BARONETAGE
Last updated 15/12/2017 (2 Jul 2025)
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.
WAECHTER of Ramanest, Surrey
13 Feb 1911	UK	1	Harry Waechter	6 Jun 1871	20 May 1929	57
20 May 1929 to     1985		2	Harry Leonard d'Arcy Waechter Extinct on his death For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	22 May 1912	1985	73
WAKE of Clevedon, Somerset
5 Dec 1621	E	1	Baldwin Wake		c 1627
c 1627		2	John Wake		c 1663
c 1663		3	William Wake		Jan 1698
Jan 1698		4	John Wake	1660	1714	54
1714		5	Baldwin Wake		1748
1748		6	Charles Wake-Jones		Jan 1755
Jan 1755		7	William Wake		Sep 1765
Sep 1765		8	William Wake MP for Bedford 1774‑1784	1742	29 Oct 1785	43
29 Oct 1785		9	William Wake	5 Apr 1768	28 Jan 1846	77
28 Jan 1846		10	Charles Wake	21 Nov 1791	23 Sep 1864	72
23 Sep 1864		11	William Wake	1823	13 Apr 1865	41
13 Apr 1865		12	Hereward Wake	6 Jul 1852	5 Jan 1916	63
5 Jan 1916		13	Hereward Wake	11 Feb 1876	4 Aug 1963	87
4 Aug 1963		14	Hereward Wake	7 Oct 1916	11 Dec 2017	101
11 Dec 2017		15	Hereward Charles Wake	22 Nov 1952
WAKEFIELD of Saltwood, Kent
16 Feb 1917	UK	1	Charles Cheers Wakefield He was subsequently created Baron Wakefield in 1930 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1941	12 Dec 1859	15 Jan 1941	81
WAKEFIELD of Kendal, Westmorland
10 Mar 1962	UK	1	Edward Birkbeck Wakefield MP for Derbyshire West 1950‑1962	24 Jul 1903	14 Jan 1969	65
14 Jan 1969		2	Edward Humphrey Tyrrell Wakefield	11 Jul 1936
WAKELEY of Liss, Hants
30 Jun 1952	UK	1	Sir Cecil Pembry Grey Wakeley	5 May 1892	5 Jun 1979	87
5 Jun 1979		2	John Cecil Nicholson Wakeley	27 Aug 1926	10 Mar 2012	85
10 Mar 2012		3	Nicholas Jeremy Wakeley	17 Oct 1957
WAKEMAN of Beckford, Gloucs
15 Feb 1661 to     c 1690	E	1	George Wakeman Patent never sealed - Extinct on his death		c 1690
WAKEMAN of Perdiswell Hall, Worcs
20 Feb 1828	UK	1	Henry Wakeman	27 Feb 1753	23 Apr 1831	78
23 Apr 1831		2	Offley Penbury Wakeman	17 May 1799	21 Sep 1858	59
21 Sep 1858		3	Offley Wakeman	15 Nov 1850	9 Feb 1929	78
9 Feb 1929		4	Offley Wakeman	19 Oct 1887	17 Sep 1975	87
17 Sep 1975		5	Offley David Wakeman	6 Mar 1922	24 Feb 1991	68
24 Feb 1991 to     25 Nov 2008		6	Edward Offley Bertram Wakeman Extinct on his death	31 Jul 1934	25 Nov 2008	74
WALDEGRAVE of Hever Castle, Kent
1 Aug 1643	E	1	Edward Waldegrave	c 1568	c 1650
c 1650		2	Henry Waldegrave	1598	10 Oct 1658	60
10 Oct 1658		3	Charles Waldegrave		c 1684
c 1684		4	Henry Waldegrave He was subsequently created Baron Waldegrave in 1686 with which title the baronetcy remains merged	1661	24 Jan 1689	37
WALDIE-GRIFFITH of Munster Grillach, Londonderry
20 Apr 1858	UK	1	Richard John Griffith	20 Sep 1784	22 Sep 1878	94
22 Sep 1878		2	George Richard Waldie-Griffith	31 Jan 1820	8 May 1889	69
8 May 1889 to     24 Jul 1933		3	Richard John Waldie-Griffith Extinct on his death	24 Apr 1850	24 Jul 1933	83
WALEY-COHEN of Honymead, Somerset
11 Dec 1961	UK	1	Bernard Nathaniel Waley-Cohen	29 May 1914	3 Jul 1991	77
3 Jul 1991		2	Stephen Harry Waley-Cohen	22 Jun 1946
WALKER of Bushey Hall, Herts
28 Jan 1680	E	1	George Walker	c 1643	1690
1690 to     by 1703		2	Walter Walker Extinct on his death		by 1703
WALKER of Castleton, Monmouth
28 Mar 1835	UK		See "Forestier-Walker"
WALKER of Oakley House, Suffolk
19 Jul 1856	UK	1	Baldwin Wake Walker	6 Jan 1802	12 Feb 1876	74
12 Feb 1876		2	Baldwin Wake Walker	24 Sep 1846	28 Jun 1905	58
28 Jun 1905		3	Francis Elliot Walker	9 Mar 1851	27 Jul 1928	77
27 Jul 1928		4	Baldwin Patrick Walker	10 Sep 1924	6 Jun 2005	80
6 Jun 2005		5	Christopher Robert Baldwin Walker	25 Oct 1969
WALKER of Sand Hutton, Yorks and Beachampton, Bucks
9 Dec 1868	UK	1	James Walker	30 May 1803	8 Oct 1883	80
8 Oct 1883		2	James Robert Walker MP for Beverley 1860‑1865	19 Oct 1829	12 Jun 1899	69
12 Jun 1899		3	James Heron Walker	23 May 1865	25 Nov 1900	35
25 Nov 1900		4	Robert James Milo Walker	19 Mar 1890	11 Feb 1930	39
11 Feb 1930		5	James Heron Walker	7 Apr 1914	9 Jan 2003	88
9 Jan 2003		6	Victor Stewart Heron Walker	8 Oct 1942
WALKER of Pembroke House, Dublin
12 Jul 1906	UK	1	Samuel Walker MP for co. Londonderry 1884‑1885; Solicitor‑General [I] 1883‑1885; Attorney‑General [I] 1885; Lord Chancellor [I] 1892‑1895; PC [I] 1885	19 Jun 1832	13 Aug 1911	79
13 Aug 1911		2	Alexander Arthur Walker	21 Jan 1857	24 Nov 1932	75
24 Nov 1932		3	Cecil Edward Walker	6 Aug 1882	2 Jul 1964	81
2 Jul 1964		4	Hugh Ronald Walker	13 Dec 1925	10 Jan 2004	78
10 Jan 2004		5	Robert Cecil Walker	26 Sep 1974	28 Feb 2006	31
28 Feb 2006		6	Roy Edward Walker	10 Aug 1977
WALKER-OKEOVER of Gateacre, Lancs and Osmaston Manor, Derby
12 Feb 1886	UK	1	Andrew Barclay Walker	15 Dec 1824	27 Feb 1893	68
27 Feb 1893		2	Peter Carlaw Walker	7 May 1854	15 Oct 1915	61
15 Oct 1915		3	Ian Peter Andrew Munro Walker (Walker-Okeover from 20 Aug 1956) Lord Lieutenant Derbyshire 1951‑1977	30 Nov 1902	20 Feb 1982	79
20 Feb 1982		4	Peter Ralph Leopold Walker-Okeover	11 Jul 1947	6 Nov 2003	56
6 Nov 2003		5	Andrew Peter Monro Walker-Okeover	22 May 1978
WALKER-SMITH of Broxbourne, Herts
18 Jul 1960	UK	1	Derek Colclough Walker-Smith, later [1983] Baron Broxbourne [L]	13 Apr 1910	22 Jan 1992	81
22 Jan 1992		2	John Jonah Walker-Smith	6 Sep 1939	9 Mar 2024	84
9 Mar 2024		3	Daniel Derek Walker-Smith	26 Mar 1980
WALLACE of Craigie Wallace, Ayr
c 1638 to     1659	NS	1	Hugh Wallace He resigned the baronetcy in 1659	c 1600	c 1660
WALLACE of Craigie, Ayr
8 Mar 1670	NS	1	Thomas Wallace		26 Mar 1680
26 Mar 1680		2	William Wallace	by 1665	25 Jan 1700
Jan 1700		3	Thomas Wallace	27 Jan 1665	21 Jan 1728	62
21 Jan 1728 to     18 Aug 1770		4	Thomas Wallace Extinct on his death	Feb 1702	18 Aug 1770	68
WALLACE of Hertford House, London
24 Nov 1871 to     20 Jul 1890	UK	1	Richard Wallace MP for Lisburn 1873‑1885 Extinct on his death For further information on this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	21 Jun 1818	20 Jul 1890	72
WALLACE of Terreglestown, Kircudbright
25 Jan 1922 to     5 Feb 1940	UK	1	Sir Matthew Gemmill Wallace Extinct on his death	24 Oct 1854	5 Feb 1940	85
WALLACE of Studham, Beds
8 Jun 1937 to     24 May 1944	UK	1	Sir Cuthbert Sidney Wallace Extinct on his death	20 Jun 1867	24 May 1944	76
WALLER of Newport, co. Tipperary
1 Jun 1780	I	1	Robert Waller MP [I] for Dundalk 1761‑1780	c 1736	27 Jul 1780
Jul 1780		2	Robert Waller	c 1768	1826
1826		3	Charles Townshend Waller	c 1770	1 Jun 1830
1 Jun 1830		4	Edmund Waller	Jul 1797	9 Mar 1851	53
9 Mar 1851		5	Edmund Arthur Waller	16 Mar 1846	22 Oct 1888	42
22 Oct 1888		6	Charles Waller	8 Jun 1835	25 May 1912	76
25 May 1912		7	William Edgar Waller	22 Nov 1863	16 Apr 1943	79
16 Apr 1943		8	Roland Edgar Waller	11 Jan 1892	20 May 1958	66
20 May 1958		9	Robert William Waller	16 Jun 1934	12 Dec 2000	66
12 Dec 2000		10	John Michael Waller	14 May 1962
WALLER of Goffies Park, Cornwall
30 May 1815	UK	1	Jonathan Wathen Waller	6 Oct 1769	1 Jan 1853	83
1 Jan 1853		2	Thomas Wathen Waller	24 Jun 1805	29 Jan 1892	86
29 Jan 1892		3	George Henry Waller	2 Sep 1837	9 Feb 1892	54
9 Feb 1892		4	Francis Ernest Waller	11 Jun 1880	25 Oct 1914	34
25 Oct 1914		5	Wathen Arthur Waller	6 Oct 1881	26 Apr 1947	65
26 Apr 1947		6	Edmund Waller	24 Oct 1871	7 Aug 1954	82
7 Aug 1954 to     22 Jan 1995		7	John Stanier Waller Extinct on his death	27 Jul 1917	22 Jan 1995	77
WALROND of Bradfield, Devon
24 Feb 1876	UK	1	John Walrond Walrond MP for Tiverton 1865‑1868	1 Mar 1818	23 Apr 1889	71
23 Apr 1889		2	William Hood Walrond He was subsequently created Baron Waleran in 1905 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1966	26 Feb 1849	17 May 1925	76
WALSH of Little Ireland, Waterford
Jul 1645	I	1	James Walsh	c 1580	c 1650
c 1650 to     c 1690		2	Robert Walsh Extinct on his death		c 1690
WALSH of Dublin
24 Feb 1775	I		See "Johnson-Walsh"
WALSH of Aramthwaite, Cumberland
14 Jun 1804	UK	1	John Benn-Walsh	10 Feb 1759	7 Jun 1825	66
7 Jun 1825		2	John Benn Walsh He was subsequently created Baron Ormathwaite in 1868 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1984	9 Dec 1798	3 Apr 1881	82
WALSHAM of Knill Court, Herts
30 Sep 1831	UK	1	John James Walsham	6 Jun 1805	10 Aug 1874	69
10 Aug 1874		2	John Walsham	29 Oct 1830	10 Dec 1905	75
10 Dec 1905		3	John Scarlett Walsham	15 Oct 1869	14 Feb 1940	70
14 Feb 1940		4	John Scarlett Warren Walsham	29 Nov 1910	22 Oct 1992	81
22 Oct 1992		5	Timothy John Walsham	26 Apr 1939	14 Jul 2011	72
14 Jul 2011 to     29 Sep 2019		6	Gerald Percy Robert Walsham Extinct on his death	1939	29 Sep 2019
WALTER of Saresden, Oxon
16 Aug 1641	E	1	William Walter MP for Weobly 1628‑1629	c 1604	23 Mar 1675
23 Mar 1675		2	William Walter	c 1635	5 Mar 1694
5 Mar 1694		3	John Walter MP for Appleby 1694‑1695 and 1697‑1701 and Oxford 1706‑1722	c 1674	11 Jun 1722
11 Jun 1722 to     20 Nov 1731		4	Robert Walter Extinct on his death	29 Aug 1680	20 Nov 1731	51
WALTON of Rushpool, Yorks
11 Jul 1910     to 8 Feb 1923	UK	1	Joseph Walton MP for Barnsley 1897‑1922 Extinct on his death	19 Mar 1849	8 Feb 1923	73
WANDESFORD of Kirklington, Yorks
5 Aug 1662	E	1	Christopher Wandesford	14 Feb 1628	Feb 1687	59
Feb 1687		2	Christopher Wandesford He was subsequently created Viscount Castlecomer in 1707 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1784	19 Aug 1656	15 Sep 1707	51
WARBURTON of Arley, Cheshire
27 Jun 1660	E	1	George Warburton	c 1622	18 May 1676
18 May 1676		2	Peter Warburton		c 1698
c 1698		3	George Warburton MP for Cheshire 1702‑1705 and 1710‑1722	1 Jun 1675	23 Jun 1743	68
23 Jun 1743		4	Peter Warburton	c 1708	18 Nov 1774
18 Nov 1774 to     14 May 1813		5	Peter Warburton Extinct on his death	27 Oct 1754	14 May 1813	58
WARD of Bexley, Kent
19 Dec 1660	E	1	Edward Ward	c 1618	2 Sep 1684
Sep 1684		2	Edward Ward	c 1641	18 Mar 1686
Mar 1686		3	Thomas Ward		20 Jan 1692
Jan 1692		4	Edward Ward		2 Aug 1719
Aug 1719		5	Edward Ward		2 Mar 1737
2 Mar 1737		6	Edward Ward	1721	7 Apr 1742	20
7 Apr 1742		7	Randall Ward		8 May 1762
8 May 1762 to     c 1770		8	Edward Ward Extinct on his death		c 1770
WARD of Killagh, Down
9 Dec 1682 to     1691	I	1	Robert Ward Extinct on his death	c 1610	1691
WARD of Wellington, New Zealand
20 Jun 1911	UK	1	Sir Joseph George Ward Prime Minister of New Zealand 1906‑1912 and 1928‑1930; PC 1907	26 Apr 1856	8 Jul 1930	74
8 Jul 1930		2	Cyril Rupert Joseph Ward	22 Sep 1884	10 Nov 1940	56
10 Nov 1940		3	Joseph George Davidson Ward	17 Sep 1909	4 Aug 1970	60
4 Aug 1970		4	Joseph James Laffey Ward	11 Nov 1946	16 Dec 2021	75
16 Dec 2021		5	Joseph James Martin Ward	20 Feb 1971
WARD of Wilbraham Place, Chelsea
20 Jan 1914	UK	1	Sir Edward Willis Duncan Ward	17 Dec 1853	11 Sep 1928	74
11 Sep 1928		2	Edward Simons Ward For further information on the death of this baronet, see the note at the foot of the page containing details of the peerage of Dufferin & Ava	11 Jul 1882	21 Jul 1930	48
21 Jul 1930 to     Sep 1973		3	Melvill Willis Ward Extinct on his death	25 May 1885	Sep 1973	88
WARD of Blyth, Northumberland
29 Jun 1929 to     21 Oct 1956	UK	1	Albert Lambert Ward MP for Hull North West 1918‑1945 Extinct on his death	7 Nov 1875	21 Oct 1956	80
WARDE of Barham Court, Kent
11 Sep 1919 to     12 Apr 1937	UK	1	Charles Edward Warde MP for Medway 1892‑1918 Extinct on his death	20 Dec 1845	12 Apr 1937	91
WARDLAW of Pitreavie, Fife
5 Mar 1631	NS	1	Henry Wardlaw	1565	5 Apr 1637	71
5 Apr 1637		2	Henry Wardlaw		2 Mar 1653
2 Mar 1653		3	Henry Wardlaw	24 Mar 1618	by May 1654
by May 1654		4	Henry Wardlaw		4 Mar 1680
4 Mar 1680		5	Henry Wardlaw	19 Oct 1648	c May 1683	34
c May 1683		6	Henry Wardlaw	1674	by Oct 1709
by Oct 1709		7	Henry Wardlaw	1705	c 1720
c 1720		8	George Wardlaw	1675	c 1730
c 1730		9	Henry Wardlaw		1739
1739		10	David Wardlaw	1678	c 1750
c 1750		11	Henry Wardlaw		Feb 1782
Feb 1782		12	David Wardlaw		13 Apr 1793
13 Apr 1793		13	John Wardlaw		1 Jan 1823
1 Jan 1823		14	William Wardlaw	1794	c 1830
c 1830		15	Alexander Wardlaw	c 1790	1833
1833		16	William Wardlaw	c 1791	23 Dec 1863
23 Dec 1863		17	Archibald Wardlaw	23 Jan 1793	29 Jan 1874	80
29 Jan 1874		18	Henry Wardlaw	22 Mar 1822	13 Apr 1897	75
13 Apr 1897		19	Henry Wardlaw	8 Feb 1867	4 Feb 1954	86
4 Feb 1954		20	Henry Wardlaw	31 Aug 1894	19 Apr 1983	88
19 Apr 1983		21	Henry John Wardlaw	30 Nov 1930	8 May 2005	74
8 May 2005		22	(Henry) Justin Wardlaw	10 Aug 1963
WARING of Foots Cray Place, Kent
31 May 1919	UK	1	Samuel James Waring He was subsequently created Baron Waring in 1922 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1940	19 Apr 1860	9 Jan 1940	79
WARING of St. Bartholomews, London
29 Jan 1935	UK	1	Sir Holburt Jacob Waring	3 Oct 1866	10 Feb 1953	86
10 Feb 1953		2	Alfred Harold Waring	14 Feb 1902	16 Mar 1981	79
16 Mar 1981		3	Alfred Holburt Waring	2 Aug 1933	19 Jul 2021	87
19 Jul 2021		4	Michael Holburt Waring	3 Jan 1964
WARMINGTON of Pembridge Square
28 Jul 1908	UK	1	Cornelius Marshall Warmington MP for Monmouthshire West 1885‑1895	1 Jun 1842	12 Dec 1908	66
12 Dec 1908		2	Marshall Denham Warmington	3 Nov 1871	2 Aug 1935	63
2 Aug 1935		3	Marshall George Clitheroe Warmington	26 May 1910	5 Feb 1995	84
5 Feb 1995		4	Marshall Denham Malcolm Warmington	5 Jan 1934	23 Nov 1996	62
23 Nov 1996		5	David Marshall Warmington	14 Feb 1944	13 Sep 2005	61
13 Sep 2005		6	Rupert Marshall Warmington	17 Jun 1969
WARNER of Parham, Suffolk
16 Jul 1660 to     21 Mar 1705	E	1	John Warner Extinct on his death	c 1640	21 Mar 1705
WARNER of Brettenham Park, Suffolk
9 Jul 1910	UK	1	Thomas Courtenay Theydon Warner MP for Somerset North 1892‑1895 and Lichfield 1896‑1923; Lord Lieutenant Suffolk 1910‑1934	19 Jul 1857	15 Dec 1934	77
15 Dec 1934		2	Edward Courtenay Thomas Warner	4 Jan 1886	2 Oct 1955	69
2 Oct 1955		3	Edward Courtenay Henry Warner	3 Aug 1922	8 Apr 2011	88
8 Apr 2011		4	Philip Courtenay Thomas Warner	3 Apr 1951
WARRE of Hastercombe, Somerset
2 Jun 1673 to     1 Dec 1718	E	1	Francis Warre MP for Bridgwater 1685‑1695 and 1699‑1700, and Taunton 1701‑1715 Extinct on his death	c 1659	1 Dec 1718
WARREN of Little Marlow, Bucks
1 Jun 1775 to     27 Feb 1822	GB	1	John Borlase Warren MP for Great Marlow 1774‑1784, Nottingham 1797‑1806 and Buckingham 1807; PC 1802 Extinct on his death	2 Sep 1753	27 Feb 1822	68
WARREN of Warren's Court, co. Cork
7 Jul 1784	I	1	Robert Warren	20 Aug 1723	1811	87
1811		2	Augustus Louis Carre Warren MP [I] for Cork City 1783‑1790	1754	30 Jan 1821	66
30 Jan 1821		3	Augustus Warren	17 May 1791	28 Apr 1863	71
28 Apr 1863		4	John Borlase Warren	13 Sep 1800	4 Dec 1863	63
4 Dec 1863		5	Augustus Riversdale Warren	24 Aug 1833	1 Apr 1914	80
1 Apr 1914		6	Augustus Riversdale John Blennerhasset Warren	11 Mar 1865	28 Aug 1914	49
28 Aug 1914		7	Augustus George Digby Warren	23 Oct 1898	20 Jan 1958	59
20 Jan 1958		8	Thomas Richard Pennefather Warren	12 Sep 1885	8 Dec 1961	76
8 Dec 1961 to     24 Jun 2006		9	Brian Charles Pennefather Warren Extinct on his death	4 Jun 1923	24 Jun 2006	83
WARRENDER of Lochend, East Lothian
2 Jun 1715	GB	1	George Warrender MP for Edinburgh 1715‑1722	c 1658	4 Mar 1722
4 Mar 1722		2	John Warrender	c 1686	13 Jan 1772
13 Jan 1772		3	Patrick Warrender MP for Haddington Burghs 1768‑1774	7 Mar 1731	14 Jun 1799	68
14 Jun 1799		4	George Warrender MP for Haddington Burghs 1807‑1812, Truro 1812‑1818, Sandwich 1818‑1826, Westbury 1826‑1830 and Honiton 1830‑1832	5 Dec 1782	21 Feb 1849	66
21 Feb 1849		5	John Warrender	Mar 1786	21 Jan 1867	80
21 Jan 1867		6	George Warrender	7 Oct 1825	13 Jun 1901	75
13 Jun 1901		7	George John Scott Warrender	31 Jul 1860	8 Jan 1917	56
8 Jan 1917		8	Victor Alexander George Anthony Warrender He was subsequently created Baron Bruntisfield in 1942 with which title the baronetcy remains merged	23 Jun 1899	14 Jan 1993	93
WASTENEYS of Headon, Notts
18 Dec 1622	E	1	Hardolph Wasteneys		May 1649
May 1649		2	Hardolph Wasteneys	c 1612	1673
1673		3	Edmund Wasteneys		12 Mar 1678
12 Mar 1678		4	Hardolph Wasteneys MP for East Retford 1706‑1708 Extinct on his death For information on a claim made to this baronetcy in 1887, see the note at the foot of this page	19 Feb 1674	17 Dec 1742	68
WATERLOW of Fairseat, Kent and Highgate, Middlesex
4 Aug 1873	UK	1	Sir Sydney Hedley Waterlow MP for Dumfriesshire 1868‑1869, Maidstone 1874‑1880 and Gravesend 1880‑1885	1 Nov 1822	3 Aug 1906	83
3 Aug 1906		2	Philip Hickson Waterlow	30 Oct 1847	20 Sep 1931	83
20 Sep 1931		3	Edgar Lutwyche Waterlow	15 Jun 1870	12 Jan 1954	83
12 Jan 1954		4	Philip Alexander Waterlow	17 Mar 1897	18 Jul 1973	76
18 Jul 1973		5	Christopher Rupert Waterlow	12 Aug 1959
WATERLOW of Harrow Weald, Middlesex
28 Oct 1930	UK	1	Sir William Alfred Waterlow For information on his involvement in the "Great Portuguese Banknote Scandal" of 1925, see the note at the foot of this page	23 Apr 1871	6 Jul 1931	60
6 Jul 1931		2	William James Waterlow	20 Mar 1905	20 Nov 1969	64
20 Nov 1969		3	Thomas Gordon Waterlow	2 Jan 1911	8 Aug 1982	71
8 Aug 1982		4	James Gerard Waterlow	3 Sep 1939	8 Oct 2013	74
8 Oct 2013		5	(Thomas) James Waterlow	20 Mar 1970
WATKIN of Rose Hill, Cheshire
12 May 1880	UK	1	Sir Edward William Watkin MP for Great Yarmouth 1857, Stockport 1864‑1868 and Hythe 1874‑1895	26 Sep 1819	14 Apr 1901	81
14 Apr 1901 to     30 Nov 1914		2	Alfred Mellor Watkin MP for Grimsby 1877‑1880 Extinct on his death	19 Aug 1846	30 Nov 1914	68
WATSON of Rockingham Castle, Northants
23 Jun 1621	E	1	Lewis Watson He was subsequently created Baron Rockingham in 1645 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1782	14 Jul 1584	5 Jan 1653	68
WATSON of Fulmer, Bucks
21 Mar 1760	GB	1	Charles Watson	9 Jun 1751	26 Aug 1844	93
26 Aug 1844		2	Charles Wager Watson	4 Jan 1800	30 Dec 1852	52
30 Dec 1852		3	Charles Watson (Watson-Copley from 12 Mar 1887)	6 Apr 1828	6 Apr 1888	60
6 Apr 1888 to     30 Sep 1904		4	Walter Joseph Watson Extinct on his death	27 Jun 1836	30 Sep 1904	68
WATSON of East Sheen, Surrey
5 Dec 1803	UK		See "Kay"
WATSON of Henrietta Street
27 Jun 1866	UK	1	Thomas Watson	7 Mar 1792	12 Dec 1882	90
12 Dec 1882		2	Arthur Townley Watson	13 Sep 1830	15 Mar 1907	76
15 Mar 1907		3	Charles Rushworth Watson	21 Sep 1865	27 Mar 1922	56
27 Mar 1922		4	Thomas Aubrey Watson	7 Nov 1911	10 Jan 1941	29
10 Jan 1941		5	(James) Andrew Watson	30 Dec 1937	21 Jun 2025	87
21 Jun 2025		6	Roland Victor Watson	4 Mar 1966
WATSON of Earnock, Lanark
15 Jul 1895	UK	1	John Watson	9 Jul 1819	26 Sep 1898	79
26 Sep 1898		2	John Watson	31 Aug 1860	13 Sep 1903	43
13 Sep 1903		3	John Watson	24 Feb 1898	23 Mar 1918	20
23 Mar 1918		4	Derrick William Inglefield Watson (Inglefield‑Watson from 1945)	7 Oct 1901	27 Jan 1987	85
27 Jan 1987		5	John Forbes Inglefield-Watson	16 May 1926	7 Feb 2007	80
7 Feb 2007		6	Simon Conran Hamilton Watson	11 Aug 1939	11 Feb 2016	76
11 Feb 2016 to     3 May 2016		7	Julian Frank Somerled Watson Extinct on his death	12 Nov 1931	3 May 2016	84
WATSON of Sulhamstead, Berks
11 Jul 1912	UK	1	William George Watson	26 Dec 1861	12 Jul 1930	68
12 Jul 1930 to     19 May 1983		2	Norman James Watson Extinct on his death	17 Mar 1897	19 May 1983	86
WATSON of Newport, Monmouth
13 Feb 1918	UK	1	Thomas Edward Watson For information on the death of this baronet, see the note at the foot of this page	1 Jan 1851	1 May 1921	70
1 May 1921		2	Wilfrid Hood Watson	23 Jul 1875	31 Jan 1922	46
1922 to     15 Dec 1959		3	Geoffrey Lewin Watson Extinct on his death	19 Jul 1879	15 Dec 1959	80
WATSON of Ashley, Dorset
11 Jun 1937	UK		See "Milne-Watson"
WATT of Bathgate, Linlithgow
5 Sep 1945	UK		See "Harvie-Watt"
WAUCHOPE of Newton, Berwick
7 Jun 1667	NS		See "Don-Wauchope"
WAY of Montefiore, Australia
2 Aug 1899 to     8 Jan 1916	UK	1	Samuel James Way PC 1897 Extinct on his death	11 Apr 1836	8 Jan 1916	79
WEBB of Odstock, Wilts
2 Apr 1644	E	1	John Webb		1680
1680		2	John Webb		29 Oct 1700
29 Oct 1700		3	John Webb		Oct 1745
Oct 1745		4	Thomas Webb		29 Jun 1763
29 Jun 1763		5	John Webb		Apr 1797
Apr 1797		6	Thomas Webb	c 1774	26 Mar 1823
26 Mar 1823 to     19 Aug 1874		7	Henry Webb Extinct on his death	27 Apr 1806	19 Aug 1874	68
WEBB of Llwynarthen, Monmouth
28 Jan 1916 to     29 Oct 1940	UK	1	Henry Webb MP for Forest of Dean 1911‑1918 and Cardiff East 1923‑1924 Extinct on his death	28 Jul 1866	29 Oct 1940	74
WEBB-JOHNSON of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs
15 Mar 1945	UK	1	Sir Alfred Edward Webb-Johnson He was subsequently created Baron Webb Johnson in 1948 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1958	4 Sep 1880	28 May 1958	77
WEBSTER of Kirby, Norfolk
31 May 1660 to     Apr 1675	E	1	John Webster Extinct on his death		14 Apr 1675
WEBSTER of Copthall, Essex
21 May 1703	E	1	Thomas Webster MP for Colchester 1705‑1711, 1713‑1714 and 1722‑1727	12 Nov 1676	30 May 1751	74
30 May 1751		2	Whistler Webster MP for East Grinstead 1741‑1761	after 1699	21 Sep 1779
21 Sep 1779		3	Godfrey Webster		6 May 1780
6 May 1780		4	Godfrey Webster MP for Seaford 1786‑1790 and Wareham 1796‑1800	25 Dec 1747	3 Jun 1800	52
3 Jun 1800		5	Godfrey Vassal Webster MP for Sussex 1812‑1820	6 Oct 1789	17 Jul 1836	46
17 Jul 1836		6	Godfrey Vassal Webster	3 Jul 1815	4 May 1853	37
4 May 1853		7	Augustus Frederick George Douglas Webster	19 Apr 1819	27 Mar 1886	66
27 Mar 1886 to     13 Aug 1923		8	Augustus Frederick Walpole Edward Webster Extinct on his death	10 Feb 1864	13 Aug 1923	59
WEBSTER of Alverstone, Isle of Wight
29 Jan 1900	UK	1	Richard Everard Webster He was subsequently created Baron Alverstone in 1900 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1915	22 Dec 1842	15 Dec 1915	72
WEDDERBURN of Blackness, Forfar
9 Aug 1704	NS	1	John Wedderburn	12 Feb 1641	1706	65
1706		2	Alexander Wedderburn	7 Apr 1672	Feb 1710	37
Feb 1710		3	John Wedderburn	2 Dec 1700	1723	22
1723		4	Alexander Wedderburn	4 Nov 1675	21 Sep 1744	68
21 Sep 1744 to     1746		5	John Wedderburn He was attainted, executed and the baronetcy forfeited 1746. The baronetcy was, however, assumed as under:-	4 Aug 1704	28 Nov 1746	42
[28 Nov 1746]		[6]	John Wedderburn	21 Feb 1729	13 Jun 1803	74
[13 Jun 1803] 18 Aug 1803	UK	[7] 1	David Wedderburn He was created a baronet of the United Kingdom 18 Aug 1803. For further details of this baronetcy see "Ogilvy-Wedderburn"	10 Mar 1775	7 Apr 1858	83
WEDGWOOD of Etruria, Staffs
20 Jan 1942	UK	1	Sir Ralph Lewis Wedgwood	2 Mar 1874	5 Sep 1956	82
5 Sep 1956		2	John Hamilton Wedgwood	16 Nov 1907	11 Dec 1989	82
11 Dec 1989		3	Hugo Martin Wedgwood	27 Dec 1933	12 Oct 2010	76
12 Oct 2010		4	Ralph Nicholas Wedgwood	10 Dec 1964
WEIGALL of Woodhall Spa, Lincs
28 Jun 1938 to     3 Jun 1952	UK	1	Sir William Ernest George Archibald Weigall MP for Horncastle 1911‑1920; Governor of South Australia 1920‑1922 Extinct on his death	8 Dec 1874	3 Jun 1952	77
WEIR of Blackwood, Lanark
28 Nov 1694	NS	1	George Weir	12 Jun 1674	7 Jan 1716	41
7 Jan 1716		2	William Weir		1722
1722 to     1735		3	George Weir Extinct on his death		1735
WELBY of Denton Manor, Lincs
27 Jun 1801	UK	1	William Earle Welby MP for Grantham 1802‑1806	c 1734	6 Nov 1815
6 Nov 1815		2	William Earle Welby MP for Grantham 1807‑1820	14 Nov 1768	3 Nov 1852	83
3 Nov 1852		3	Glynne Earle Welby (Welby-Gregory from 1861) MP for Grantham 1830‑1857	26 Jun 1806	23 Aug 1875	69
23 Aug 1875		4	William Earle Welby-Gregory MP for Grantham 1857‑1868 and Lincolnshire South 1868‑1884	4 Jan 1829	26 Nov 1898	69
26 Nov 1898		5	Charles Glynne Earle Welby MP for Newark 1900‑1906	11 Aug 1865	19 Mar 1938	72
19 Mar 1938		6	Oliver Charles Earle Welby	26 Jan 1902	6 Oct 1977	75
6 Oct 1977		7	Richard Bruno Gregory Welby	11 Mar 1928
WELCH of Chard, Somerset
16 Dec 1957	UK	1	Sir George James Cullum Welch	20 Oct 1895	28 Jul 1980	84
28 Jul 1980		2	John Reader Welch	26 Jul 1933	5 Sep 2023	90
5 Sep 2023		3	James Douglass Cullum Welch	10 Nov 1973
WELDON of Dunmore, co. Carlow
11 Jul 1723	I	1	Thomas Burdett	14 Sep 1668	14 Apr 1727	58
14 Apr 1727		2	William Vigors Burdett	8 Jun 1715	17 Dec 1798	83
17 Dec 1798		3	William Bagenal Burdett	16 Jul 1770	14 Dec 1840	70
14 Dec 1840		4	Anthony Weldon	16 Jun 1781	21 Dec 1858	77
21 Dec 1858		5	Anthony Crossdill Weldon	16 Mar 1827	14 Jan 1900	72
14 Jan 1900		6	Anthony Arthur Weldon Lord Lieutenant Kildare 1913‑1918	1 Mar 1863	29 Jun 1917	54
29 Jun 1917		7	Anthony Edward Wolseley Weldon	1 Dec 1902	9 Jan 1971	68
9 Jan 1971		8	Thomas Brian Weldon	19 May 1905	5 Aug 1979	74
5 Aug 1979		9	Anthony William Weldon	11 May 1947
WELLS of Upper Grosvenor Street, London
11 May 1883	UK	1	Thomas Spencer Wells	3 Feb 1818	31 Jan 1898	79
31 Jan 1898 to     31 Mar 1906		2	Arthur Spencer Wells Extinct on his death	25 Jun 1866	31 Mar 1906	39
WELLS of Felmersham, Beds
21 Jan 1944	UK	1	Sir Sydney Richard Wells MP for Bedford 1922‑1945	3 Aug 1879	26 Nov 1956	77
26 Nov 1956		2	Charles Maltby Wells	24 Jul 1908	23 Jun 1996	87
23 Jun 1996		3	Christopher Charles Wells	12 Aug 1936
WELLS of Hove, Sussex
30 Nov 1948 to     13 Sep 1966	UK	1	Sir Frederick Michael Wells Extinct on his death	11 Mar 1884	13 Sep 1966	82
WELLWOOD-MONCREIFF of Moncreiff, Perth
22 Apr 1626	NS		See "Moncreiff"
WEMYSS of Wemyss, Fife
29 May 1625	NS	1	John Wemyss He was subsequently created Baron Wemyss in 1628 with which title the baronetcy then merged until it became dormant in 1679	1586	22 Nov 1649	63
WEMYSS of Bogie, Fife
12 Oct 1704	NS	1	James Wemyss		c 1706
c 1706		2	John Wemyss		c 1750
c 1750 to     c 1770		3	James Wemyss On his death the baronetcy became dormant		c 1770
WENMAN of Caswell, Oxon
29 Nov 1662	E	1	Francis Wenman MP for Oxfordshire 1664‑1679	c 1630	2 Sep 1680
2 Sep 1680		2	Richard Wenman He subsequently succeeded to the Viscountcy of Wenman in 1686 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1800	1657	1 Mar 1690	32
WENTWORTH of Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorks
20 Jun 1611	E	1	William Wentworth	3 Jul 1562	10 Sep 1614
Sep 1614		2	Thomas Wentworth He was subsequently created Earl of Strafford in 1640 with which title the baronetcy then merged until he was attainted and his honours forfeited in 1641	13 Apr 1593	12 May 1641	48
12 May 1662		3	William Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford He obtained a reversal of the attainder in 1662	8 Jun 1626	16 Oct 1695	69
16 Oct 1695		4	Thomas Wentworth, 3rd Baron Raby He was subsequently created Earl of Strafford in 1711 with which title the baronetcy then merged until its extinction in 1799	17 Sep 1672	15 Nov 1739	67
WENTWORTH of Gosfield, Essex
29 Jun 1611 to     Oct 1631	E	1	John Wentworth Extinct on his death	c 1583	Oct 1631
WENTWORTH of West Bretton, Yorks
27 Sep 1664	E	1	Thomas Wentworth	c 1615	5 Dec 1675
5 Dec 1675		2	Matthew Wentworth		1 Aug 1678
1 Aug 1678		3	Matthew Wentworth	c 1665	Feb 1706
Feb 1706		4	William Wentworth MP for Malton 1731‑1741	29 Oct 1686	1 Mar 1763	76
1 Mar 1763 to     10 Jul 1792		5	Thomas Wentworth Blackett Extinct on his death	12 Apr 1726	10 Jul 1792	66
WENTWORTH of North Elmsal, Yorks
28 Jul 1692	E	1	John Wentworth	18 Nov 1673	25 Apr 1720	46
25 Apr 1720 to     3 Dec 1741		2	Butler Cavendish Wentworth Extinct on his death	c 1710	3 Dec 1741
WENTWORTH of Parlut, Lincs
16 May 1795	GB	1	John Wentworth	c 1737	8 Apr 1820
8 Apr 1820 to     10 Apr 1844		2	Charles Mary Wentworth Extinct on his death	18 Jan 1775	10 Apr 1844	69

	Sir Harry Leonard d'Arcy Waechter, 2nd and last baronet
	From the London Daily Telegraph of 7 December 1955:-
	Sir Harry Leonard d'Arcy Waechter, 43, of the White House, Suckley, Worcs., appeared before Worcester county magistrates yesterday on charges alleging indecency and serious offences against male persons. He was sent for trial at Worcestershire Assizes on Jan. 25 on six of eight charges. He pleaded not guilty and was allowed bail.
	Mr. Peter Barnes, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said Sir d'Arcy and his wife were joint masters of the North Ledbury Hounds and the kennels and stables of the hunt were at their home. Various stable boys and apprentice grooms, most of them between 14 and 16, lived in the White House.
	On their first meeting Sir d'Arcy contrived to get the youths alone, and each time followed a similar course of indecent behaviour. Where a boy looked disgusted such conduct went to further.
	One of the charges, Mr. Barnes said, related to Sir d'Arcy's alleged conduct in Worcester. He used to go to a newsvendor named O'Shea, asking him to find a boy who had been in an approved school or Borstal. O'Shea informed the police.
	Sir d'Arcy had told the police that he was on the Home Office Homosexuality Committee, but the secretary of that committee, Mr. W. Roberts, had said this was not so.
	The result of his trial was reported in the Daily Telegraph of 26 January 1956:-
	Sir Harry Leonard d'Arcy Waechter, 43, the second baronet, the White House, Suckley, Worcs., joint master of the North Ledbury Hunt, was gaoled for 21 months at Worcestershire Assizes yesterday for indecently assaulting youths employed by him and attempting to procure an ex‑Borstal or approved school boy to commit indecency.
	He pleaded guilty to five counts and not guilty to five others. Mr. Ryder Richardson, prosecuting, said the offences took place between November, 1951, and last July, with stable boys or apprentice grooms.
	Mr. J.F. Bourke, defending, said that between 1948 and 1954 a great change came over Sir Harry's character, well known as a pathological condition. In a doctor's opinion, that phase had passed.
	Mr. Justice Hallett said to Sir Harry: "The psychiatrist's evidence wholly unconvinced me, because it shows that you were for some time habitually corrupting young men who came to work for you. At the very end, in the autumn of 1954, you were trying to get fresh supplies of boys to misuse them."
	From the London Daily Telegraph of 17 October 1967:-
	Sir Harry D'Arcy Waechter, Bart., 55, of no settled address, admitted at Bow Street yesyerday that he took a pork pie, sandwiuches and an egg from a cafeteria at Victoria Station without paying for them. He told Mr. Barraclough, the magistrate: "I want to get a job - I'm tired of wandering about."
	P.C. Douglas Borer of the British Railways' Police said that when he was arrested Waechter said: "I was hungry". Waechter had served as a captain in the Army and had worked as a gardener-handyman, car park attendant and porter at Caxton Hall.
	Waechter told the court that he had been hoping to go to two interviews about jobs. He was remanded until Monday for reports.
	From the London Daily Telegraph of 24 October 1967:-
	Sir Harry D'Arcy Waechter, Bart., 55, of no settled address, who last week admitted stealing a pork pie, sandwiches and an egg from a Victoria Station cafeteria, was granted a conditional discharge for a year at Bow Street yesterday, where he appeared on remand.
	Mr. Barry Swinney, probation officer, said that since the first hearing Waechter had received many offers of help. Waechter was said to have been working as a gardener-handyman and a car park attendant. He had lost a job as a porter at Caxton Hall because the work was too heavy for him.
	Sir Richard Wallace, 1st and only baronet [UK 1871]
	Richard was the illegitimate son of Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford. For further information on this peer, see the note at the foot of the page which contains details of the Hertford peerage.
	Richard was born in Paris as a result of the 4th Marquess' liaison with an Agnes Wallace, 'a Scottish girl of low birth' much older than the Marquess. After placing the child with a French concierge and seeing Agnes married to a Mr Jackson, the Marquess thought that he had done enough for his illegitimate son.
	By the 1850s, however, Richard had become his father's secretary and lived in Paris with him. The Marquess' only pleasure was in collecting art and, when the Marquess died in 1870, Richard was left the Marquess' art collection and personal fortune of some £7,000,000. The title and the entailed estates were inherited by a cousin, the 5th Marquess.
	Richard was aged 52 when his father died. He was, if possible, an even more ardent art-collector than his father and had now become wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. However, before he indulged himself in art collecting, he poured out money for the relief of sufferers in the Franco-Prussian War. In addition, he founded the Hertford Hospital in Paris and made a gift to the city of 50 drinking fountains, some of which can still be seen today.
	In February 1871, he married his long-term mistress and father of his son, Julie Castelnau. In November 1871, he was created a baronet and settled at Hertford House in London. Between 1873 and 1885 he sat in the House of Commons for Lisburn, but the enrichment of his art collection remained his major interest. His placid life was racked by a bitter quarrel with his son, who involved himself in a liaison with a French girl and had children by her. When Sir Richard remonstrated with him, his son replied that he had merely followed his father's example. The son died soon after, but to the time of his death, Sir Richard refused to recognise his grandchildren or their mother.
	As private secretary Sir Richard hired John Murray Scott, a young barrister whose grandfather and father had been friends of the 4th Marquess of Hertford. When Sir Richard died in Paris in 1890, Scott continued to watch over Lady Wallace's interests until her death in 1897. Lady Wallace had inherited the whole of her husband's estate and she, in turn, wanted to leave it all to Scott. Instead, he persuaded her to leave the art treasures to the nation and, after her death, the contents of Hertford House became state property under the name of the Wallace Collection, where it remains to this day.
	Scott was rewarded with a baronetcy in 1899. He died in 1912, leaving a controversial will in which he left large amounts of money and art to Baroness Sackville. For details of the 1913 court case arising from this bequest, see the note at the foot of the page containing details of the Sackville peerage.
	The Baronetcy of Wasteneys
	Reference works on the baronetage agree that the Wasteneys baronetcy became extinct on the death of the 4th baronet in 1742. Notwithstanding this, the following advertisement appeared in the London Morning Post on 3 August 1887:-
	ASSUMPTION OF TITLE - Whereas King James the First, by his Patent, dated the 18th day of December, 1622, granted the dignity and title of a Baronet of England unto Hardolph Wasteneys, in Headon, in the county of Notts, esquire, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten; and Whereas Sir Hardolph Wasteneys, fourth baronet, great grandson of the first mentioned Baronet, died without male issue, and all other collateral male issue being extinct, the title vested in the cousin and heir-at-law of the fourth baronet, that is to say, in Simon Wasteneys, of Edlington, in the county of York, who was also the direct male issue of the grantee of the title. And Whereas the said Simon left one son only, William, who left one son only, William (deceased), who had two sons and no more, William Parslove and Hardolph, whereof the elder, William Parslove is dead, leaving me, William Wasteneys, his only son and heir-at-law surviving; and Whereas I am advised and believe that it is expedient that I should assume the title and dignity of baronet to which I am entitled as aforesaid. Now I HEREBY DECLARE THAT IT IS MY INTENTION HENCEFORTH TO ASSUME AND BEAR SUCH DIGNITY AND TITLE, AND TO BE DESIGNATED in all Legal Documents and Otherwise as SIR WILLIAM WASTENEYS, BARONET; and I hereby request all persons whom it may concern so to call and designate me. As witness my hand this 28th day of January, 1887. W. WASTENEYS. Witness to the signature of the said Sir William Wasteneys, Baronet, ARTHUR D. BENNETT, Notary Public, Auckland, New Zealand.
	Some further information on "Sir" William Wasteney, which fills in some details of his life both before and after this advertisement, appeared in an article published in the Auckland Star on 3 June 1903. The article is headed "Sir William Wasteney's Troubles":-
	The public examination of Sir William Wasteneys, against whom, in March last, a receiving order was made on the petition on his wife, her claim being for £2035, alleged to be due under a deed of separation, was concluded in the Bankruptcy Court last Tuesday. In examination the debtor said he was a baronet, having formally assumed the title some twelve years ago. As far as he was aware his father did not make use of it. On coming of age in February, 1872 [he is said to have been born 6 ;February 1851], he succeeded to various estates in South Yorkshire, valued at £60,000, and the minerals at £20,000. All were unencumbered with the exception of a mortgage for £8000, which he discharged by raising £11,000 on property at Micklebring and Lambcote Grange.
	On his marriage in 1875 [other sources place the date of his marriage as 1878] he settled property to the value of £8000 on his wife [Julia Marianne Fardell], the income of which was applicable to the maintenance of his home and family. In 1875 he was called to the Bar, and in the summer of that year he realised £25,000 on the sale of four of the Yorkshire properties, which money had gone mainly in living expenses.
	In 1885 he arranged to go to New Zealand for the benefit of his wife's health, but at the last moment she decided not to go, and he then entered into a deed of separation for two years, agreeing to allow her £240 a year. He then realised a further £4400 on the property and went to Auckland [New Zealand]. In March, 1887, his wife joined him there, and a further covenant was entered into to extend the separation for two more years, the wife living under the same roof. In March, 1889, he purchased for £400 the "Waikato News" [Waikato is a region in the North Island of New Zealand], carried on at Cambridge. He ran the paper for a year and then discontinued it, a fire having practically destroyed the town.
	Down to 1898 he practised [law] at various towns in New Zealand, and in that year he returned to England. Having no income, he had since lived on an allowance from his mother and his earnings at the Bar, which had been small. The rest of the Yorkshire property had been sold by the trustees under the settlement.
	In 1891 he endeavoured to obtain a judicial separation from his wife in New Zealand, but eventually abandoned the suit, and in April of that year a deed of separation was entered into, under which he agreed to allow his wife £240 a year from the income of the £8000 included in the marriage settlement. In 1891, as the result of the proceedings which took place between the parties, he succeeded in setting aside the separation deed, which decision was upheld in the Court of Appeal in New Zealand.
	In 1898 his wife appealed with success to the Privy Council. A judgment for costs obtained by his wife in certain of the proceedings formed the basis of the receiving order which she had obtained against him. His present position was due to the constant litigation which had been brought against him by his wife, to the expenses of her long illness, and the depreciation on the sale of his Yorkshire properties. Replying to questions, the debtor stated that he had no interest in any property in New Zealand, neither had he any in England which was not fully charged to creditors. His mother had died recently, but, beyond a life interest in household furniture of small value, he had not succeeded to any property.
	Unfortunately, I have been unable to trace any later events in the life of "Sir" William.
	Sir William Alfred Waterlow, 1st baronet [UK 1930]
	The following article appeared in the April 1957 issue of the Australian monthly magazine Parade. The story consistently describes Sir William as "Bart", but he was only a KBE at the time - his baronetcy was awarded in 1930, following his term as Lord Mayor of London. As mentioned in the article's penultimate paragraph, the driving force behind the whole criminal enterprise is now acknowledged to have been (Artur Virgilio) Alves Reis [1896‑1955].
	A small group stood round a pit in the courtyard of the Bank of Portugal, Lisbon, one day in in October, 1932. They talked quietly as one of their number knelt and struck a match. He held the flame against bundles of paper in the pit. In a few seconds just on £2,900,000 worth of banknotes were burning. Thus ended the fantastic story of the Portuguese banknote swindle, one of the most audacious frauds in modern history.
	The swindlers' plan went smoothly into operation on December 4, 1924, when a handsome prepossessing young Dutchman, K. Marang van Ysselveere, presented himself at the office of the leading London printing firm of Waterlow and Sons, Limited. Waterlow's had been commissioned several years earlier to print some 500-escudo notes, worth about £5 sterling each, for the Bank of Portugal. Marang, of the firm of Messrs. Marang and Collignon, The Hague, handed what appeared to be official Portuguese Government credentials to head of the company, Sir William Waterlow, [later] Bart. The papers were faked!
	Marang, about 35, explained to Sir William that he was a member of a Dutch syndicate of businessmen who had come to an arrangement with the Portuguese Government to help Portugal's West African colony, Angola, out of dire financial difficulties. The syndicate, he said, was to finance a new note issue for Angola in return for valuable trading concessions.
	Waterlow's still had in their possession the printing plates for the Portuguese 500-escudo notes bearing an engraving of the likeness of explorer Vasco da Gama. Marang suggested these plates would "serve the purpose" for the "new Angola issue". He assured the polite but cautious Sir William Waterlow that there was "no need to worry" about the serial numbers duplicating those on the Portuguese notes previously printed by Waterlow's. The new issue would be stamped with the word "Angola" when they were delivered in Portugal and would be used for circulation only in the colony, he added.
	Sir William pointed out he would still need direct authority from the Bank of Portugal to use their plates in the printing of the notes. Marang replied that his secretary, Jose Bandeira, was a brother of Antonio Bandeira, Portuguese Minister at The Hague. It would be easy to arrange for the diplomat to see Waterlow's representative in Lisbon, H.G.W. Romer, and finalise the necessary authority. In Lisbon Romer became suspicious when Bandeira did not keep their rendezvous. Romer made a few discreet inquiries and warned Sir William by letter: "I cannot help thinking the Bank of Portugal would never consent to their plates being utilised for the purpose of making a new emission of notes for a Portuguese colony whose finances appear to be in a state of absolute chaos."
	The smooth-talking Marang, however, had completely deceived the English baronet [sic]. Waterlow ignored Romer's warning. On December 17, 1924, Marang returned to London and explained he had obtained the necessary authority himself. He produced more documents - all expert forgeries - purporting to give his syndicate permission to have the notes printed from the Bank of Portugal plates in Waterlow's possession. As a final, formal check, Sir William drafted a letter to the Governor of the Bank of Portugal [Inocêncio Camacho Rodrigues (1867‑1943)] asking if it was all right to start printing the notes. So taken by Marang was Sir William that, at the Dutchman's suggestion, he handed him the letter to be "delivered by hand" to the bank.
	When Marang returned on January 6 [1925] he had a reply signed - a perfect forgery - by the Governor of the Bank. This letter told Sir William to go ahead with the work. Thus was the stage set for the grand coup. The contract was signed. The printing of the Portuguese Vasco da Gama notes began. Sir William Waterlow nearly ruined the swindle when he sent a personal letter to the Governor of the Bank of Portugal acknowledging permission to print. That letter was never delivered.
	Between February 10 and March 12, 1925, Marang took delivery from Waterlow's of Portuguese notes worth a cool 100,000,000 escudos - the equivalent of £stg. 1,000,000. The notes, packed in special suitcases, were delivered to Marang at the Ritz Hotel, London. He calmly deposited them at the baggage-room at Liverpool St. Station while preparing for his journey to Lisbon. He even quibbled about the 1/6 luggage fee he had to pay when he reclaimed the ordinary-looking cases that contained enough illicit money to wreck Portugal's banking system.
	Marang and his gang at once began to distribute the illicit money through Portugal. They were rapidly disposing of it when, in autumn, 1925, rumours ran in many parts of Portugal that forged 500-escudo notes were being circulated. The rumours stopped on May 6, 1925, when, after investigation by its officers, the Bank of Portugal published an official denial that forgeries were circulating.
	This gave new encouragement to the syndicate of crooks. As a group of businessmen with Government authority, they established their own bank - Banco Angola e Metropole in Oporto - with a stated capital of £stg. 200,000, and started flooding out the illicit currency. They lent money to almost anyone who applied. They granted mortgages and credit indiscriminately. They bought property all over the country. They even bought bundles of Bank of Portugal shares - probably hoping that if they got enough they would be able to stop the bank taking any action against them if ever they were discovered.
	So successful were the gang's operations that Marang returned to London with more forged papers purporting to be from the Governor of the Bank of Portugal. These papers gave him authority to order from Waterlow's the printing of another 380,000 Portuguese 500-escudo notes for "the Angola issue". When Sir William Waterlow wrote to the Bank for confirmation, Marang made sure he received a favourable reply. Between August and November, 1925, the printers delivered to Marang in London another £stg. 900,000 worth of Portuguese Vasco da Gama notes.
	Meanwhile, a Portuguese newspaper became suspicious of the amazing activities of the new Banco Angola e Metropole. Suggestions were made that some foreign Power might be supplying the bank's capital in an attempt to juggle Portugal's economy. The Government ordered a secret inquiry. Officials of the Bank of Portugal learnt of suspicious activities by a jewellery shop in Oporto, where the new bank had its headquarters. The jewellery shop was buying large quantities of foreign currency and paying for it with new 500-escudo notes, the officials were told. Another private banker queried the large number of new 500-escudo notes in circulation.
	Portugal's Criminal Investigation Department was called in. On Saturday, December 5, 1925, the police swooped on the premises of the Banco Angola e Metropole and the jewellery shop in Oporto. The manager of the Bank, Adriano Silva, and two other members of the gang, Alves Reis and Jose Bandeira, were caught in the raid. In a search of the bank premises the police found about 4000 new 500-escudo notes. Working on a hunch, one of the raiders, Campos e Sa, an inspector from the Bank of Portugal, took the seized money to the local branch of the Bank of Portugal. There, to his horror, he discovered notes bearing the same serial numbers.
	Next day, Sunday, December 6, 1925. the Directors of the Bank of Portugal were told of the strange happenings at Oporto. After a five-hour meeting the directors decided on the drastic step of withdrawing from circulation all Vasco da Gama 500-escudo notes and exchanging them, good or bad, for notes of other denominations. The withdrawn notes represented one-sixth of the nation's currency. Next morning the banks were rushed. By the time the banks stopped accepting the notes for exchange they had received 795,556 Vasco da Gama 500-escudo notes - nearly 200,000 more than had been legitimately put into circulation.
	Sir William Waterlow and some of his note experts rushed to Lisbon. After lengthy, microscopic examination they found various minute printing differences by which the illicit notes could be told from the genuine. Antonio Bandeira, Portuguese Minister at The Hague, who gave Marang his credentials, was recalled and arrested. Financial circles panicked. Everyone was under suspicion. The Governor and Deputy Governor of the Bank of Portugal were arrested but were released the same day. The police interviewed Sir William Waterlow, who after being cleared left Lisbon under an assumed name. There was a new scare when 75 triplicates were discovered. It appeared some modest forger had also been at work. A special commission was appointed to conduct the liquidation of Banco Angola e Metropole.
	Meanwhile the wily Marang fled the country. He was arrested in Holland and ordered to stand trial on a charge of obtaining the bank notes from Waterlow's by means of forged documents. When the case came into court in November, 1926, the shrewd Dutchman pleaded he had been the innocent, unsuspecting tool of the gang. The court acquitted him of the main charge and sentenced him to 11 months' gaol on a lesser charge of "receiving" the illicit notes. As he had been in gaol 11 months awaiting trial he was immediately released. The Crown appealed against the lightness of the penalty, which was later increased to two years' gaol. Meanwhile, Marang had left Holland and never served the sentence.
	Alves Reis, Antonio Bandeira, the former diplomat, and his brother, Jose Bandeira, Adriano Silva and other members of the gang were not tried in Lisbon till July, 1930. They received sentences of up to 25 years' deportation. In 1932, however, an article appeared in a European magazine under the name of Alves Reis claiming he was the sole mastermind of the swindle. All other members of the gang had been duped by him. The article said Marang believed the transactions with Waterlow's to be a legitimate business deal.
	Meanwhile, the Bank of Portugal sued Waterlow and Sons, Limited, for damages, claiming breach of contract and/or negligence and/or conversion. Though there was no suggestion of dishonesty on the part of the printers, the bank claimed Waterlow's should never have used their plates to print the money. The case dragged on for more than two years till the House of Lords delivered the final judgment in favour of the bank on April 28, 1932. By a majority of three to two the Lords awarded the Bank of Portugal damages totalling £616,392.
	Sir William died of peritonitis before the House of Lords had reached its final judgment. The firm of Waterlow and Sons never fully recovered from its involvement, and was eventually acquired by De La Rue in 1961.
	Sir Thomas Edward Watson, 1st baronet
	Sir Thomas [was] killed in a traffic accident in May 1921. The following report appeared in The Manchester Guardian on 4 May 1921:-
	The tragic story of the death of Sir Thomas Edward Watson, the well-known colliery proprietor, was told at an inquest conducted by Mr. Ingleby Oddie, the Westminster Coroner, yesterday.
	Sir Thomas had come to London from his home at Newport (Monmouthshire) last Friday, and was staying at a West End hotel. He was crossing the road near St. George's Hospital, Hyde Park, about midday, in the company of his daughter, when he was knocked down by a passing motor-car. He was picked up in an unconscious condition and removed to the hospital, where he succumbed little more than an hour later to his injuries.
	Evidence was given that Sir Thomas, who had been standing on an island refuge, tried to cross in front of a taxi which was being overtaken by the car. The chauffeur of the car applied his brakes immediately he saw him, but was unable to avoid knocking him down.
	Summing up, the Coroner said that it was a common cause of accident for people to cross in front of one vehicle before assuring themselves that there was not another vehicle overtaking it on the other side. There was a danger in vehicles overtaking other vehicles near refuges, and he was of [the] opinion that they should be compelled to pass in single file. In this case the driver of the car was entitled to overtake the slowly moving taxi, and he seemed to have pulled up the car with great promptitude.
	The Coroner said he had no hesitation in recording a verdict of accidental death, exonerating the driver from all blame. Sir Thomas Watson unfortunately did not realise a very common danger, and was doing something expressly prohibited by the rules of "Safety First".

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