Australia. During his travels in the Middle East, he fell under the influence of the Muslim peer, the 5th Baron Headley and, in 1935, succeeded Headley as president of the British Muslim Society. However, finding that 'they were very rude and knew nothing of law and order; I was disgusted with the whole lot of them', he resigned a few weeks later.
	Having never been a strong Christian, and now disillusioned with Islam, he turned to Buddhism. In 1959, he came out in support of the existence of Abominable Snowmen. He also confirmed that one of Buddhism's five Bodhisattvas (Perfected Men) lived in the Scottish Cairngorms and met with his fellow Bodhisattvas each year in a cave in the Himalayas to decide the destiny of the world.
	In 1965, Sir Hugh claimed that he was the only baronet in the UK who was living on National Assistance. Asked what job he might like, he replied 'Anything except being a butler. I hate snobbishness.'
	Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, 1st baronet
	The following biography of Sir Henry Rawlinson appeared in the August 1956 issue of the Australian monthly magazine Parade:-
	Late in 1846, a group of dust-covered Englishmen gazed anxiously through telescopes at a precipitous cliff in the Zangers Range in Persia. Tensely they watched two small figures crawl like ants about the smooth face of the cliff with a sheer drop of 500ft. beneath them to where a mountain stream bubbled over rocks. The group was watching Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, soldier, adventurer, diplomat and archaeologist, copying for the first time the mystic writings of the "inaccessible" Behistun Stone, thereby unlocking the secrets of three ancient languages and revealing to the world part of the history of an ancient civilisation. For nearly 2500 years, the 13 great columns of cuneiform writings and the giant figures of a bearded king accepting the submission of captives looked over the plains on invading armies and trade caravans, none of whom knew their meaning. A contemporary of Julius Caesar attributed the carvings to Queen Semiramis of Babylon. A later authority described the bearded captives as the 12 apostles. Not till Henry Rawlinson came on the scene and risked his life swinging over the cliff were the carvings translated and the key found to three vanished languages.
	Henry Creswicke Rawlinson was born at Chadlington, Oxford, on April 11, 1810, son of Abram Rawlinson, a noted breeder of racehorses. Henry was educated at Wrington and Ealing. He excelled in sport but scholastically was brilliant only in languages. Which was why, when he arrived at Bombay as a cadet in the East India Company's First Bombay Grenadiers he speedily mastered the vernacular languages and also Persian. Before he was 18, Rawlinson was the [Leigh's transcription of this paragraph stops at this point.]
	Under wise Lord William Bentinck India was then at peace. The main pastime of the troops was military gymkhanas and sport. Rawlinson was the regiment's unchallenged champion. He won so persistently that at last there were none to compete with him. To bolster opposition, he offered £100 to any who could beat him at steeplechasing, jumping, running, quoits, racquets, billiards, pigeon shooting and even chess and cards. There were no takers, so he bet the mess £100 he could ride the 72 miles from Poona to Bombay port in four hours. Rawlinson covered the 72 miles in three hours seven minutes on relays of horses and made the headlines even in London papers.
	In 1833, Rawlinson, then 23, and a brilliant Persian linguist, was sent with other British officers to Persia to reorganise the Army of the Shah. Alone, acting as his own recruiting officer, he raised several crack infantry regiments among the frontier tribes. It was at this time that Rawlinson first saw the Behistun Stone. The riddle of the cuneiform inscriptions in three languages roused the linguist and scholar in him. He overcame the difficulty of scaling the cliff face to two of the inscriptions. Close comparison revealed similar recurring words in the two writings. These he decided must be the names of Kings, whom he identified as Hystaspes, Darius and Xerxes. After four years, Rawlinson was able to send a translation of the first two paragraphs of the vast Behistun inscription together with half of what ultimately proved to be the Persian text to the Royal Asiatic Society. He would have proceeded then with his translation had not fate cast him for a grimmer role.
	He was returning from a recruiting expedition, when he passed a strange cavalcade on the caravan route to Herat, primarily a Persian town, then held by the Afghans. He trailed the cavalcade and found that the leader was the Russian Capt. Vikovitch, on his way to Kabul, where he hoped to win the friendship of the shaky Afghan ruler, Dost Mohammed, and thus undermine British authority at the gateway to India. Rawlinson made a forced ride, still famous in history, of over 750 miles to take the news of the Russian to the British Minister at Teheran.
	His anxiety was not misplaced. Vikovitch's visit to Kabul flashed an era of bloodshed and chaos that ended with the massacre of 4500 British and Indian troops and 12,000 camp followers from which one man alone survived. Hard on his warning, Rawlinson was recalled to India and appointed political agent in Kabul. He marched with the army the British Governor-General Lord Auckland sent to drive the Russian-loving Dost Mohammed from his capital and install weakling Shah Shuja in his place. Once this was achieved, Britain withdrew half her forces from Kabul. With them went Henry Rawlinson to take up the post of political agent at Kandahar. But for that he would have been in the army that died in the great retreat when treachery and murder drove the British from the Afghan capital.
	Meanwhile in Kandahar, Rawlinson ruthlessly suppressed intrigue. He disarmed and expelled the more rebellious of the Afghan population and raised and trained a body of cavalry from the Persian minority. At their head he attacked the Afghans when they invested Kandahar. He helped General William Nott [1782‑1845] beat off the enemy and marched with the punitive force that smashed its way to Kabul, blew up the citadel and burnt the bazaars.
	Rawlinson was now free to return to what he already considered his life's work - the solving of the riddle of the Behistun Stone. In 1843, he obtained the post of Political Agent for the East India Company in Turkish Arabia and was later appointed Consul at Baghdad.
	Rawlinson's second attack on the Behistun Stone was infinitely more difficult than the first. So far he had copied only half the 15,000 characters of the Persian version. For that half he had the benefit of a ledge 6ft. wide. It narrowed off almost to nothing at the left where a cleft separated the Persian from the Susan text. An earlier French expedition had abandoned hope of copying the inscription from narrow ledges with scarcely a foothold, and had gone home. Even the mountain men, accustomed to scaling the steepest cliffs, declared the task impossible.
	Rawlinson arrived at the base of the cliff with ladders, pulleys and ropes early in 1846. First he completed copying the Persian text. On the extreme left, the ledge was only 18 inches wide. With ropes attached to himself he pulled up a ladder. He dared not extend it to its full height, because that would not give enough slope for climbing. With a reasonable margin of safety the top of the ladder was still several feet short of the top of the script. Rawlinson was forced to stand on the top rung with no other support than the steadying effect of his left arm pressed gently against the cliff face while holding his notebook. With pencil in right hand, poised over a sheer drop of several hundred feet, Rawlinson began to copy the inscription, watched breathlessly by his friends on the plain below. As he worked down the ladder, he was able to add "squeezes" or impressions to his notes.
	With the Persian text finished Rawlinson turned to the Susan. To reach this he had to cross a chasm to an even narrower ledge. Rawlinson bridged the gulf with his ladder laid on edge, one end held by a jittery assistant. He set out to cross it with his feet on the lower support and his hands on the upper. Half way across there was a rending of wood. The lower support splintered and fell to the rocks below, leaving Rawlinson clinging desperately to the other by his hands. Fortunately the wood held. His assistant kept his nerve. Rawlinson scrambled to safety. Next time he did not rely on ladders but took a plank up too. With the plank, he crossed the cleft easily and was able to copy what was revealed later as the Susan text.
	The Babylonian version, however, completely defied him. It was carved on the face of an overhanging boulder to which there appeared to be no access. Cragsmen, accustomed to chasing mountain goats over difficult parts of the cliff, said the stone was unapproachable. Rawlinson, however, gave a Kurdish boy a large bribe to make the attempt. On the left of the overhanging Babylon rock was a cleft. The boy squeezed to the top where he drove in a wooden peg. He tied a rope to himself and to the peg. Like a human pendulum, he tried to swing across the rock to the cleft on the other side. He failed to reach the right hand cleft and swung back. With the rope round him, he then set out to cross the smooth face of the Babylon rock. With bare toes and fingers clinging to tiny irregularities in the cliff face, he crossed the rock to drive in another peg, to which he fixed the other end of his rope, thus making a loop across the boulder. The rope would not hold Rawlinson, so he bribed the boy further to take "squeezes" or impressions of the carved inscriptions.
	With complete copies of the triple cuneiform inscription, Rawlinson's next task was to decipher it. His first two paragraphs sent to England some years earlier had only been of kings and their titles. The narrative of the rest was more difficult. While on his first trip to Persia, Rawlinson had improved his knowledge not only of the Persian language in common use, but also of its dialects. The most ancient dialect was Zend. Rawlinson applied this to the cuneiform characters and found many of them related. Slowly, he translated the whole of the Persian text to reveal for the first time the genealogy of Darius and how he overthrew a number of usurpers to consolidate Persia into the mighty power that only the tenacity of the Greeks at Marathon could stop.
	Once the Persian version was translated, the way was open to translate the other unknown tongues. Rawlinson himself headed the team that revealed the Babylonian language. Another team of experts cracked the Susan version. The mighty Darius had decided the whole world should always admire his prowess so he decreed that teams of workers should chisel his story on undying stone in the three principal languages so all could read. Darius went the way of all men. His deeds and his languages were forgotten. Generations passed heedlessly by the great stone, till Rawlinson came and revealed its secret once more.
	By now Rawlinson was famous. The British Museum made him a grant to continue the Assyrian and Babylonian excavations begun by [Austen Henry] Layard. He became an M.P. [for Reigate 1858 and Frome 1865‑1868], then received the K.C.B. and a Crown directorship of the East India Company. He was appointed a member of the first India Council when the government of India was transferred to the Crown after the great mutiny, and he continued to serve on the Council till his death, save for a brief spell as envoy extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Persia. In 1891 he was made a baronet. Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bart., died in his London home on March 5, 1895.
	His son, Henry Seymour Rawlinson, rose to even greater honour. He commanded the Fourth Army which smashed the Germans at Amiens on August 8, 1918, and started the landslide that led to victory and the armistice of November 11. A grateful nation gave him £30,000 and made him Baron Rawlinson.
	Sir John Chandos Reade, 7th baronet
	Sir John Chandos Reade's children consisted of a son, Compton, and three daughters, one of whom is described as being an imbecile. Whilst at Oxford University, Compton fell into debt and Sir John declined to pay off his son's debts, unless the son joined him in breaking the entail of the estate. Compton predeceased his father, as did two of his three daughters, with the imbecile daughter outliving him.
	According to an article in The Washington Post of 23 January 1915, Sir John, who was apparently somewhat of a drinker, in a fit of rage struck his butler a blow which knocked the unfortunate man down the stairs, breaking his neck. This deed was witnessed by a footman named John Wakefield, who shortly after the death of the butler was appointed in his place. No inquest was held into the death of the butler for three months, and then only at the insistence of the butler's widow. When the corpse was exhumed for an autopsy, it was found that the body was in such a state of decomposition that only an open verdict was possible. The body was thereupon returned to its grave and the widow, embittered by her failure to achieve justice, erected a headstone which read 'It was a mortal hand that did the deed.'
	After the death of the butler, Sir John sealed himself within the confines of his property at Shipton Court in Oxfordshire, shunning all friends and relations, and restricting himself entirely to the society of Wakefield, from whom he was never seen apart. When Sir John died in 1868, it was found that Sir John had bequeathed all of his property to Wakefield, on the conditions that Wakefield change his name to Reade and that he care for Sir John's imbecile daughter. Not surprisingly, a few eyebrows were raised over the terms of the will.
	Miss Reade, being an imbecile and under the care of the former Wakefield, failed to oppose the will and probate was granted. The baronetcy was inherited by Sir John's grand-nephew, who was an officer in the Indian Army. When he returned to England some years later, he attempted to secure a revocation of probate, but was unable to do so.
	On the death of the 8th baronet in 1890, the baronetcy went to the American-born Sir George Compton Reade, who was advised that he could take no steps to recover the estate during the lifetime of the 7th baronet's imbecile daughter. She finally died in November 1897, just six weeks before the expiration of the Statute of Limitations, which barred all claims against property which had been in the occupant's possession for 30 years. By the time the 8th baronet heard of her death, the 30 years had expired and it was then too late to commence any proceedings.
	Sir John David Rees, 1st baronet
	Sir John died from injuries received when he fell from a train in 1922. The following edited report is taken from The Times of 5 June 1922:-
	A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned on Saturday at the inquest on the body of Sir J.D.Rees, M.P. for East Nottingham, who died in Chesterfield hospital from injuries received through falling from the night express while travelling from London to Scotland early on Friday.
	Maurice Buckles, a shunter on the Midland Railway, said that on Friday morning [2 June 1922] he was told that one of the doors of the Scotch express was open. The train was stationary at the time. He went to close the door, which was that of a third-class carriage on the opposite side to the corridor. The compartment was empty. There was some luggage on the rack and a pillow and rug on the seat. The rug was thrown back as if someone had been lying down and had got up. The train attendant told him that there had been a passenger in the compartment.
	George Augustus Mills, guard in charge of the express, said that the train was pulled up just after passing through Chesterfield.
	The Coroner - Is it possible that the door of the compartment might have been only half closed, and that the passenger, looking out of the window, might have pushed it open? - I do not think so; the lock would not permit of that. The lock was in perfect working order. Answering Lady Rees, the witness said that there were no signs of any struggle.
	Cecil Harry Harnden, train attendant, said that he checked the tickets after passing Bedford, about 12.45 a.m. At that time there was a man in the compartment in question lying asleep on the seat, with a rug over him. He was sleeping soundly, and the witness had to wake him to see his ticket. He was quite sure that every door was fastened, and the handles turned when the train left Trent. There was no stop between Trent and where the train was pulled up beyond Chesterfield.
	The Coroner - If the deceased had wakened in a sleepy condition, is it possible that he opened the door thinking it led into the corridor? - It is possible, but not probable, because he would have to double turn the catch on the outside door before it would open. Lady Rees said she had never known her husband to walk in his sleep.
	In reply to the Coroner, Lady Rees said that Sir John was singularly unobservant of anything in the way of mechanical contrivances. He always muddled them, and it was quite a joke in the family. He seemed to have no mechanical feeling at all.
	Arthur Edward Payne, a parcels porter, said that he found Sir John Rees about one hundred yards beyond the end of Chesterfield platform in the six-foot way. He was in a sitting position. He said he was in great pain and added, "Move me away from here; get me away somewhere." He had a gash on the top of his head, and was taken to Chesterfield Hospital. A slipper, a cap, and 7s 9d in silver and copper were found on the line. Sir John Rees said nothing as to how he came to fall out of the train. Dr. J.C. Adam said that death was due to shock following the injuries received.
	The Coroner, in returning his verdict, said that there was no evidence of how Sir John Rees fell from the carriage. He might have awakened, and in a semi-dazed condition, opened the outside door thinking that he was going into the corridor.
	For information regarding Sir John's odd will, see the next following note.
	Sir Richard Lodowick Edward Montagu Rees, 2nd baronet
	Sir Richard was the defendant in a curious will case in 1925. His father, Sir John Rees, 1st baronet, converted to Roman Catholicism before the birth of his son Richard. Immediately after his birth Richard was baptized as a Roman Catholic, and yet Sir John inserted a clause in his will which disqualified participation in the income of his estate of any person who practised or professed the Roman Catholic religion. Accordingly, the trustees of Sir John's will sought a Court ruling as to whether the son, Sir Richard, was entitled to inherit under the will. The following report appeared in The Times of 11 June 1925:-
	The plaintiffs, who were the trustees of the will of Sir John David Rees, who died on June 2, 1922, asked the Court on this originating summons whether, on the true construction of the will dated August 25, 1904, the defendant Sir Richard Ludowich Montague Edward Rees was entitled from the time of his attaining the age of 25 years to have paid to him the income of the son's trust fund in the said will mentioned during his life until he should charge such life interest.
	The defendant was the only son of the testator, and under his father's will he became entitled, on attaining 25 years of age, to the income from half of the residuary estate, which was of the value of £74,500. The testator was baptized a Protestant, but he became a Roman Catholic shortly before his marriage with the defendant Lady Rees in 1891. The defendant Sir Richard Rees, the present baronet, was born on April 4, 1900, and was taken to be baptized by the testator and his wife within the prescribed week of his birth under the regulations of the Roman Catholic Church in the private chapel of the Earl of Abingdon, Wytham Abbey.
	Sir J.D. Rees, by his will in 1904, inserted the following forfeiture clause: "I direct that if and whenever any person (other than my said wife) entitled under this my will, in possession for his or her life or any less interest to the income of my residuary estate or any part thereof, shall profess or practise the Roman Catholic religion his or her right to receive such income shall cease," and he added: "It being my wish that my dearest son Richard and my dearest daughter Rosemary may be entirely removed during their education and bringing up from all Roman Catholic influence whatsoever such as priests, schoolmasters, governesses, nurses, and the like of that persuasion."
	Sir Richard Rees, in an affidavit, stated that he was at a preparatory school at Winchester, where he attended the Protestant school services, but as he had been baptized into the Roman Catholic Church he could not be received as a pupil at Winchester College and he was sent to Eton, where for the 4½ years he regularly attended the school chapel and was confirmed there as a Protestant. During his holidays he sometimes attended Mass with his mother when his father was also present. Since leaving Eton he had not attended regularly at Protestant or Roman Catholic services, but on at least one occasion he attended Mass with his mother and father. Except so far as he had attended Roman Catholic services to please his mother he had not professed or practised the Roman Catholic religion.
	Mr. Justice Lawrence, in his judgment, said that the will in the events which happened was the most extraordinary document that he had ever seen. The children were brought up after the date of the will to the knowledge of the testator as Roman Catholics with a Roman Catholic governess and nurse, notwithstanding that the testator had said in his will that they should be entirely removed from all Roman Catholic influences. He (his Lordship) could not read the will as a cruel joke on the two children. But the wording of the forfeiture clause was "shall profess", and the question simply was whether since attaining 25 years Sir Richard Rees had professed or practised the Roman Catholic religion, and there was his oath that since he had attained 25 years of age he had not professed or practised that religion. There was no evidence since then that he had gone to Mass with his mother, and he not been cross-examined. Therefore he (his Lordship) held as a fact that he had not practised or professed the Roman Catholic religion within the meaning of the forfeiture clause, and that the trustees ought to pay to him the income, subject to the conditions as to bankruptcy. There would be an order to pay it to him until he should practise or profess the Roman Catholic religion, but the trustees were not to be held liable or responsible for paying the income to him after either such event unless and until they received express notice of such event."
	Sir James Herbert Renals, 2nd baronet
	The first baronet was so created following his year as Lord Mayor of London in 1894‑1895. He was succeeded by his son who was rather less successful in his civil duties, and who appeared in the courts on several occasions.
	In November 1914, Sir James was charged with making a false statement "as to the moral character of one Marcus Barthropp, intending it to be used for the purpose of the entry of the said Barthropp into His Majesty's military forces" - in other words, a false reference. On the strength of Renals' reference, Barthropp was granted a commission in the Army, but he was subsequently recognised as a person who had been convicted of fraud on many occasions, and was kicked out of the Army. On the basis that Renals' statement as to Barthropp's moral character was knowingly incorrect, Renals was hauled into court where he was fined £20.
	He was again in trouble the following January, when he was charged with conspiracy to defraud the public by means of a bogus money-lending scheme. His co-defendant was a man named Henry Mather, alias Walter Furnald, who had a long history of fraudulent activity in America. While there appears to be little doubt that Renals was guilty, he was acquitted after the jury failed to agree on a verdict. In discharging Renals, the Recorder at the Old Bailey commented that he had no doubt that an addiction to strong drink was the cause of Renals' downfall.
	When he died in 1927, the following obituary (which tactfully omits to mention his visits to the courts) appeared in The Observer of 10 April 1927:-
	It has just become publicly known at Brighton that a baronet, Sir James Herbert Renals, son of the late Sir Joseph Renals, who was Lord Mayor of London in the year 1894‑1895, recently died in the Brighton Poor Law Institution after an unequal struggle against poverty in one of the poorest streets in Brighton.
	Sir James, who was fifty-six years of age, had been a Lieutenant of the City of London and a member of the Fruiterers' Company.
	The fact that a man of such antecedents had been living in an obscure locality was not known until after his death. Sir James, who did not use the title, had been seeking to support his wife and a family of six young children by means of canvassing for advertisements. Recently he had found trade very slack. He appeared to be on the verge of starvation, and had to seek parish relief.
	A good deal of mystery surrounds his career, but it is known that for some time he had been estranged from members of his family. He was educated at Chigwell Grammar School, and at a comparatively early age went to South Africa where, it is said, he held responsible positions in connection with a big group of gold mines. At about the time of the death of his father, some twenty years ago, he returned to this country. Hopes which he had entertained that he would inherit a large fortune are stated to have been disappointed. He offered himself for service as a transport driver during the Great War, but was rejected on medical grounds. Later he was engaged at the White City as a supervisor in the preparation of tents for military service.
	The special remainder to the baronetcy of White (later Ridley) created in 1756
	From the London Gazette of 27 April 1756 (issue 9578, page 5):-
	The King has been pleased to grant unto Matthew White, of Blagston in the County of Northumberland, Esq; and the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully begotten, and in Default of such Issue, to the Heirs Male of the Body of Elizabeth, Sister to the said Matthew White now the Wife of Matthew Ridley, of Heaton in the said County of Northumberland, Esq; lawfully begotten, the Dignity of a Baronet of the Kingdom of Great Britain.
	Sir James Rivers, 8th baronet
	According to the Aberdeen Journal of 16 October 1805:-
	A shocking accident happened in the neighbourhood of Enniskillen on the 27th of last month. As Capt. Sir James Rivers, Bart., of the 3rd Dragoon Guards, was out on a shooting party at Nixon-hall, in company with Capt. Fancott and Capt. Platt, of the 50th regiment, Sir James's gun unfortunately went off and killed him almost instantaneously. He is much and deservedly lamented.
	Sir Henry Rivers, 9th baronet and his daughter, Louisa
	Neither Sir Henry nor his daughter Louisa appeared to be over fond of children, as is evidenced by two newspaper reports; the first appearing in the Champion and Weekly Herald on 5 March 1837:-
	Assize Intelligence - Winchester, Feb 28 - Rex v. The Rev. Sir Henry Rivers, Bart. Assault by a Clergyman. - This was an indictment against the defendant for having assaulted a boy, of the name of George Mitchell - From the evidence it would seem, that on the 15th of June last, George Mitchell, who was only twelve years of age, accompanied by other little boys, who were not so old as himself, went to bathe in the river Itchen, about two miles from Winchester, at a spot called the Ten Hatches, which is about eighty-five yards from the footpath. The defendant was on the opposite side of the river, but at some distance above the hatches; he was fishing; after some time he approached nearer to the boys, and made some sign to them which alarmed them, and they caught up their clothes and ran off towards their homes; Mitchell had to cross a bridge, and he had no sooner done so than the defendant, who had run in the same direction, came up, knocked him down, and kicked him; he was so much injured that he could not walk, but was carried to a house in the neighbourhood: the father of the boy went to Sir Henry Rivers, who still continued fishing, to remonstrate with him, when Sir Henry called him a fool, and said he would serve the boy worse if he caught him there again; two surgeons who afterwards saw the boy said the injury was a superficial bruise on the hip, and one of them prescribed eight leeches.
	It was admitted for the defendant that it was an assault, but contended that the boys were running naked near where Miss Rivers was standing, and that the defendant was so much exasperated that he had chastised the boy. The Jury found the defendant guilty, and he was sentenced to pay a fine of £10 to the King.
	The second report appeared in The Sunday Times of 29 August 1869:-
	Another charge of assault was preferred against Miss Louisa Rivers, daughter of the late Sir Henry Rivers, Bart., formerly rector of Martyr Worthy, near Winchester, at the Winchester Petty Sessions on Wednesday. Two former convictions have been obtained against the lady, and on the last occasion she was fined £5 and threatened with imprisonment if brought before the magistrates again. The defendant was now charged with having knocked down a girl named Harriet Barfoot, aged 13, this being the second time that the same child had been assaulted by Miss Rivers. The evidence of three persons was taken to substantiate the charge - that of the complainant herself, of one of the latter's companions, named Emily Seymour, who was with her at the time, and of Mr. Judd. From their statements it appeared that on Monday Miss Rivers went up to the complainant in High Street, Winchester, and, without having received any provocation, knocked her down by giving her a blow in the side. The blow was so severe that for a time the child was rendered insensible. Throughout the proceedings Miss Rivers continually denounced the witnesses as liars, and conducted herself in a strange manner, and the magistrates eventually decided upon remanding her for further inquiry. The object of the remand was understood to be to obtain medical evidence as to the state of Miss Rivers' mind. She is believed to be insane, and should such be proved to be the case she will doubtless be sent to a lunatic asylum.
	Sir James Francis Rivers, 10th baronet
	Sir James was convicted in October 1852 of assaulting two railway officials. The following report of the case is taken from the Daily News of 21 October 1852:-
	The Bath magistrates were employed for some time on Tuesday in hearing charges of assault preferred by two of the officials in the employ of the Great Western Railway Company. The complainants were Isaac Crew, a a railway porter, and Samuel Haines, a railway policeman, the latter of whom appeared with his hand bound up. Great interest was excited by the case, and the court was crowded. Mr. Williams, of the firm of Taylor and Williams, solicitors, appeared for the defendant. The circumstances of the two cases being connected, the bench decided upon hearing all the evidence before giving judgment.
	From the statements of the complainants, which were corroborated by respectable witnesses, it appeared that on Saturday evening, the 16th instant, Sir James Rivers drove to the Bath railway station in a dog cart, with a pair of horses, and pulled up to await the arrival of the 7 o'clock train, upon the ground usually occupied by the omnibuses. The complainant, Crew, subsequently went up to him and requested him to remove, so that the omnibuses might back in, at the same time pointing out to him the place set apart for private carriages. Sir James replied that he should not move to please anybody, at the same time using abusive language and telling witness that it was Saturday night, and that he was drunk. Crew left, but as the omnibuses were arriving, presently went again to defendant, and told him he must please to move, and, at the same time, he put his hand on the hind part of one of the horses. Sir James immediately struck him violently across the hand with his whip, and swore that he had wished he had hit his hand off. The other complainant, Haines, afterwards went to defendant, and requested him to move, as he was occupying the place of the omnibuses. Defendant said he would not move for any policeman, and after repeating his request the witness laid hold of the horses bits to lead them on. Sir James immediately stood upon the box and lashed the horses furiously for the purpose of riding over the policeman, who said that he had not been accustomed to horses, and pushed those of defendant back into the breeching every time they reared, he must have been thrown down and rode over. Finding himself unable to drive the horses over the witness, Sir James leaned over the splash-board and belaboured him across the head, shoulders and hands with the butt end of his whip. Witness then let go his hold, and afterwards, whilst standing on the steps leading to the railway station, the defendant came up to him and struck him a violent blow in his stomach with his fist. He had been unable to attend to his duties since the assault from the injuries he had received, and had spit blood ever since.
	For the defence, it was attempted to be shown that Sir James was provoked to the assault; and his servant stated that the policeman put his hand on his breast before he struck him in the stomach.
	The magistrates having consulted together, the mayor … addressing the defendant, said the magistrates had had no hesitation whatever in coming to a decision in this matter, which was very discreditable to him. For the first offence he was fined 50s and costs, or in default to be committed for one month; and for the second assault, which was more serious, he was fined in the full penalty of £5 and costs, or in default to be committed for two months. His worship also said he must warn him, that if he went on committing assaults of this kind he would be liable to be indicted at the sessions, and committed for two years' imprisonment. For a person of his rank, such conduct was most discreditable.
	The fines having been paid, the defendant left the court. It is not long since Sir James was fined in the same court for furious driving.
	The reference to furious driving relates to another incident which had taken place a month earlier, and for which Sir James had also been hauled before the Bath police court and fined 40s and costs for "furiously driving a carriage and pair in the London-road, to the danger of the public."

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