PEERAGES
Last updated 03/07/2017 (17 Mar 2024)
Date	Rank	Order	Name	Born	Died	Age
SLIM
15 Jul 1960	V	1	Sir William Joseph Slim Created Viscount Slim 15 Jul 1960 Governor General of Australia 1953‑1960; Field Marshal 1949; KG 1959	6 Aug 1891	14 Dec 1970	79
14 Dec 1970		2	John Douglas Slim [Elected hereditary peer 1999‑2019]	20 Jul 1927	12 Jan 2019	91
12 Jan 2019		3	Mark William Rawdon Slim	13 Feb 1960
SLYNN OF HADLEY
11 Mar 1992 to     7 Apr 2009	B[L]		Sir Gordon Slynn Created Baron Slynn of Hadley for life 11 Mar 1992 Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 1992‑2002; PC 1992 Peerage extinct on his death	17 Feb 1930	7 Apr 2009	79
SMITH
13 Jul 1978 to     1 Jul 1998	B[L]		Sir (Edwin) Rodney Smith Created Baron Smith for life 13 Jul 1978 Peerage extinct on his death	10 May 1914	1 Jul 1998	84
SMITH OF BASILDON
7 Jul 2010	B[L]		Angela Evans Smith Created Baroness Smith of Basildon for life 7 Jul 2010 MP for Basildon 1997‑2010; PC 2009	7 Jan 1959
SMITH OF CLIFTON
4 Nov 1997 to     24 Apr 2021	B[L]		Sir Trevor Arthur Smith Created Baron Smith of Clifton for life 4 Nov 1997 Peerage extinct on his death	14 Jun 1937	24 Apr 2021	83
SMITH OF FINSBURY
22 Jun 2005	B[L]		Christopher Robert Smith Created Baron Smith of Finsbury for life 22 Jun 2005 MP for Islington South & Finsbury 1983‑2005; Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport 1997‑2001. PC 1997	24 Jul 1951
SMITH OF GILMOREHILL
17 Feb 1995	B[L]		Elizabeth Margaret Smith Created Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill for life 17 Feb 1995	4 Jun 1940
SMITH OF HINDHEAD
29 Sep 2015	B[L]		Philip Roland Smith Created Baron Smith of Hindhead for life 29 Sep 2015
SMITH OF KELVIN
29 May 2008	B[L]	1	Sir Robert Haldane Smith Created Baron Smith of Kelvin for life 29 May 2008 KT 2013; CH 2016	8 Aug 1944
SMITH OF LEIGH
5 Aug 1999 to     2 Aug 2021	B[L]	1	Peter Smith Created Baron Smith of Leigh for life 5 Aug 1999 Peerage extinct on his death	24 Jul 1945	2 Aug 2021	76
SMITH OF LLANFAES
13 Mar 2024	B[L]		Carmen Ria Smith Created Baroness Baroness Smith of Llanfaes for life 13 Mar 2024	15 Mar 1996
SMITH OF NEWNHAM
12 Sep 2014	B[L]	1	Julie Elizabeth Smith Created Baroness Smith of Newnham for life 12 Sep 2014	1 Jun 1969
SNAPE
9 Jun 2004	B[L]		Peter Charles Snape Created Baron Snape for life 9 Jun 2004 MP for West Bromwich East 1974‑2001	12 Feb 1942
SNELL
23 Mar 1931 to     21 Apr 1944	B	1	Henry Snell Created Baron Snell 23 Mar 1931 MP for Woolwich East 1922‑1931; PC 1937; CH 1943 Peerage extinct on his death	1 Apr 1865	21 Apr 1944	79
SNOW
29 Oct 1964 to     1 Jul 1980	B[L]		Sir Charles Percy Snow Created Baron Snow for life 29 Oct 1964 Peerage extinct on his death	15 Oct 1905	1 Jul 1980	74
SNOWDEN
24 Nov 1931 to     15 May 1937	V	1	Philip Snowden Created Viscount Snowden 24 Nov 1931 MP for Blackburn 1906‑1918 and Colne Valley 1922‑1931; Chancellor of the Exchequer 1924 and 1929‑1931; Lord Privy Seal 1931‑1932; PC 1924 Peerage extinct on his death	18 Jul 1864	15 May 1937	72
SNOWDON
26 Jul 1726	B	1	Frederick Lewis Created Baron of Snowdon, Viscount of Launceston, Earl of Eltham, Marquess of the Isle of Ely and Duke of Edinburgh 26 Jul 1726 See "Edinburgh"	20 Jan 1707	20 Mar 1751	44
6 Oct 1961	E	1	Antony Charles Robert Armstrong‑Jones Created Viscount Linley and Earl of Snowdon 6 Oct 1961 and Baron Armstrong‑Jones for life 16 Nov 1999	7 Mar 1930	13 Jan 2017	86
13 Jan 2017		2	David Albert Charles Armstrong‑Jones	3 Nov 1961
SOAMES
19 Apr 1978 to     16 Sep 1987	B[L]		Sir Arthur Christopher John Soames Created Baron Soames for life 19 Apr 1978 MP for Bedford 1950‑1966; Secretary of State for War 1958‑1960; Minister of Agriculture Fisheries & Food 1960‑1964; Lord President of the Council 1979‑1981; Governor of Southern Rhodesia 1979‑1980; PC 1958; CH 1980 Peerage extinct on his death	12 Oct 1920	16 Sep 1987	66
SOAMES OF FLETCHING
28 Oct 2022	B[L]		Arthur Nicholas Winston Soames Created Baron Soames of Fletching for life 28 Oct 2022 MP for Crawley 1983‑1997 and Mid Sussex 1997‑2019; Minister of State for the Armed Forces 1994‑1997; PC 2011	12 Feb 1948
SOBERTON
17 Feb 1806	B	1	Thomas Anson Created Baron Soberton and Viscount Anson 17 Feb 1806 See "Anson"	14 Feb 1767	31 Jul 1818	51
SOLEY
29 Jun 2005	B[L]		Clive Stafford Soley Created Baron Soley for life 29 Jun 2005 MP for Hammersmith North 1979‑1983, Hammersmith 1983‑1997 and Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush 1997‑2005	7 May 1939
SOLWAY
17 Jun 1707 to     22 Oct 1778	E[S]	1	Charles Douglas, later [1711] 3rd Duke of Queensberry and 2nd Duke of Dover Created Lord Douglas, Viscount of Tiberris and Earl of Solway 17 Jun 1707 See "Queensberry" - extinct on his death	24 Nov 1698	22 Oct 1778	79
7 Jun 1833 to	B	1	Charles Douglas Douglas, 6th Marquess of Queensberry Created Baron Solway 7 Jun 1833 Peerage extinct on his death	Mar 1777	3 Dec 1837	60
SOMERHILL
3 Apr 1624	B	1	Richard Bourke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde Created Baron of Somerhill and Viscount Tunbridge 3 Apr 1624 and Baron of Imanney, Viscount Galway and Earl of St. Albans 23 Aug 1628 See "Clanricarde"	1572	12 Nov 1635	63
4 Jul 1826	B	1	Ulick John de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde Created Baron Somerhill 4 Jul 1826 See "Clanricarde"	20 Dec 1802	10 Apr 1874	71
SOMERLEYTON
26 Jun 1916	B	1	Sir Savile Brinton Crossley, 2nd baronet Created Baron Somerleyton 26 Jun 1916 MP for Lowestoft 1885‑1892 and Halifax 1900‑1906; Paymaster General 1902‑1906; PC 1902	14 Jun 1857	25 Feb 1935	77
25 Feb 1935		2	Francis Savile Crossley	1 Jun 1889	15 Jul 1959	70
15 Jul 1959		3	Savile William Francis Crossley	17 Sep 1928	24 Jan 2012	83
24 Jan 2012		4	Hugh Francis Savile Crossley	27 Sep 1971
SOMERS
2 Dec 1697 to     26 Apr 1716	B	1	John Somers Created Baron Somers 2 Dec 1697 MP for Worcester 1689‑1693; Solicitor General 1689‑1692; Attorney General 1692‑1693; Lord Keeper 1693‑1697; Lord Chancellor 1697‑1700; President of the Royal Society 1698‑1703; Lord President of the Council 1708‑1710; PC 1693 Peerage extinct on his death	4 Mar 1651	26 Apr 1716	65
17 May 1784	B	1	Sir Charles Cocks, 1st baronet Created Baron Somers 17 May 1784 MP for Reigate 1747‑1784	29 Jun 1725	30 Jan 1806	80
30 Jan 1806 17 Jul 1821	E	2 1	John Sommers Cocks Created Viscount Eastnor and Earl Somers 17 Jul 1821 MP for West Looe 1782‑1784, Grampound 1784‑1790 and Reigate 1790‑1806; Lord Lieutenant Hereford 1817‑1841	6 May 1760	5 Jan 1841	80
5 Jan 1841		3 2	John Sommers Somers-Cocks MP for Reigate 1812‑1818 and 1832‑1841, and Hereford 1818‑1832; Lord Lieutenant Hereford 1845‑1852	19 Mar 1788	5 Oct 1852	64
5 Oct 1852 to     26 Sep 1883		4 3	Charles Somers Somers-Cocks MP for Reigate 1841‑1847 On his death the Earldom became extinct whilst the Barony passed to -	14 Jul 1819	26 Sep 1883	64
26 Sep 1883		5	Philip Reginald Cocks	22 Aug 1815	30 Sep 1899	84
30 Sep 1899		6	Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers Cocks Governor of Victoria 1926‑1931; Lord Lieutenant Hereford 1933‑1944	20 Mar 1887	14 Jul 1944	57
14 Jul 1944		7	Arthur Percy Somers Cocks	23 Nov 1864	8 Feb 1953	88
8 Feb 1953		8	John Patrick Somers Cocks	30 Apr 1907	15 Feb 1995	87
15 Feb 1995		9	Philip Sebastian Somers-Cocks	4 Jan 1948
SOMERSET
10 Feb 1397 29 Sep 1397 to     1399	E M	1 1	John Beaufort Created Earl of Somerset 10 Feb 1397 and Marquess of Somerset 29 Sep 1397 KG 1396 He was degraded from the Marquessate in 1399	c 1371	21 Apr 1410
21 Apr 1410		2	Henry Beaufort	16 Oct 1401	25 Nov 1418	17
25 Nov 1418 28 Aug 1443 to     27 May 1444	D	3 1	John Beaufort Created Earl of Kendal and Duke of Somerset 28 Aug 1443 KG c 1439 On his death the creations of 1443 became extinct whilst the Earldom passed to -	1404	27 May 1444	39
27 May 1444 31 Mar 1448	D	4 1	Edmund Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Dorset Created Duke of Somerset 31 Mar 1448 KG 1436	c 1406	23 May 1455
23 May 1455 to     3 Apr 1464		2	Henry Beaufort He was attainted and the peerages forfeited	Apr 1436	3 Apr 1464	27
24 Feb 1499 to     19 Jun 1500	D	1	Edmund Tudor Created Duke of Somerset 24 Feb 1499 Peerage extinct on his death	10 Feb 1499	19 Jun 1500	1
18 Jun 1525 to     22 Jul 1536	D	1	Henry Fitzroy Created Earl of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and Somerset 18 Jun 1525 Illegitimate son of Henry VIII Peerages extinct on his death	1519	22 Jul 1536	17
16 Feb 1547 to     22 Jan 1552	D	1	Edward Seymour Created Viscount Beauchamp of Hache 5 Jun 1536, Earl of Hertford 18 Oct 1537 and Duke of Somerset 16 Feb 1547 KG 1541 He was attainted and the peerages forfeited. Peerage restored 1660 (see below)	c 1500	22 Jan 1552
3 Nov 1613 to     17 Jul 1645	E	1	Robert Carr Created Viscount Rochester 25 Mar 1611, and Baron Brancepeth and Earl of Somerset 3 Nov 1613 Lord Lieutenant Durham 1615; KG 1611 Peerages extinct on his death For information on this peer and his wife and her involvement in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury, see the note at the foot of the page containing details of the Earls of Essex	c 1587	17 Jul 1645
13 Sep 1660	D	2	William Seymour, 1st Marquess of Hertford He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of Acceleration as Baron Beauchamp in Feb 1621. Created Marquess of Hertford 3 Jun 1640 Restored to the peerage 1660 Lord Lieutenant Somerset and Wiltshire 1660; KG 1650	1588	24 Oct 1660	72
24 Oct 1660		3	William Seymour	17 Apr 1652	12 Dec 1671	19
12 Dec 1671		4	John Seymour MP for Marlborough 1661‑1671; Lord Lieutenant Somerset and Wiltshire 1672‑1675	c 1633	29 Apr 1675
29 Apr 1675		5	Francis Seymour	17 Jan 1658	20 Apr 1678	20
20 Apr 1678		6	Charles Seymour Lord Lieutenant East Riding Yorkshire 1682‑1687 and Somerset 1683‑1687; Lord President of the Council 1702; KG 1684; PC 1702 For further information on this peer, see the note at the foot of this page	13 Aug 1662	2 Dec 1748	86
2 Dec 1748		7	Algernon Seymour Summoned to Parliament as Lord Percy 23 Nov 1722. Created Baron Warkworth and Earl of Northumberland 2 Oct 1749 and Baron Cockermouth and Earl of Egremont 3 Oct 1749 MP for Marlborough 1705‑1708 and Northumberland 1708‑1722; Lord Lieutenant Sussex 1706‑1750	11 Nov 1684	7 Feb 1750	65
7 Feb 1750		8	Sir Edward Seymour, 6th baronet MP for Salisbury 1741‑1747	17 Jan 1695	15 Dec 1757	62
15 Dec 1757		9	Edward Seymour PC 1770	2 Jan 1718	2 Jan 1792	74
2 Jan 1792		10	Webb Seymour	3 Dec 1718	15 Dec 1793	75
15 Dec 1793		11	Edward Adolphus Seymour KG 1837	24 Feb 1775	15 Aug 1855	80
15 Aug 1855		12	Edward Adolphus Seymour Created Earl Saint Maur 19 Jun 1863 MP for Okehampton 1830‑1831 and Totnes 1834‑1855; Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests 1849‑1852; First Lord of the Admiralty 1859‑1866; Lord Lieutenant Devon 1861‑1885; PC 1851; KG 1862 For further information on the two sons of this peer, see the note at the foot of this page	20 Dec 1804	28 Nov 1885	80
28 Nov 1885		13	Archibald Henry Algernon St. Maur	30 Dec 1810	10 Jan 1891	80
10 Jan 1891		14	Algernon Percy Banks St. Maur	22 Dec 1813	2 Oct 1894	80
2 Oct 1894		15	Algernon St. Maur	22 Jul 1846	22 Oct 1923	77
22 Oct 1923		16	Edward Hamilton Seymour For further information regarding a counter-claim to this peerage, see the note at the foot of this page	19 May 1860	5 May 1931	70
5 May 1931		17	Evelyn Francis Edward Seymour Lord Lieutenant Wiltshire 1942‑1954	1 May 1882	26 Apr 1954	71
26 Apr 1954		18	Percy Hamilton Seymour	27 Sep 1910	15 Nov 1984	74
15 Nov 1984		19	John Michael Edward Seymour [Elected hereditary peer 2014-]	30 Dec 1952
SOMERSET OF CASHEL
8 Dec 1626 to     Jun 1649	V[I]	1	Thomas Somerset Created Viscount Somerset of Cashel 8 Dec 1626 Peerage extinct on his death	1579	Jun 1649	69
SOMERTON
12 Jun 1795 30 Dec 1800	B[I] V[I]	1 1	Charles Agar Created Baron Somerton 12 Jun 1795, Viscount Somerton 30 Dec 1800 and Earl of Normanton 4 Feb 1806 See "Normanton"	22 Dec 1736	14 Jul 1809	72
9 Apr 1873	B	1	James Charles Herbert Welbore Ellis Agar, 3rd Earl of Normanton Created Baron Somerton 9 Apr 1873 See "Normanton"	17 Sep 1818	19 Dec 1896	78
SOMERVELL OF HARROW
4 Oct 1954 to     18 Nov 1960	B[L]		Sir Donald Bradley Somervell Created Baron Somervell of Harrow for life 4 Oct 1954 MP for Crewe 1931‑1945; Solicitor General 1933‑1936; Attorney General 1936‑1945; Home Secretary 1945; Lord Justice of Appeal 1946‑1954; Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 1954‑1960; PC 1938 Peerage extinct on his death	24 Aug 1889	18 Nov 1960	71
SOMERVILLE
c 1435	B[S]	1	Sir Thomas Somerville Created Lord Somerville c 1435		Dec 1444
Dec 1444		2	William Somerville	c 1400	20 Aug 1456
20 Aug 1456		3	John Somerville		Nov 1491
Nov 1491		4	John Somerville		1523
1523		5	Hugh Somerville	c 1484	1549
1549		6	James Somerville	c 1518	Dec 1569
Dec 1569		7	Hugh Somerville	c 1539	24 Mar 1597
24 Mar 1597		8	Gilbert Somerville On his death the peerage became dormant. The line of descent was as follows-	c 1568	1618
[1618]		[9]	[Hugh Somerville]	c 1573	Apr 1640
[Apr 1640]		[10]	[James Somerville]	Jan 1596	3 Jan 1677	80
[3 Jan 1677]		[11]	[James Somerville]	Jan 1632	7 Feb 1693	61
[7 Feb 1693]		[12]	[James Somerville]	1674	4 Dec 1709	35
[4 Dec 1709] 27 May 1723		13	James Somerville The House of Lords approved his right to the title in 1723	Jan 1698	14 Dec 1765	67
14 Dec 1765		14	James Somerville	Jan 1727	16 Apr 1796	69
16 Apr 1796		15	John Southey Somerville	21 Sep 1765	5 Oct 1819	54
5 Oct 1819		16	Mark Somerville	26 Oct 1784	3 Jun 1842	57
3 Jun 1842		17	Kenelm Somerville	14 Nov 1787	19 Oct 1864	76
19 Oct 1864		18	Hugh Somerville	11 Oct 1839	17 Nov 1868	29
17 Oct 1868 to     28 Aug 1870		19	Aubrey John Somerville On his death the peerage again became dormant For further information on this peerage, see the note at the foot of this page	1 Feb 1838	28 Aug 1870	32
SOMERY
10 Mar 1308 to     29 Dec 1321	B	1	John de Somery Summoned to Parliament as Lord Somery 10 Mar 1308 Peerage extinct on his death	c 1279	29 Dec 1321
SONDES
8 Apr 1676	V	1	Sir George Sondes Created Baron of Throwley, Viscount Sondes and Earl of Feversham 8 Apr 1676 See "Feversham" - extinct 1709	1600	16 Apr 1677	76
19 Oct 1714	V	1	Lewis Watson, 3rd Baron Rockingham Created Baron Throwley, Viscount Sondes and Earl of Rockingham 19 Oct 1714 See "Rockingham" - extinct 1746	29 Dec 1655	19 Mar 1724	68
22 May 1760	B	1	Lewis Watson Created Baron Sondes 22 May 1760 MP for Boroughbridge 1750‑1754 and Kent 1754‑1760	28 Nov 1728	30 Mar 1795	66
30 Mar 1795		2	Lewis Thomas Watson MP for Hedon 1776‑1780	18 Apr 1754	20 Jun 1806	52
20 Jun 1806		3	Lewis Richard Watson	24 May 1792	14 Mar 1836	43
14 Mar 1836		4	George John Milles	20 Jan 1794	17 Dec 1874	80
17 Dec 1874	E	5 1	George Watson Milles Created Viscount Throwley and Earl Sondes 4 May 1880 MP for Kent East 1868‑1874	2 Oct 1824	10 Sep 1894	69
10 Sep 1894		2	George Edward Milles‑Lade	11 May 1861	1 Oct 1907	46
1 Oct 1907		3	Lewis Arthur Milles	3 Oct 1866	17 Jan 1941	74
17 Jan 1941		4	George Henry Milles	8 Feb 1914	30 Apr 1970	56
30 Apr 1970 to     2 Dec 1996		5	Henry George Herbert Milles‑Lade Peerage extinct on his death	1 May 1940	2 Dec 1996	56
SOPER
12 May 1965 to     22 Dec 1998	B[L]		Donald Oliver Soper Created Baron Soper for life 12 May 1965 Peerage extinct on his death	31 Jan 1903	22 Dec 1998	95
SORENSEN
15 Dec 1964 to     8 Oct 1971	B[L]		Reginald William Sorensen Created Baron Sorensen for life 15 Dec 1964 MP for Leyton West 1929‑1931 and 1935‑1950 and Leyton 1950‑1964 Peerage extinct on his death	19 Jun 1891	8 Oct 1971	80
SOULBURY
6 Aug 1941 16 Jul 1954	B V	1 1	Herwald Ramsbotham Created Baron Soulbury 6 Aug 1941 and Viscount Soulbury 16 Jul 1954 MP for Lancaster 1929‑1941;. Minister of Pensions 1936‑1939; First Commissioner of Works 1939‑1940; President of the Board of Education 1940‑1941; Governor General of Ceylon 1949‑1954; PC 1939	6 Mar 1887	30 Jan 1971	83
30 Jan 1971		2	James Herwald Ramsbotham	21 Mar 1915	12 Dec 2004	89
12 Dec 2004		3	Sir Peter Edward Ramsbotham Governor of Bermuda 1977‑1980	8 Oct 1919	9 Apr 2010	90
9 Apr 2010		4	Oliver Peter Ramsbotham	27 Oct 1943
SOULSBY OF SWAFFHAM PRIOR
22 May 1990 to     8 May 2017	B[L]		Ernest Jackson Lawson Soulsby Created Baron Soulsby of Swaffham Prior for life 22 May 1990 Peerage extinct on his death	23 Jun 1926	8 May 2017	90
SOUTHAM
22 Oct 1844 to     22 Dec 1871	V	1	Edward Law, 2nd Baron Ellenborough Created Viscount Southam and Earl of Ellenborough 22 Oct 1844 This peerage extinct on his death	8 Sep 1790	22 Dec 1871	81
SOUTHAMPTON
18 Oct 1537 to     15 Oct 1542	E	1	Sir William Fitzwilliam Created Earl of Southampton 18 Oct 1537 MP for Surrey 1529‑1536; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1529‑1542; Lord Privy Seal 1539; KG 1526 Peerage extinct on his death	c 1490	15 Oct 1542
16 Feb 1547	E	1	Thomas Wriothesley Created Baron Wriothesley 1 Jan 1544 and Earl of Southampton 16 Feb 1547 MP for Hampshire 1542‑1544; Lord Chancellor 1544‑1547; KG 1545	21 Dec 1505	30 Jul 1550	44
30 Jul 1550		2	Henry Wriothesley	24 Apr 1545	4 Oct 1581	36
4 Oct 1581		3	Henry Wriothesley He was attainted and the peerages forfeited in 1601 but was restored to the peerages on 21 Jul 1603 KG 1603	6 Oct 1573	10 Nov 1624	51
10 Nov 1624 to     16 May 1667		4	Thomas Wriothesley (also 2nd Earl of Chichester) Lord High Treasurer 1660‑1667; Lord Lieutenant Hampshire 1660‑1667, Kent 1662‑1667, Norfolk 1660‑1661, Wiltshire 1661‑1667 and Worcester 1662‑1663; KG 1650 Peerages extinct on his death	10 Mar 1607	16 May 1667	60
3 Aug 1670	E	1	Barbara Palmer Created Baroness Nonsuch, Countess of Southampton and Duchess of Cleveland 3 Aug 1670 See "Cleveland"	1641	9 Oct 1709	68
10 Sep 1675	D	1	Charles Fitzroy Created Baron of Newbury, Earl of Chichester and Duke of Southampton 10 Sep 1675 Illegitimate son of Charles II; KG 1673 He subsequently succeeded to the Dukedom of Cleveland in 1709	18 Jun 1662	9 Sep 1730	68
9 Sep 1730 to     18 May 1774		2	William Fitzroy Peerages extinct on his death	19 Feb 1698	18 May 1774	76
17 Oct 1780	B	1	Charles FitzRoy Created Baron Southampton 17 Oct 1780 MP for Orford 1759‑1761, Bury St. Edmunds 1761‑1774 and Thetford 1774‑1780 For information on his second son, Charles, and his relationship with Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of King George III, see the note at the foot of this page	25 Jun 1737	21 Mar 1797	59
21 Mar 1797		2	George Ferdinand FitzRoy MP for Bury St. Edmunds 1784‑1787	7 Aug 1761	24 Jun 1810	48
24 Jun 1810		3	Charles FitzRoy Lord Lieutenant Northampton 1867‑1872	28 Sep 1804	16 Jul 1872	67
16 Jul 1872		4	Charles Henry FitzRoy	11 May 1867	7 Dec 1958	91
7 Dec 1958 to     16 Mar 1964		5	Charles FitzRoy He disclaimed the peerage for life in 1964	3 Jan 1904	1989	85
1989		6	Charles James FitzRoy For further information on this peer, see the note at the foot of this page	12 Aug 1928	10 Jan 2015	86
10 Jan 2015		7	Edward Charles FitzRoy	8 Jul 1955
SOUTHBOROUGH
1 Nov 1917	B	1	Sir Francis John Stephens Hopwood Created Baron Southborough 1 Nov 1917 PC 1912	2 Dec 1860	17 Jan 1947	86
17 Jan 1947		2	James Spencer Neill Hopwood	17 Jan 1889	25 Feb 1960	71
25 Feb 1960		3	Francis John Hopwood	7 Mar 1897	4 Feb 1982	84
4 Feb 1982 to     15 Jun 1992		4	Francis Michael Hopwood Peerage extinct on his death	3 May 1922	15 Jun 1992	70
SOUTHESK
22 Jun 1633	E[S]	1	David Carnegie Created Lord Carnegie of Kinnaird 14 Apr 1616, and Lord Carnegie of Kinnaird and Leuchars and Earl of Southesk 22 Jun 1633	1575	Feb 1658	82
Feb 1658		2	James Carnegie		Mar 1669
Mar 1669		3	Robert Carnegie		19 Feb 1688
19 Feb 1688		4	Charles Carnegie	7 Apr 1661	9 Aug 1699	38
9 Aug 1699 to     1715		5	James Carnegie He was attainted and the peerage forfeited	1692	10 Feb 1730	37
[10 Feb 1730]		[6]	[James Carnegie]		30 Apr 1765
[30 Apr 1765]		[7]	[David Carnegie]		25 May 1805
[25 May 1805]		[8]	[James Carnegie]	28 Sep 1799	30 Jan 1849	49
[30 Jan 1849]		9	Sir James Carnegie, 6th baronet He obtained a reversal of the attainder in 1855 Created Baron Balinhard 7 Dec 1869 Lord Lieutenant Kincardine 1849‑1856; KT 1869 For information on David Wynford Carnegie, this peer's youngest son, see the note at the foot of this page	16 Nov 1827	21 Feb 1905	77
21 Feb 1905		10	Charles Noel Carnegie	20 Mar 1854	10 Nov 1941	87
10 Nov 1941		11	Charles Alexander Carnegie	23 Sep 1893	16 Feb 1992	98
16 Feb 1992		12	James George Alexander Bannerman Carnegie He had previously succeeded to the Dukedom of Fife in 1959 with which title this peerage then merged and still remains so	23 Sep 1929
SOUTHWARK
13 Jul 1910 to     23 Feb 1929	B	1	Richard Knight Causton Created Baron Southwark 13 Jul 1910 MP for Colchester 1880‑1885 and Southwark West 1888‑1910; Paymaster General 1905‑1910; PC 1906 Peerage extinct on his death	25 Sep 1843	23 Feb 1929	85
SOUTHWELL
4 Sep 1717	B[I]	1	Sir Thomas Southwell, 2nd baronet Created Baron Southwell 4 Sep 1717 MP [I] for Limerick County 1695‑1699, 1703‑1713 and 1715‑1717; PC [I] 1710	1665	4 Aug 1720	55
4 Aug 1720		2	Thomas Southwell MP [I] for Limerick County 1717‑1721; PC [I] 1726	7 Jan 1698	19 Nov 1766	68
19 Nov 1766 18 Jul 1776	V[I]	3 1	Thomas George Southwell Created Viscount Southwell 18 Jul 1776 MP [I] for Enniscorthy 1747‑1761 and Limerick County 1761‑1766	4 May 1721	29 Aug 1780	59
29 Aug 1780		2	Thomas Arthur Southwell	16 Apr 1742	14 Feb 1796	53
14 Feb 1796		3	Thomas Anthony Southwell KP 1837	25 Feb 1777	29 Feb 1860	83
29 Feb 1860		4	Thomas Arthur Joseph Southwell Lord Lieutenant Leitrim 1872‑1878; KP 1871	6 Apr 1836	26 Aug 1878	42
26 Aug 1878		5	Arthur Robert Pyers Joseph Mary Southwell	16 Nov 1872	5 Oct 1944	71
5 Oct 1944		6	Robert Arthur William Joseph Southwell	5 Sep 1898	18 Nov 1960	62
18 Nov 1960		7	Pyers Anthony Joseph Southwell	14 Sep 1930	23 Sep 2019	89
23 Sep 2019		8	Richard Andrew Pyres Southwell	15 Jun 1956
SOUTHWOOD
11 Jun 1937 25 Jan 1946 to     10 Apr 1946	B V	1 1	Julius Salter Elias Created Baron Southwood 11 Jun 1937 and Viscount Southwood 25 Jan 1946 Peerage extinct on his death	5 Jan 1873	10 Apr 1946	73
SPELSBURY
5 Jun 1674	B	1	Sir Edward Henry Lee, 5th baronet Created Baron of Spelsbury, Viscount Quarendon and Earl of the City of Lichfield 5 Jun 1674 See "Lichfield"	c 1656	14 Jul 1716
SPENCER
3 Apr 1761 1 Nov 1765	V E	1 1	John Spencer Created Baron and Viscount Spencer 3 Apr 1761, and Viscount Althorp and Earl Spencer 1 Nov 1765 MP for Warwick 1756‑1761	19 Dec 1734	31 Oct 1783	48
31 Oct 1783		2	George John Spencer MP for Northampton 1780‑1782 and Surrey 1782‑1783; Lord Privy Seal 1794; First Lord of the Admiralty 1794‑1801; Home Secretary 1806‑1807; PC 1794; KG 1799	1 Sep 1758	10 Nov 1834	76
10 Nov 1834		3	John Charles Spencer MP for Okehampton 1804‑1806, Northamptonshire 1806‑1832 and Northamptonshire South 1832‑1834; Chancellor of the Exchequer 1830‑1834; PC 1830	30 May 1782	1 Oct 1845	63
1 Oct 1845		4	Frederick Spencer MP for Worcestershire 1831‑1832 and Midhurst 1832‑1834 and 1837‑1841; PC 1846; KG 1849	14 Apr 1798	27 Dec 1857	59
27 Dec 1857		5	John Poyntz Spencer MP for Northamptonshire South 1857; Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1868‑1874 and 1882‑1885; Lord President of the Council 1880‑1883; First Lord of the Admiralty 1892; Lord Lieutenant Northamptonshire 1872‑1908; PC 1859; KG 1865	27 Oct 1835	13 Aug 1910	74
13 Aug 1910		6	Charles Robert Spencer Created Viscount Althorp 19 Dec 1905 MP for Northamptonshire North 1880‑1885 and Northamptonshire Mid 1885‑1895 and 1900‑1905; Lord Lieutenant Northampton 1908‑1922; PC 1892; KG 1913	30 Oct 1857	16 Sep 1922	64
16 Sep 1922		7	Albert Edward John Spencer Lord Lieutenant Northampton 1952‑1967	23 May 1892	9 Jun 1975	83
9 Jun 1975		8	Edward John Spencer	24 Jan 1924	29 Mar 1992	68
29 Mar 1992		9	Charles Edward Maurice Spencer	20 May 1964
SPENCER OF WORMLEIGHTON
21 Jul 1603	B	1	Sir Robert Spencer Created Baron Spencer of Wormleighton 21 Jul 1603	1570	25 Oct 1627	57
25 Oct 1627		2	William Spencer MP for Northamptonshire 1620‑1625	4 Jan 1592	19 Dec 1636	44
19 Dec 1636		3	Henry Spencer He was created Earl of Sunderland in 1643 with which title this peerage then merged	23 Nov 1620	20 Sep 1643	22
12 Mar 1806			George Spencer-Churchill He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of Acceleration as Baron Spencer of Wormleighton 12 Mar 1806 He succeeded as 5th Duke of Marlborough in 1817	6 Mar 1766	5 Mar 1840	73
SPENCER-CHURCHILL
17 May 1965 to     12 Dec 1977	B[L]		Dame Clementine Ogilvy Spencer‑Churchill Created Baroness Spencer‑Churchill for life 17 May 1965 Peerage extinct on her death	1 Apr 1885	12 Dec 1977	92
SPENS
20 Aug 1959	B	1	Sir William Patrick Spens Created Baron Spens 20 Aug 1959 MP for Ashford 1933‑1943 and Kensington South 1950‑1959; Chief Justice of India 1943‑1947; PC 1953	9 Aug 1885	15 Nov 1973	88
15 Nov 1973		2	William George Michael Spens For further information on this peer, see the note at the foot of this page	18 Sep 1914	23 Nov 1984	70
23 Nov 1984		3	Patrick Michael Rex Spens	22 Jul 1942	5 Jan 2001	58
5 Jan 2001		4	Patrick Nathaniel George Spens	14 Oct 1968
SPICER
8 Jul 2010 to     29 May 2019	B[L]	1	Sir William Michael Hardy Spicer Created Baron Spicer for life 8 Jul 2010 MP for Worcestershire South 1974‑1997 and Worcestershire West 1997‑2010; PC 2013 Peerage extinct on his death	22 Jan 1943	29 May 2019	76
SPYNIE
4 Nov 1590	B[S]	1	Sir Alexander Lindsay Created Lord Spynie 4 Nov 1590		Jul 1607
Jul 1607		2	Alexander Lindsay		Mar 1646
Mar 1646 to     Jan 1671		3	George Lindsay On his death the peerage became dormant		Jan 1671
STAFFORD
6 Feb 1299	B	1	Edmond de Stafford Summoned to Parliament as Lord Stafford 6 Feb 1299		1308
1308 3 Mar 1351	E	2 1	Ralph Stafford Created Earl of Stafford 3 Mar 1351 KG 1348	24 Sep 1301	31 Aug 1372	70
31 Aug 1372		2	Hugh Stafford KG 1375	c 1342	2 Oct 1386
2 Oct 1386		3	Thomas Stafford	c 1368	4 Jul 1392
4 Jul 1392		4	William Stafford	21 Sep 1375	6 Apr 1395	19
6 Apr 1395		5	Edmund Stafford KG 1402	2 Mar 1378	21 Jul 1403	25
21 Jul 1403		6	Humphrey Stafford, later [1444] 1st Duke of Buckingham	15 Aug 1402	10 Jul 1460	57
10 Jul 1460 to     2 Nov 1483		7	Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham He was attainted and the peerage forfeited	4 Sep 1454	2 Nov 1483	29
1485 to     17 May 1521		8	Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham Restored to the peerage 1485. He was attainted and the peerage forfeited	3 Feb 1478	17 May 1521	43
4 Nov 1547	B	1	Henry Stafford Created Baron Stafford 4 Nov 1547 Lord Lieutenant Stafford 1559	18 Sep 1501	30 Apr 1563	61
30 Apr 1563		2	Henry Stafford MP for Stafford 1555	by 1527	1 Jan 1566
1 Jan 1566		3	Edward Stafford MP for Stafford 1558 and 1559	17 Jan 1536	19 Oct 1603	67
19 Oct 1603		4	Edward Stafford	1572	25 Sep 1625	53
25 Sep 1625		5	Henry Stafford	24 Sep 1621	Oct 1637	16
Oct 1637 to     c 1640		6	Roger Stafford Peerage extinct on his death	c 1573	c 1640
12 Sep 1640 11 Nov 1640 to     3 Jun 1678	B V	1 1	William Howard Created Baron Stafford 12 Sep 1640 and Viscount Stafford 11 Nov 1640 He was attainted and the peerage forfeited. See under 4th Earl of 1688 creation	30 Nov 1614	29 Dec 1680	66
12 Sep 1640 5 Oct 1688 to     23 Jan 1694	B[L] E[L]		Mary Stafford Created Baroness Stafford for life 12 Sep 1640 and Countess of Stafford for life 5 Oct 1688 Peerages extinct on her death	1619	23 Jan 1694	74
5 Oct 1688	E	1 [2]	Henry Stafford-Howard Created Earl of Stafford 5 Oct 1688	c 1648	27 Apr 1719
27 Apr 1719		2 [3]	William Stafford-Howard	c 1690	Jan 1734
Jan 1734		3 [4]	William Matthias Stafford‑Howard	24 Feb 1718	28 Feb 1751	33
28 Feb 1751 to     1 Apr 1762		4 [5]	John Paul Stafford-Howard On his death the Earldom became extinct whilst the Barony of 1640, subject to the attainder, passed to -	26 Jun 1700	1 Apr 1762	61
[1 Apr 1762]		[6]	[Anastasia Stafford-Howard]	21 Oct 1722	27 Apr 1807	84
[27 Apr 1807]		[7]	[William Jerningham]	7 Mar 1736	14 Aug 1809	73
[14 Aug 1809] 17 Jun 1824		8	Sir George William Stafford-Jerningham, 7th baronet Obtained a reversal of the attainder 1824	27 Apr 1771	4 Oct 1851	80
4 Oct 1851		9	Henry Valentine Stafford‑Jerningham MP for Pontefract 1830‑1834	2 Jan 1802	30 Nov 1884	82
30 Nov 1884		10	Augustus Frederick Fitzherbert Stafford‑Jerningham	28 Jun 1830	16 Apr 1892	61
16 Apr 1892		11	Fitzherbert Stafford-Jerningham	17 Jul 1833	12 Jun 1913	79
12 Jun 1913		12	Francis Edward Fitzherbert‑Stafford	28 Aug 1859	18 Sep 1932	73
18 Sep 1932		13	Edward Stafford Fitzherbert	17 Apr 1864	28 Sep 1941	77
28 Sep 1941		14	Basil Francis Nicholas Fitzherbert	7 Apr 1926	8 Jan 1986	59
8 Jan 1986		15	Francis Melfort William Fitzherbert	13 Mar 1954
STAFFORD
8 Jan 1371	B	1	Sir Richard Stafford Summoned to Parliament as Lord Stafford 8 Jan 1371		13 Aug 1380
13 Aug 1380		2	Edmund Stafford Lord Privy Seal 1391; Bishop of Exeter 1395‑1419; Lord Keeper 1394‑1399 and 1401‑1403		3 Sep 1419
3 Sep 1419		3	Thomas Stafford		11 Dec 1425
11 Dec 1425 to     after 1425		4	Richard Stafford On his death the peerage fell into abeyance		after 1425
21 Sep 1411 to     25 Oct 1420	B	1	Sir Hugh Stafford Summoned to Parliament as Lord Stafford 21 Sep 1411 KG 1418 Peerage extinct on his death		25 Oct 1420
STAFFORD
1 Mar 1786	M	1	Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Gower Created Marquess of Stafford 1 Mar 1786 MP for Bishop's Castle 1744‑1747, Westminster 1747‑1754 and Lichfield 1754; Lord Privy Seal 1755‑1757 and 1784‑1794; Lord President of the Council 1767‑1779 and 1783‑1784; Lord Lieutenant Stafford 1755‑1799 and Sutherland 1794‑1803; PC 1755; KG 1771	4 Aug 1721	26 Oct 1803	82
26 Oct 1803		2	George Granville Leveson‑Gower He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of Acceleration as Baron Gower 25 Feb 1799. He was created Duke of Sutherland in 1833 with which title this peerage then merged	9 Jan 1758	5 Jul 1833	75
STAFFORD DE SUTHWYKE
25 Jul 1461 to     17 Aug 1469	B	1	Sir Humphrey Stair Summoned to Parliament as Lord Stafford de Suthwyke 25 Jul 1461 He was attainted and the peerage forfeited		17 Aug 1469
STAIR
21 Apr 1690	V[S]	1	Sir James Dalrymple, 1st baronet Created Lord Glenluce & Stranraer and Viscount of Stair 21 Apr 1690	May 1619	25 Nov 1695	76
25 Nov 1695 8 Apr 1703	E[S]	2 1	John Dalrymple Created Lord Newliston, Glenluce & Stranraer, Viscount Dalrymple and Earl of Stair 8 Apr 1703 Secretary of State for Scotland 1691‑1695; PC 1702	1648	8 Jan 1707	58
8 Jan 1707		2	John Dalrymple Field Marshal 1742; KT 1710; PC 1714 For further information on this peer's wife, see the note at the foot of this page	20 Jul 1673	9 May 1747	73
9 May 1747		3	James Dalrymple		30 Nov 1760
30 Nov 1760		4	William Dalrymple-Crichton KT 1752 He had previously succeeded as 5th Earl of Dumfries in 1742	1699	27 Jul 1768	69
27 Jul 1768		5	John Dalrymple		13 Oct 1789
13 Oct 1789		6	John Dalrymple	24 Sep 1749	1 Jun 1821	71
1 Jun 1821		7	John William Henry Dalrymple	16 Nov 1784	20 Mar 1840	55
20 Mar 1840		8	Sir John Hamilton Dalrymple, 5th baronet Created Baron Oxenfoord of Cousland 16 Aug 1841 MP for Midlothian 1832‑1835; KT 1847	14 Jun 1771	10 Jan 1853	81
10 Jan 1853		9	North Hamilton-Dalrymple	1776	9 Nov 1864	88
9 Nov 1864		10	John Hamilton-Dalrymple MP for Wigtownshire 1841‑1856; Lord Lieutenant Wigtown 1851‑1903 and Ayrshire 1870‑1897; KT 1865	1 Apr 1819	3 Dec 1903	84
3 Dec 1903		11	John Hew North Henry Hamilton Dalrymple	12 Jun 1848	2 Dec 1914	66
2 Dec 1914		12	John James Dalrymple MP for Wigtownshire 1906‑1914; Lord Lieutenant Wigtown 1935‑1961; KT 1937	1 Feb 1879	4 Nov 1961	82
4 Nov 1961		13	John Aymer Dalrymple Lord Lieutenant Wigtown 1961‑1983	9 Oct 1906	26 Feb 1996	89
26 Feb 1996		14	John David James Dalrymple [Elected hereditary peer 2008-]	4 Sep 1961
STALBRIDGE
22 Mar 1886	B	1	Richard de Aquila Grosvenor Created Baron Stalbridge 22 Mar 1886 MP for Flintshire 1861-1886; PC 1872	28 Jan 1837	18 May 1912	75
18 May 1912 to     24 Dec 1949		2	Hugh Grosvenor Peerage extinct on his death For information on the death of his only son and heir, see the note at the foot of this page	5 May 1880	24 Dec 1949	69
STALLARD
7 Sep 1983 to     29 Mar 2008	B[L]		Albert William Stallard Created Baron Stallard for life 7 Sep 1983 MP for St. Pancras North 1970‑1983 Peerage extinct on his death	5 Nov 1921	29 Mar 2008	86
STAMFORD
26 Mar 1628	E	1	Henry Grey, 2nd Baron Grey of Groby Created Earl of Stamford 26 Mar 1628	c 1600	21 Aug 1673
21 Aug 1673		2	Thomas Grey Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1697‑1702; President of the Board of Trade 1699‑1702; Lord Lieutenant Devon 1696‑1702; PC 1694	1654	31 Jan 1720	65
31 Jan 1720		3	Harry Grey	10 Jun 1685	16 Nov 1739	54
16 Nov 1739		4	Harry Grey MP for Leicestershire 1738‑1739	18 Jun 1715	30 May 1768	52
30 May 1768		5	George Harry Grey Created Baron Delamer and Earl of Warrington 22 Apr 1796 MP for Staffordshire 1761‑1768; Lord Lieutenant Cheshire 1783‑1819	1 Oct 1737	23 May 1819	81
23 May 1819		6	George Harry Grey MP for Aldeburgh 1790‑1796 and St. Germans 1796‑1802; Lord Lieutenant Cheshire 1819‑1845	31 Oct 1765	26 Apr 1845	79
26 Apr 1845		7	George Harry Grey	7 Jan 1827	2 Jan 1883	55
2 Jan 1883		8	Harry Grey For further information on the Stamford Peerage claim of 1892, see the note at the foot of this page	26 Feb 1812	19 Jun 1890	78
19 Jun 1890		9	William Grey	18 Apr 1850	24 May 1910	60
24 May 1910 to     18 Aug 1976		10	Roger Grey Peerage extinct on his death	27 Oct 1896	18 Aug 1976	79
STAMFORDHAM
23 Jun 1911 to     31 Mar 1931	B	1	Sir Arthur John Bigge Created Baron Stamfordham 23 Jun 1911 PC 1910 Peerage extinct on his death	18 Jun 1849	31 Mar 1931	81

	Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset
	The following is extracted from The Emperor of the United States of America and Other Magnificent British Eccentrics by Catherine Caufield (Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1981)
	The Duke of Somerset had the good fortune in 1682 to marry Elizabeth Percy, heir to the ancient titles and immense wealth of the Earldom of Northumberland. The acquisition of her riches and prestige turned Somerset from a merely proud man to an extraordinary model of self-conceit.
	Although he loved pomp and eagerly participated in ceremonial occasions, where he cut a handsome figure, Somerset's sensibility was offended by the notion of the lower orders witnessing his magnificent person on these or any other occasions and he took elaborate steps to prevent such a distressing occurrence. He built houses at intervals along the main roads between London and his estates so that he would not be obliged to suffer the indignity of staying at a common inn. Outriders preceded him to clear the road of commoners, whom they unceremoniously ordered out of the way. Somerset was just as reluctant to see such people as he was to be seen by them. He had to communicate with his servants, of course, but rather than speak to them he used sign language. Not surprisingly he became known as 'The Proud Duke'.
	Somerset's family was not exempt from the effects of his pride. His youngest daughter, Charlotte, used to sit and watch her father as he took his after-dinner nap on a couch. One day she wandered away while he slept and he rolled onto the floor. He woke in a fury and ordered the whole household to ostracise her. Everyone was too intimidated to mention Charlotte's name to the Duke, even to ask when they were allowed to speak to her, so for a year she was completely ostracised. Later, she was deprived of £20,000 of her inheritance for sitting down in his presence.
	When Somerset's second wife, herself the daughter of the Earl of Nottingham, tapped him gently with her fan, he said to her icily, 'Madame, my first Duchess was a Percy and she never took such a liberty.'
	Edward Adolphus Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset, and his sons Lord Edward Adolphus Ferdinand Seymour, styled Earl St. Maur (1835‑1869) and Lord Edward Percy Seymour (1841‑1865)
	The 12th Duke made the largest mark in public life of any of the Dukes of Somerset, being a member of the Government on two occasions; as Chief Commissioner of Woods between 1849 and 1852, and First Lord of the Admiralty between 1859 and 1866. Unfortunately, his life was blighted by family tragedy.
	He married one of the most beautiful women of his time, Jane Georgiana Sheridan, grand-daughter of the playwright, Richard Brinsley Sheridan. To the proud Seymour family, however, her beauty did not outweigh the fact that she was 'low-born', and she was despised by the rest of the family. The family described her as a 'low-born greedy beggar woman' but Georgiana, whose favourite dishes included guinea pigs and who produced a cookbook filled with guinea pig recipes, lived happily with her husband and 5 children and largely ignored the rest of the family.
	The two sons born of this marriage were Edward Adolphus Ferdinand (always known as 'Ferdy') and, somewhat confusingly, Edward Percy. After 1863, when his father was created Earl St. Maur, Ferdy was known by this latter title. Ferdy was not one to relish study, but rather was eager for a life of action which he soon put into practice by incessant travelling during which he constantly sought out military activity. He turned up in Persia, where he fought in the Anglo‑Persian War of 1856‑1857; then he volunteered to fight in the relief of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny, where his bravery was praised and earned him a mention in despatches. He next, under the name of Richard Sarsfield, joined Garibaldi's forces in their fight for Italian freedom. While serving in these forces, he became embroiled in a fight with a brother officer, whom Ferdy had accused of embezzling the army's funds. After being forbidden to engage in a duel with the other officer, Ferdy returned to England. Although he never again took part in any military adventure, Ferdy continued to travel widely.
	The younger son, Lord Edward Percy Seymour, was far more studious. At the age of 18, he was an attaché in the British Embassy in Vienna, followed by the same post in Madrid the following year. In December 1865, he found himself in India, where he died after being mauled by a bear. The following article is from The Derby Mercury of 24 January 1866, reprinted from The Bombay Gazette.
	We deeply regret to learn that Lord Edward Seymour, who came to India only a few weeks ago, has died at Yellapoor, from an accident that happened to him in a shooting excursion.
	Lord Edward … accompanied Sir Bartle Frere [at the time Governor of Bombay] in his tour in the Southern Mahratta country. He left his Excellency's camp at Dharwar with Mr. Shaw Stewart, collector of Carwar, intending to accompany that gentleman to his residence. They reached Yellapoor on the 13th inst., and on the following morning Lord Edward and Mr. Brand, a young officer of the Guards, went to a place on the banks of the Kalla Nudda, near Lalgooly, for bison and bear shooting. They were accompanied by native shikarees and went in different directions. Mr. Brand returned about nine o'clock, having heard one shot fired by his companion; and about an hour afterwards a shikaree brought him Lord Edward's belt and hunting knife, on the sheath of which he found a written message from him stating that he had been wounded by a bear, and wished a surgeon to be sent to him. A messenger was immediately sent to Carwar for Dr. Davies; and Mr. Shaw Stewart, Mr. Brand, and Mr. Walker, a civil engineer, hurried to the place where Lord Edward was lying. They learned from him that he had fired at a bear and wounded it, and in following it up came upon it at a distance of about 15 yards. After he had discharged both barrels of his gun the animal rushed upon him, and seizing him by the left knee both of them rolled down a steep hill, Lord Edward dealing the animal repeated blows with his hunting knife. His shikarees soon came to his assistance, and the bear left him. His left leg was found to have been severely hurt, and there was a bad cut across his forehead; but he was nevertheless very composed and collected, and was able to give directions to those about him. He was carried to the top of the hill (about 200 feet high) and placed in a temporary shed; and another messenger sent off to Dharwar for Dr. Langley. He was taken next morning to Yellapoor, but the doctors did not arrive until late the following day. He had been attended, however, by a native hospital assistant, and the medical gentlemen on their arrival found that every possible care has been bestowed on him. The patient appeared at first to be gradually improving, but on the 18th an unfavourable change was noticed, and it was found necessary to amputate the left leg above the knee. The operation was successfully performed, and a subsequent examination of the limb showed that the doctors had not been wrong in their decision. The symptoms for the time were of a favourable character, and the heroic fortitude with which the patient bore his sufferings seemed of itself to inspire hope; but a change for the worse became perceptible, and after sinking gradually for some time Lord Edward died shortly after two o'clock in the morning of the 20th [December 1865].
	After the death of his younger brother, Ferdy lived for a period in Tangiers, before returning to England in 1868, weakened by various diseases contracted during his travels in the Far East. In September 1869, Ferdy was suffering from a dangerous chest infection and his mother, the Duchess, called in a well known specialist, Dr. Charles Williams. After examining the patient, Dr. Williams obtained permission from Ferdy's parents to perform an emergency tracheotomy, but it was unsuccessful and Ferdy died. In her grief, the Duchess accused Dr. Williams of criminal rashness, calling him a 'hypocritical murderer' who had performed the operation to 'satisfy his own selfish vanity'. In February 1870, Dr. Williams took legal action against the Duke and Duchess in order to save his reputation. The Duke and Duchess apologized unreservedly and were ordered to pay a token five guineas damages. For his part, Dr. Williams was happy to accept the apology, and no further action was taken.
	The deaths of his two sons left the Duke a broken man, who now had no male heirs to succeed him. As a result, he amended his will to ensure that, apart from the title, very little of his property would be left to the rest of his family. Some property was left to his three daughters, but the family home and its contents were left in trust for two children named Harold St. Maur and Ruth St. Maur, whose existence was unknown to the rest of the family.
	In 1866, Ferdy had met and "married" an illiterate maid named Rosa (or Rosina) Swann. She bore him two children - Ruth and Harold. After Ferdy's death, she and the children were provided for by the Duke and Duchess, who kept their existence in the dark. After the death of the Duke in 1885, the two children were still minors, and, under the terms of the Duke's will, under the guardianship of Lord Henry Thynne, husband of the Duke's daughter, Ulrica. Lord Henry appears to have ignored his trustee responsibilities, since he began to sell off the children's heritage.
	After Harold came of age, he spent many years attempting to prove that his parents had been legally married and that, as a result, he was the rightful Duke of Somerset. The story goes that one day a witness to the marriage turned up, but was immediately hustled away by Lord Henry Thynne. This mystery witness opened a shop soon after, paid for by an unknown but guessable benefactor. In the meantime, Harold lived comfortably at the Seymour family home while the then Duke lived very frugally at a far smaller house. At the general election in December 1910, Harold was elected for Exeter, but he was unseated on petition some four months later. He died in Kenya in 1927.
	As for Ruth, she married in 1887 William George Frederick Cavendish‑Bentinck - two of her sons later succeeded as Dukes of Portland.
	The Somerset Peerage claim of 1923‑1925
	On the death of the 15th Duke of Somerset in 1923, his only near relations were his three nieces, whose names were Helen, Lettys and Lucy, but who were usually known as "Hell let loose". Sir Edward Hamilton Seymour, who was the senior male heir of the body of the original grantee, the 1st Duke of Somerset, was a distant relation, a third cousin once removed, who was descended from the 8th Duke, who had died in 1757. However, his right to succeed as the 16th Duke was challenged by the Marquess of Hertford, another member of the Seymour family. The question of who was the rightful heir was, as a result, referred to the House of Lords Committee of Privileges for its determination, which was finally delivered in March 1925.
	Sir Edward Seymour was the great-grandson of Francis Compton Seymour, who was in turn the grandson of the 8th Duke. In 1787, Francis Compton Seymour had married the daughter of a London publican. Her name was Leonora Perkins, the widow of a seaman named John Hudson. A son, Francis Edward Seymour, was born on 21 September 1788, and Sir Edward Seymour was his only surviving grandson. However, it was the Marquess of Hertford's case that the son, Francis Edward Seymour, was illegitimate on the grounds that, when Francis Compton Seymour had married the supposed widow Leonora, the marriage was bigamous since John Hudson was still alive. In addition, a man named Henry Seymour, descended from Leonora's third son by Francis Compton Seymour also claimed the title, as did Harold St. Maur, son of the Earl St. Maur [see the note above which discusses his history]. These latter two claimants had no documentary proofs to offer and their claims soon fell by the wayside.
	The John Hudson who was supposed to have married Leonora Perkins, had, according to the records, died in Calcutta in 1786. However, the Marquess of Hertford pointed out that local municipal records showed that a John Hudson had died in Middlesex Hospital in 1791; surely, said Hertford, this John Hudson was Leonora's husband, and the John Hudson who had died in Calcutta was a different person entirely. Unfortunately for Hertford's case, it was demonstrated that the John Hudson who had died in Middlesex Hospital in 1791 was aged 44, whereas Leonora's husband would have been 53 had he been the dead man. In March 1925, the Committee therefore found that Hudson had indeed died in Calcutta, that the marriage of Francis Compton Seymour and Leonora Perkins was not therefore bigamous and that, as a result, Sir Edward Hamilton Seymour was the rightful heir and therefore the 16th Duke of Somerset.
	The following article is taken from The Times of 26 March 1925:-
	The decision of the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords that Brigadier-General Sir Edward Hamilton Seymour has made good his claim to succeed to the Dukedom of Somerset, vacated by the death in October 1923, of his distant cousin, Sir Algernon St. Maur, the 15th Duke of the 1547 creation, puts an end to one of the most fascinating and romantic peerage cases that have ever come before it.
	The late Duke died without issue, and before Sir Edward Seymour could make good the claim to succeed his third cousin once removed doubts had to be set at rest concerning the validity of the marriage of his great grandfather, Colonel Francis Seymour. The story of this marriage and of the difficulties it has caused might have been borrowed from the pages of a sensational novel which had been thrown aside by the impatient reader on the ground that that sort of thing did not happen in real life. After hearing the arguments of learned counsel, referring to musty rate‑books and land‑tax returns, inspecting a ship's log, the faded archives of the long-dead East India Company, and examining parish registers, the Committee of Privileges has decided that it did happen.
	It is, therefore, true that Mr. Perkins, a Woolwich publican, permitted his daughter, Leonora, to marry John Hudson in 1768. Two years later Perkins died, and Hudson, who seems to have been in partnership with his father-in-law, took over the licence and held it until 1775. Affairs do not seem to have prospered with him, for in 1785 he shipped before the mast on board the Manship, belonging to the Honourable the East India Company, and sailed for Calcutta. Here he died on 27th September, 1786, and was buried on shore. News of his death reached England, and his widow proved his will, and on September 3rd, 1787, married Colonel Francis Seymour, son of the Dean of Wells and grandson of the 8th Duke of Somerset. Thus, 19 years after her first marriage the widow of the publican turned merchant-seaman married into a family which had twice married potential claimants to the Throne, and had a reputation for pride even among the aristocrats of the day, some of whom were so haughty that they could not bring themselves to speak to their own servants, but conveyed their pleasure by signs [i.e. the 6th Duke - see above]. Still, in the case of Colonel Francis Seymour, there was another hereditary influence at work, and he may have been predisposed to contract an impulsive and unusual marriage as his own father, the Dean of Wells, had been married almost clandestinely by the Rev. Alexander Keith, the notorious proprietor of one of those irregular "wedding-shops" which were suppressed, together with the "Fleet Marriages" by Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1754. [The Fleet Prison was claimed to be outside the jurisdiction of the Church, with the result that large numbers of clandestine marriages were conducted there.]
	But it appears that Fate, having thus disposed satisfactorily of John Hudson and Leonora, his widow, had provided for the simultaneous existence of another John Hudson, who figures on rate books in the same locality, and very inconveniently did not die until 1791 - that is to say, after the first Leonora had presented her new lord with a son. Her third son, Henry, was born in 1795, and about 1840 a tradition grew up among that third son's descendants that there were not two John Hudsons, but only one, and that he had only pretended to die in Calcutta in order to conceal desertion from the Manship, and that he had returned to find his home broken up and his wife bigamously married to the colonel. The tradition, in the interests of Henry's legitimacy, generously made out that the colonel, dismayed at John Hudson's return, had secretly remarried Leonora after his second demise in 1791; but, although search has been made during 40 years for evidence of that second marriage, which would have been evidence that the first (in 1787) was not genuine, and that the eldest son had not been born in wedlock, it could not be found, and Mr. H.S. Seymour, the descendant of the colonel's third son, withdrew the claim to the Dukedom, which he had preferred. This left the field open for the contest between Sir Edward Seymour, descended from the colonel's eldest son, and the Marquess of Hertford, who is descended from the uncle of the 8th Duke, and claimed that if the marriage of Colonel Seymour and Leonora Hudson was invalid, the legitimate male issue of the eighth Duke was extinct, and that he was the real heir, It was, however, shown that the inconvenient John Hudson who died in 1791 was ten years younger than his important namesake, and this may have helped the Committee of Privileges to decline to ignore the evidence of the East India Company's records and the Calcutta registers, which were united in consigning the deceased mariner to his grave in 1786.
	The Somerville peerage
	The 18th Baron Somerville was killed in a hunting accident on 17 November 1868. According to The Irish Times of 19 November 1868 "Lord Somerville was killed in the hunting field in Rutland-shire … His horse was ridden at a very stiff and high quick fence. The animal stumbled and fell upon its rider, crushing his head and face. His lordship breathed for a few minutes only."
	After his death the following obituary appeared in the Illustrated London News of 28 November 1868:-
	The Right Hon. Hugh Somerville, eighteenth Baron Somerville, in the Peerage of Scotland, who was killed on the 17th instant, whilst hunting with Mr. Tailby's hounds near Withcote Hall, about two miles north of Uppingham, Rutlandshire, was the elder and only surviving son of Kenelm, seventeenth Baron Somerville, by his wife Francis Louisa, only daughter of John Hayman, Esq. He was born October 11th, 1839; and was educated at Eton, and Christ Church, Oxford. He was appointed, in 1861, Lieutenant of the Warwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry. He succeeded his father as eighteenth Baron Somerville, October 19th, 1864. He was never married. He is succeeded by his first cousin, Aubrey John, now nineteenth Baron Somerville, who was born February 1st, 1838, and is the eldest surviving son of the late Hon. And Rev. William Somerville, Rector of Barford, Warwickshire.
	This family, of Norman descent, obtained the Barony of Somerville, as far back as 1430. Gilbert, the eighth Lord Somerville, entertained King James VI [of Scotland] most sumptuously at his Castle of Cowthaly, which the monarch jocularly called "Cow-daily", from seeing a cow and ten sheep killed every day. His lordship, by this course of boundless hospitality and extravagance, ran entirely through his estates; and he died so poor that the title was not resumed until 1723, when it was confirmed, by Act of Parliament, to James, the thirteenth lord, [see below for further information] who eventually became wealthy through obtaining the reversion of the estates of [William] Somerville [1675‑1742], the celebrated poet, author of "The Chase"; and it is a strange and sad coincidence that the recent possessor of the poet's estate should have perished in the chase so miserably. The thirteenth Lord's grandson, John, fifteenth Lord, introduced the breed of merigo [sic - merino] sheep from Lisbon into England. He was uncle of the nobleman just deceased, and of his successor, the present Peer.
	The petition mentioned above was presented to the House of Lords on 25 May 1723 and was referred to the Committee for Privileges. On 27 May 1723, the Committee reported:-
	That Directions may be given, for declaring and establishing the Petitioner's Right and Title to the Honour and Dignity of Lord Somerville; That the Committee have considered the said Petition to them referred; and have perused an authentic Extract out of the Rolls of Parliament, signed by the proper Officer, according to the law of Scotland, and an Affidavit that the same was truly extracted; whereby it appears, that the Lord Somerville is enrolled as present in Parliament the 15th of February, 1524; and is from that Time to the 13th of July, 1587 found in the Parliament Rolls.
	That the Lord Somerville, who then sat in Parliament, was called Hugh Lord Somerville, and had Two Sons, Gilbert and Hugh; That Gilbert was also designed Lord Somerville in several authentic Writings produced to the Committee.
	That the issue of the said Gilbert has failed; and that James the petitioner, in a connect Progress, has been served Heir to the said Gilbert the last Lord Somerville, and ought to be placed, in the List or Roll of Peers, in the Place in which his Ancestor first abovementioned sat; with a Saving, nevertheless, as well to the Petitioner, as to all other Peers of Scotland, their Rights and Places; upon further and better authority shewed for the same. [Journal of the House of Lords 27 May 1723.]
	The 19th Lord Somerville was, at the time of succeeding to the peerage, a 'squatter' in Australia, where he was involved in the establishment of the sugar cane industry in northern New South Wales. On hearing of his accession, he returned to England, where he died from bronchitis and inflammation of the lungs in August 1870. On his death, the peerage is generally considered to have become dormant, largely because, given the antiquity of the peerage, it is not known whether the peerage descended to heirs male or heirs general.
	An interesting reference to this peerage appeared in the Broken Hill Barrier Miner on 5 September 1904:-
	Mention was … made recently of a curious incident which befell a distinguished Colonial Governor while he was officiating in Fiji. A man in a tattered white suit, a typical "Beachcomber" of the South Seas, called upon him and after a private interview of some duration, the Governor was persuaded to put a sailing boat at his battered visitor's disposal to take him to an island which he had named.
	The man said he was by right of descent 20th Baron Somerville, but he had settled down with a dusky bride in a Polynesian paradise and had no desire to take the status that belonged to him. The Governor was sceptical, if soft-hearted. The episode passed into the realm of the half forgotten.
	But it is apparently to be revived. News came by the last Australian mail that "Hugh Somerville, eldest son of Hugh, rightful 20th Lord Somerville, had arrived in Cooktown, Queensland from somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Solomon Islands, and was seeking means to enable him to return to England and claim the title.
	He is described as a young man of 22, tall and handsome, and with a complexion bronzed to the tint of copper, obviously of partly native descent, but well manner and pleasant spoken, and fairly well educated. No details of his claim are given.
	The Somervilles are a very ancient family. Thomas de Somerville was a justiciary of Scotland in the early days of the 15th century and was made a peer in 1430. He married the daughter of Sir Alexander Stewart of Darnley with whom he got the Barony of Cambusnethan.
	Of later Somervilles, the 14th Baron served with the 17th Dragoons in Portugal, the 15th was President of the Board of Agriculture and a Lord of the Bedchamber. The 17th was the famous Admiral, Kenelm Somerville. With the death of the 19th baron in 1870 the title was presumed to have become extinct, but it has always been doubtful whether some of the descendants of Admiral Kenelm were not still alive.
	In any event, no further action appears to have been taken by any party, including the person discussed in the newspaper report above, to further their claims to this peerage.
	Charles FitzRoy (5 Sep 1762-18 Oct 1831), 2nd son of the 1st Baron Southampton and HRH Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of King George III
	The following story of the relationship between Charles FitzRoy and Princess Amelia appeared in the Australian monthly magazine Parade in its issue for May 1957:-
	After their summer holiday in 1801, George III and his family quit the Royal Lodge at Weymouth to return to Windsor Castle. They left behind the King's youngest and favourite daughter, 18-years-old Amelia. Amelia was in poor health and further rest, sea air and riding exercise were advised by her doctors. She was left in the care of two trusted serving women and the King's personal equerry, dashing, 38-years-old General Charles FitzRoy. Thus thrown together, the Princess and the equerry fell in love - and touched off another of the scandals that stud the chequered history of British royalty.
	Till she died, Princess Amelia and Charles FitzRoy remained devoted lovers. She was said to steal out nightly for trysts. Sometimes she was lowered from her window in a clothes basket. Rumours say Amelia married FitzRoy secretly and had a child. The official version is that she wished to marry but was thwarted by the rigid clauses of the Royal Marriage Act.
	Born on August 7, 1783, Amelia was the 15th and last child of King George III and Queen Charlotte. Pretty, lovable, she was the special champion of her father. She grew into a bright, graceful girl full of high spirits and fun and at eight was a prodigy at the piano. At 15, she "adopted" half a dozen orphan girls and paid for their upkeep from her own money. She added to their numbers all through life, till at last they landed her in a tangle of debts. She was only 18, tall, slender with flowing blonde hair, when she paled under what was later found to be the first onset of tuberculosis. The King left her at Weymouth. It was thought the Dorset sea air would do her good. Ill, lonely, she was thrown into close contact with a handsome man of the world, 20 years her senior.
	The Honourable Charles FitzRoy himself bore royal blood. He was the second son of Lord Southampton and the nephew of the Duke of Grafton. His family traced their origin to the liaison between King Charles II and the beautiful, money-hungry Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine. FitzRoy was a brilliant soldier and diplomat. He had been taken up by George III after succeeding in a number of delicate missions on the Continent. The King made FitzRoy his equerry "to be close to the Royal person at all times". He was favoured even before George's own sons. Palace gossip called him "Prince Charles".
	Because of the 20 years difference in their ages, plus the faith in FitzRoy's sense of duty, the King had no hesitation in entrusting his best­loved daughter, Amelia, to him. His confidence was misplaced. Love intervened. When Amelia returned to Windsor, an ardent attachment existed between them. Out riding with the Royal family, they lagged behind to hold hands in the leafy Windsor glades. In church, FitzRoy had to sit so the love-sick princess could feast her eyes on his profile. Amelia was forever slipping into the grounds of the castle with notes for him. She confided to a friend her pleasure in a palace fireworks display - for the opportunity it gave of snuggling into FitzRoy's arms in the shadows.
	The general, most historians believe, was reluctant to share to the full her all-consuming ardour. Some claim he should have eloped with her or quit his position for military duties abroad. Amelia, however, constantly played on his affection. Daily she poured out her love for him in letters. These are now preserved in the Royal archives at Windsor. Each is a poignant mirror into the soul of a woman eating out her heart. "My own dear love," she wrote hopefully, "I am sure you love me as well as ever". Repeatedly she begged for a "a kind look or word" or a lock of his "dear hair". "I really must marry you," she sought reassurance, "though of course we are inwardly united and that is much more than the ceremony".
	By now her two faithful serving women - the Misses Gomme and Goldsworthy - were suspicious. They reported to Queen Charlotte the after-dark trysts between Amelia and FitzRoy, even describing how the Princess was lowered from her room in an oversize clothes basket. The Queen was surprisingly unmoved. Her main worry then was the sanity of the King, who was suffering from frequent mental attacks. She forbade any mention of either the affair or any possible marriage to him.
	The Queen was perfectly safe. There could be no open marriage. Enacted in 1772, the Royal Marriage Act prohibited any member of the Royal Family marrying without the consent of the King. If over 25, however, the consent could be dispensed with - if the Privy Council were informed and the ceremony delayed for 12 months. Amelia was then only 20. She was already thinking of secret marriage. She had plenty of encouragement from her brothers. Her elder brother, the dissolute Prince of Wales, later King George IV, had secretly married Mrs. Fitzherbert without the King's consent. The Duke of Sussex secretly married Lady Augusta Murray only to have the union declared illegal though there were two children. The Duke of Kent lived for years in happy domestic bliss with his mistress, French-Canadian Julie de St. Laurent, only to throw her aside to marry the Princess of Leiningen, by whom he sired Queen Victoria. For good measure in the story of unofficial royal love, the Duke of York got sacked from his job of Commander-in-Chief of the Army for letting his mistress, the sprightly Mary Anne Clarke, sell army commissions.
	Young Princess Amelia consulted Kent, York and Sussex. They were sympathetic. The Prince of Wales gave his word she would have permission to marry as soon as he became King, which no one expected would be so long as it was.
	Because of her sickness, the girl was impatient. According to many contemporaries, she then plunged into a secret marriage with FitzRoy. After 1803, she often signed herself "A.F.R." for Amelia FitzRoy. FitzRoy himself neither confirmed or denied the rumours. The wife he married after Amelia's death often stated he was married to the Princess. The Princess of Wales declared in 1810 that "everyone believed it". Also cited as proof was the dismissal by Queen Charlotte of a favoured lady-in-waiting, Lady Georgiana Bulkeley, reputedly for helping to arrange a secret marriage between Amelia and FitzRoy. To her brother Frederick, Duke of York, Amelia confided that she "considered herself married". One of her letters to FitzRoy stated: "We are married. Every thought and every sorrow we must impart to each other."
	It was openly rumoured round the Royal household that the couple were not only married - but the parents of children. Amelia's periodic bouts of sickness aided the talk. A child, Theresa, adopted by her friend, Mrs. George Villiers (related to FitzRoy), was reputed to be her daughter. Even her last and fatal illness was believed in many quarters to be the result of childbirth. The FitzRoy family still preserve a story that Amelia died after giving birth to twins. At this time, too, the voice of slander rose. In some quarters she was accused of having an affair with Edward Phelps, a roistering crony of her brother, the Prince of Wales. She was supposed to have had a a child by him. Descendants of the child still have jewellery, trinkets and china that belonged to Princess Amelia.
	For all her unhappiness over the affair with FitzRoy and the disease which prostrated her for increasing periods, Princess Amelia continued her work for charity. She poured out so much for her brood of adopted orphans that she was perpetually in debt to her brothers and sisters. She also borrowed £5000 from FitzRoy which remained unpaid at her death.
	At 25, the "long notorious amour with FitzRoy" (as one diarist called it) was still Amelia's main reason for living. Tuberculosis was by now wasting her body, but her love for the handsome equerry burned as brightly as ever. Vainly her sisters pleaded caution as rumours ran round the palace that FitzRoy was seen entering or leaving her room at night.
	At that time, her father's mind showed some improvement. Though she was then old enough to apply to the Privy Council for permission to regularise any affection she had for FitzRoy, Amelia refused to do so for fear the shock would send her father back to irredeemable insanity. Hopefully, she prepared the necessary documents to present to the Privy Council. They were never used and were among her papers at her death. "General FitzRoy possesses all my affection and nothing can ever alter that," the Princess wrote. "For years I have considered myself his lawful wife - suffering all the trials of that, without ever enjoying the rights."
	Her own complaint worsened. By 1808 she was practically an invalid. To add to her unhappiness, she decided that her mother, Queen Charlotte, was not eager for her to recover. Amelia accused her mother of conniving with doctors so she would die and thus could not worry the King with her love affair. Her sufferings increased when the tuberculosis was complicated by an attack of "St. Anthony's fire" (erysipelas). Doctors warned there was no hope of recovery. Princess Amelia refused to accept the verdict. She wanted to live more than ever now. She hired a new and revolutionary doctor named Pope at a fee of £1000 to treat her. Pope gave new hope by diagnosing not tuberculosis but a liver complaint. Clutching at a straw, the Princess placed herself entirely in his hands - even leaving her beloved FitzRoy for sea-bathing at the resort of Worthing. Dr. Pope's treatment consisted of warm baths, copious drinking of wine and "elm-bark tea" and large doses of calomel [mercurous chloride, used as a purgative]. Nothing could have been worse for tuberculosis. Her condition rapidly worsened.
	After some months Amelia returned more wasted than ever to her ordinary physicians at Windsor. Her father built a special lodge for her in the castle grounds. There she was tended by her sister Mary as she slowly wasted away. She sent messages to FitzRoy, but in her final sickness, which he claimed "affected him too much," he visited her only once. Amelia lay like a frail china doll and used her last strength to draw up her will. In it she left everything she possessed to "dear Charles FitzRoy".
	Though she left all to Charles Fitzroy, Amelia thought also of her father. Wishing to give him a final keepsake, she had a special mourning ring made. It comprised a lock of her hair, under crystal, set round with diamonds. When he visited her, she took his hand and pressed the ring on his finger. The old King broke into uncontrollable tears. The gift churned up such poignant grief that he lapsed into final and complete madness.
	Thus poor Amelia caused the calamity she feared. To avoid it, she had barred herself from life with the man she loved. On November 11, 1810, Princess Amelia coughed away her life in the lodge at Windsor, attended only by her sister. Her last words were: "Tell Charles I die blessing him". She had penned him a final note. "No two ever loved or were so tried as we," it said. "You have given me every moment of comfort and happiness I have ever enjoyed." According to her sister Mary, she died of a broken heart. FitzRoy, a shadowy unreal figure through the whole affair, referred to her after death as "the adored Amelia".
	The Princess' estate, after payment of debts, comprised only a few thousand pounds in jewellery. To avoid scandal, the Prince of Wales confiscated Amelia's will. He sent word to FitzRoy that he would personally reimburse him in cash for the value of the jewellery. He gave the jewels instead to his sister Mary, who had devotedly nursed Amelia. The Prince then conveniently forgot all about the payment to FitzRoy. Later he pointedly turned his back on the general whenever they met.
	Charles James FitzRoy, 6th Baron Southampton
	Lord Southampton married his first wife, Pamela Henniker, in May 1951. They were married for nearly 46 years until his wife died in February 1997. In October 1997, Lord Southampton married his second wife Alma Pasqual Perez, his Filipina cleaner. This marriage was the subject of an article written by Ann Treneman which appeared in The Independent on 5 December 1997:-
	He is from the aristocracy. She is from the Philippines. He is 69, she is 36. He is pretty useless round the house, she is pretty useful (she used to do for him). They are recently married, and having a baby.
	Lord Southampton sees his marriage to his 36-year-old Filipina cleaner as a fairy tale come true. "We fell in love," says the 69-year-old peer. "It is a bit of a fairy tale, and I think most people like fairy tales. Barbara Cartland's agent has been in touch to see if we could help her with a book."
	Well, whatever Dame Barbara may think, this is not a fairy tale. For starters, penniless Cinderella did not marry the old guy sitting on the throne. She married the handsome young prince on the dashing white horse. Then they cantered off into the sunset - too young and too much in love to realise that the whole thing was destined to give them saddle sores and a whacking great chance of divorce.
	No, the story of the peer and his cleaner - which was broken by News of the World with the memorable headline "Bed, nob and broomsticks!" - is something else entirely and in many ways it is a thoroughly modern match. But first, a recap of the story and its characters so far.
	Lord Charles James FitzRoy [sic], 6th Baron Southampton, is descended from Charles II. The family owes its fortunes to the king's celebrated mistress, Barbara Villiers, so there is a certain tradition to keep up. The present peer's father ran off with a chorus girl when he was 17, and Lord Southampton himself ran off with his first wife, Pamela, when he was 22 and she was only 16. There, however, the wild times end. They were married for 46 years, and had two children, now aged 45 and 41, and seven grandchildren. The first Lady Southampton died in February, from ovarian cancer.
	Alma Pasqual grew up a world away from all this, as the daughter of a shopkeeper in the village of Tarlac, near Manila. In an arrangement that owes much to the mail-order bride business, she came to Devon to marry an electrician, Bryan Slater, after an 18-month correspondence. The marriage was not a success and, amid financial and other troubles, Alma decided to look for work as a cleaner. Thus, in 1992, she came to be hired at £5 an hour by Lady Southampton to clean Stone Cross, a five-bedroom country house, worth £500,000. At Alma's home, things got worse - "I was treated like a skivvy" - and she started divorce proceedings.
	And so the stage was set. Lord Southampton is described as being "impractical around the home". One suspects that this means completely useless, and as a widower he began to rely more and more on Alma. Then, one day, he decided that he needed a new fridge. "He is not very good at shopping," says Alma. "That was the first time we went out together."
	The peer told Hello! that he decided to pop the question over a meal in a Chinese restaurant in Taunton. His cleaner was surprised. "Out of the blue he told me that he was in love with me. It never occurred to me what was happening inside of him. I think I said 'bloody hell'. I just never expected it. I told James I would have to think about it." In June, she accepted his proposal. They married last month, and now the new Lady Southampton is pregnant.
	Some people claim to be shocked, though whether this is because of the recentness of his first wife's death, the age gap, the fact that the new Lady Southampton was a cleaner, or that she is from the Philippines, is unclear. But all these factors contribute to the reason why we should not be shocked.
	Romance and bereavement are no strangers, especially for men. There are many more widows (2.9 million) than widowers (684,000) in Britain. While this is partly explained by the fact that women live longer, men are also far more likely to remarry, and quickly, too. "Men are healthier if they have a partner," says Averil Leimon, a psychologist. "Bereaved men are at considerable risk - it's not unusual for them to die [soon] too. For men it can be a life-saver to find another woman." Often, the dying wife will instruct a husband to find a new wife. Both Lord Southampton and his new wife have said they believe Pamela would have approved of their match.
	Nor should we be surprised by the fact she is a Filipina. The "brides of the Orient" are much in demand these days. Bill Howard, of the World Association of Introduction Agencies, says that there has been a 15% increase in the number of European and North American men marrying oriental women, and that the former gas chief Brian Clegg is only the highest-profile man to admit to having done such a thing. The 75-year-old former chairman of Northern Gas paid £3,000 in air fares and dating agency fees to go to Bangkok, where he met a 23-year-old Thai waitress named Joom. They wed after a three-day courtship conducted in a shared hotel room. "I'm sure we will be happy," says Mr. Clegg. "And when I have gone, Joom will be set up for the rest of her life."
	In many ways, it could be said that Mr. Clegg has gone out of his way - Bangkok is not an Awayday, after all - to find the ultimate non-trophy wife. But others would see it differently. The men who seek out Oriental brides are usually divorced, and are looking for women with traditional values. The women - and 60% come from the Philippines - are looking to escape the worst kind of poverty. "Almost all Filipina girls marry for economic reasons," says Mr Hunter [Howard?], "though perhaps the men don't think of it that way".
	Not so much true love as true practicalities, then. But it seems to work for many. Charles Black, of Siam Introductions - the firm used by Mr Clegg - conducts a two-year check-up for its clients and reports an 85% success rate. "That's a lot better than most English marriages," he says.
	Alma Pasqual was one of those whose penpal husband turned out to be Mr Wrong. Unlike many such brides, she took her future into her own hands and decided that she would rather get divorced and return to the Philippines than live in such a way.
	Then came that unexpected question in the Chinese restaurant, and she is now in a rather wonderful and rare position. She is a Filipina in Britain who is marrying a wealthy older man without the help of an agency. She has always wanted a family, and now she is to have children who will be aristocrats (if her baby is a boy the plan is to name him Charles, after the future king). Her husband is thrilled by what he calls his new life. "I am hoping Alma will do the late-night nappy duties," he says. "I don't think I am up to it at my age."
	She used to be paid £5 an hour to clean, and now she is rich in her own right. "Neither of us can believe it's happening," she says. "I used to clean this beautiful house - and now it is my home." But, it must be said, she is still cleaning. "We can't really afford staff now, so I'll still do all the housework myself." Spoken like a truly traditional wife. And that's no fairy tale - that's just the way of the world.
	The baby referred to in the above report was born on 8 June 1998 and, being a boy, was christened Charles as promised.
	David Wynford Carnegie, youngest son of the 9th Earl of Southesk
	Carnegie was an early explorer of the interior of Western Australia, whose name and work are now, unfortunately, largely forgotten.
	He was born in Scotland on 23 March 1871, the youngest son of the 9th Earl of Southesk. He was educated at the Charterhouse School and the Royal Indian Engineering College at Windsor. After his education was completed, he travelled to Ceylon and for a time worked on a tea plantation, but finding the work not to his liking, he moved on to Australia in 1892, where he became a prospector on the goldfields at Coolgardie, near Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia.
	In 1894, he led the first of his exploration expeditions to the north of Coolgardie, covering about 850 miles during 90 days, through country which had been hitherto unexplored. At the end of 1894, he set out again, but he contracted a fever and was forced to return. While he convalesced in Perth, he compiled a series of maps of all the country which he had covered.
	The following year he returned to Britain for a short visit, but in 1896 he returned to Australia with plans for an expedition which would be far more ambitious than his previous ventures. His plan was to discover whether there were any gold-bearing areas to be found between the goldfields in the south around Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie, and the Kimberley goldfields in the north. At the same time, he wished to discover the nature of the unexplored country which lay between the routes of previous expeditions made by Peter Egerton Warburton in 1873 and John Forrest (later Baron Forrest) in 1874. As an aside to this expedition, he also sought to examine the possibility of opening a direct stock-route between the two goldfields.
	Carnegie financed his expedition from his gold-mining activities. Starting at Hall's Creek in the Kimberleys, he headed south, reaching Coolgardie eight months later after travelling 3000 miles. Although he found several possible gold-bearing areas, he was unable to find much in the way of permanent water, which ruled out the idea of a stock-route.
	In 1897, Carnegie departed from Australia permanently and returned to Britain, where he was awarded the Gill Memorial Medal by the Royal Geographical Society in recognition of his feats of exploration. In 1898, he published his book Spinifex and Sand, which describes his adventures.
	In 1899, Carnegie joined the Civil Service and was sent to western Africa as Assistant Resident in Northern Nigeria. Although apparently popular with the natives, he was killed by a poisoned arrow on 27th November 1900, aged only 29, while trying to suppress a revolt led by one of the local native chiefs.
	William George Michael Spens, 2nd Baron Spens
	The 2nd Baron Spens was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment in October 1974 after being found guilty of fraudulent conversion and theft. The following report is taken from The Times of 5 October 1974:-
	Lord Spens, aged 60, described as a "reluctant peer", was jailed for two and a half years at the Central Criminal Court yesterday. The court was told that compulsive gambling had led him to use for himself funds belonging to the Federation of British Carpet Manufacturers, of which he was director.
	Lord Spens, of Lambden, Pluckley, near Ashford, Kent, admitted six charges of fraudulent conversion and theft of funds totalling £151,000.
	Mr Stephen Mitchell, for the prosecution, said that during seven years when Lord Spens had complete control of the finances of the federation's carpet centre in Regent Street, London, the accounts were not audited.
	Judge Christmas Humphreys, QC, told him: "This is stark tragedy." The judge said he was impressed to hear of the "almost incredible position" in which Lord Spens had been allowed to stand. "That any one man in the City of London today should be allowed such enormous financial power puzzles me. You had literally no control. The so-called auditors were your own employers, who were heavily involved in the total situation." There was a likelihood of temptation being created and Judge Humphreys said he would regard it as a powerful factor of mitigation.
	The judge said that Lord Spens had had a fine career, had a fine character and bore a fine name. "This federation was your child." The federation, now well known in the City and internationally, had been built up by Lord Spens and by the enormous amount of work he had put into it.
	The judge said he recognized the situation had been brought about by overwork and lack of proper rest and recreation. In such circumstances Lord Spens had taken to gambling to relieve his boredom. "You became a compulsive gambler."
	Mr Mitchell said the money, taken between 1968 and 1973, belonged to the constituent members of the federation which included about 40 carpet companies.
	The federation, which aimed to promote the woven carpet industry on a national level, employed as accountants Fuller Jenks and Beecroft, of which Lord Spens was a partner. He was appointed secretary of the federation and in June, 1966, became director. He had complete control over the financial affairs and administration and his professional activities were exclusively confined to the federation's business.
	A bank account was opened in the name of the British Carpet Centre. In the seven years covered by the charges a total of £184,620 in cash was withdrawn from the account. Of that, £151,300 was unaccounted for but, counsel said, Lord Spens claimed £25,000 of this went on legitimate expenses. He was unable to provide documentary evidence.
	Mr Mitchell said Fuller, Jenks and Beecroft had fully reimbursed the British Carpet Federation. They, in turn, had recovered £14,451 from credit standing to Lord Spens, and received £125,542 from their underwriters.
	Mr Jeremy Hutchinson, QC, for the defence, said the federation's development had been entirely the creation of Lord Spens. There came a time when he could not cope with the obligations which had come through his own enthusiasm and hard work. Because of the pressure of work he had to spend many nights in London and he began to drink too much and visit gambling casinos. He had to lead an enormously expensive life, dealing with clients who unlike himself were "extraordinarily well-off".
	"It was the old, old story of losing and hoping that you will win it back, and totally failing to do so. Then going on with this sort of rake's progress hoping against hope in your heart that it will be discovered and stopped."
	Lord Spens had attempted suicide at one stage. "He succeeded to his title as a reluctant peer last year. He has no intention of taking up his seat because of his totally modest way of life and background. He has no ideas of grandeur."
	The judge was told that as director of the federation Lord Spens earned between £8,000 and £10,000 a year. Having regard to the cash unaccounted for, he was spending an additional £20,000 a year.
	Eleanor Dalrymple, Countess of Stair, wife of the 2nd Earl of Stair
	Included in The Keepsake Annual for 1828 is a short story by Sir Walter Scott entitled My Aunt Margaret's Mirror. This story is available on-line via a number of sites such as Project Gutenberg.
	Whilst the names used in the story have been changed, the story is based upon an incident in the life of Eleanor, Countess of Stair. The following is a summary of Eleanor's entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
	Eleanor was the youngest daughter of James Campbell, 2nd Earl of Loudoun, and his wife, Lady Margaret Montgomerie, daughter of the 7th Earl of Eglinton. In 1697 she married, as her first husband, Sir James Primrose, 3rd baronet, who was later created Viscount Primrose in 1703. By him she had three sons and a daughter. Primrose was, by all accounts, cruel and dissolute, with the result that Eleanor lived in mortal fear of him. One day, while Eleanor was dressing herself, she saw his reflection moving towards her, carrying a drawn sword and with murder written on his face. Terrified for her life, she scrambled out the window and, half-naked, fled to her mother's house for protection.
	After this incident she refused to live with Primrose, who soon afterwards went abroad. Months later, having heard nothing from him, one of Eleanor's female friends persuaded her to visit a foreign fortune-teller who had recently arrived in Edinburgh. At the fortune-teller's lodgings, she was shown a mirror. As she looked into it, she was amazed to see an image of the interior of a church appearing in the mirror. As she watched, she realised that she was watching a marriage ceremony, and that the bridegroom was her own husband. Suddenly, a man entered the church, whom she recognised as being one of her brothers. He rushed up to Primrose in a threatening manner, but the image then dissolved and she saw no more. Eleanor was so impressed with her vision that she wrote and retained a detailed account of it.
	When Eleanor's brother returned from a journey to Holland, he told his sister that, whilst in Holland, he had become friendly with a wealthy Dutch merchant, who invited him to attend the wedding of his daughter. When the brother arrived at the church, he was horrified to find that the bridegroom was Sir James Primrose. He immediately informed the bride's father that the groom was already married, and the ceremony was halted. By referring to her notes taken after her visit to the fortune-teller, Eleanor and her brother were able to establish that both events had taken place on the same day.
	After Primrose's death in 1706, John Stair, 2nd Earl of Stair, declared his love for her. Eleanor told him that, in the light of her previous marital experience, she would never re-marry. He therefore adopted sneak tactics - one evening he bribed her servants to admit him to her house where he hid in a closet. Next morning, he made sure that he was seen, half-dressed, standing in her window. The natural inference was that he had spent the night with her, and, in order to save her reputation, she agreed to marry him.
	The 2nd Earl was a heavy drinker, but, after striking her when drunk, he was overcome with remorse and promised to change his ways. From that time on, she always sat beside him at social functions and rationed the amount of wine that he was allowed to drink.
	Hugh Raufe Grosvenor, son and heir of the 2nd Baron Stalbridge (17 August 1904 - 6 January 1930)
	Grosvenor was the only son and heir of the 2nd Baron Stalbridge. He was killed in an aircraft accident when the flying-boat in which he was travelling crashed into Port Phillip Bay off Melbourne, Victoria, on 6 January 1930. The following account of the accident appeared in the Hobart Mercury on 7 January 1930:-
	Within a mile of Point Cook [25 km SW of Melbourne and the birthplace of the Royal Australian Air Force], Wackett's Widgeo II, a flying-boat owned by the Royal Australian Air Force, nose-dived into Port Phillip Bay this afternoon [i.e. 6 January 1930]. The machine, it is thought, sank immediately, carrying with it three aviators of whom no definite trace has been found.
	They were Captain the Honourable Hugh Grosvenor, Aide-de-camp to the Governor of South Australia; Flight-Lieut. Frederick Albert Briggs, of the Royal Australian Air Force; and Leading-Aircraftsman D.C. Ewen, of the Royal Australian Air Force, stationed at Point Cook.
	Fragments of wreckage from the flying-boat were found later by a launch which visited the scene, and a flying jacket was recovered which apparently had belonged to one of the three occupants of the Widgeon.
	One of the pilots of an airplane circling overhead reported the Widgeon lying in about 30ft. of water. Salvage operations will commence tomorrow.
	The accident, which occurred in the course of a routine test flight, is the first serious crash that has occurred to the flying-boats in Australia. The pilot, Flying-Officer F.A. Briggs, who is second instructor at Point Cook, was testing equipment in preparation for the opening of the training course, which will begin at the school next week. He had made several flights in the Widgeon earlier in the afternoon. Shortly before 4 o'clock Captain Grosvenor, who had arrived in Melbourne by the Adelaide express in the morning, and who had arranged to fly with Flying-Officer Briggs to England shortly, reached the station to discuss details of the projected flight. Captain Grosvenor was not an officer of the Royal Australian Air Force, and therefore could not fly an Air Force machine, but he accepted an invitation to accompany Flying-Officer Briggs as a passenger. The third member of the flying-boat's crew was Leading-Aircraftsman D.C. Ewen. The Widgeon, which had been overhauled, appeared to be in excellent condition, and took off without difficulty. For about half an hour the machine manoeuvred in wide circles over the bay. It attracted little attention.
	As far as could be ascertained only one man saw the Widgeon fall. This was a mechanic at Point Cook, who happened to be watching the machine in its progress across the bay. Suddenly he was startled to see the nose of the machine dip sharply. Instead of flattening out it dropped with great velocity. A column of water rose in the air, and when it subsided no trace of the Widgeon could be seen. The mechanic promptly reported what he had seen, and orders were given immediately for every available machine on the station to fly over the spot where the Widgeon had gone down, and ascertain, if possible, its fate and that of its occupants. Without loss of time six machines were in the air, and circling over the bay in the vicinity of the tragedy. So disturbed was the water, however, by the stiff south-westerly breeze that was blowing, the observers on these machines could only guess the locality.
	In the meantime a powerful launch and a rowing boat put out from Point Cook Pier in order to render assistance, if there should be anybody alive to assist. So rough was the water that the boats were obliged to put back before they had gone very far.
	A pilot of one of the searching planes from Point Cook reported on returned to the airdrome that he had seen the Widgeon lying in thirty feet of water about a mile from the shore. A launch was directed to the spot and recovered some wreckage and a flying jacket, which, it is assumed, belonged to one of the missing men. The Widgeon was constructed largely of wood, and as little wreckage was found floating it is believed that the machine suffered comparatively slight damage.
	The mechanic who saw the machine fall estimated its height when the dive into the bay began at 400 feet. The flying-boat fell almost vertically nosedown. The streamline construction of the hull, which projects about 12 feet in front of the main planes, is such that it would dive into the water with a minimum damage if falling vertically.
	Officers of the Air Force to-night expressed the view that all the occupants of the Widgeon must have been injured by the terrific impact of the craft with the water. The discovery of the floating coat suggests that one of the crew had attempted to free himself as the machine was falling in the hope of jumping clear. In all such accidents escape is difficult unless one is free before the crash. The men would probably be too seriously injured to attempt to escape.
	Because Grosvenor was the 2nd Baron's only son, and the 2nd Baron's two younger brothers both pre-deceased him, the peerage became extinct on the death of the 2nd Baron.
	The Stamford Peerage Case of 1892
	The following extract is taken from The Chicago Daily Tribune of 29 May 1910. Its whole tenor clearly illustrates the racist sentiments prevalent at that time.
	Lord Stamford [the 9th Earl] who died last Tuesday, a quiet unassuming man, of pronounced evangelical tendencies, enjoyed to a marked degree the sympathy and regard of his fellow peers in the upper house. For it was through his exertions and at the cost of no end of trouble and money that he prevented the House of Lords from being compelled to receive in their midst and accord a seat beside them to a mulatto.
	The eighth Earl, who was a distant cousin, shortly after becoming a clergyman of the Church of England, married a servant, and became involved in difficulties which made his expatriation necessary. He migrated to South Africa, his wife abandoning him. After her death he married again, in South Africa, a white woman, also of humble station, who died two years later. Thereupon he lived for a number of years with a coal black Hottentot woman, who occupied the position of cook and laundress in his household.
	Eventually some of the missionaries of the district in which he lived persuaded him to legalize his relations with her by marriage, and she was thus transformed into a peeress of the realm as Countess of Stamford and Baroness Grey of Groby. This marriage took place after she had given birth to a son, John Grey, who was, however, made legitimate according to the terms of the old Dutch law still in force in that part of South Africa where he was born.
	On the death of the eighth Earl this mulatto son assumed his honours as ninth Earl of Stamford and proceeded to England with his mother to take his seat in the House of Lords and to present himself at Court. The peers did not relish the idea and were therefore immensely gratified when a claim was put forward by a colonial school teacher named William Grey to the Earldom of Stamford and a protest filed against the succession of the mulatto. The litigation was long and tiresome.
	But eventually the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords decided that succession to English peerages was governed by English law exclusively and that, although the marriage of the eighth Earl and his Hottentot cook had been sufficient to legitimize the birth of their son according to the Dutch law of South Africa, it did not have the effect of legitimizing him sufficiently to meet the requirements of English law.
	He therefore was barred from taking his seat in the upper house and the Earldom was awarded to William Grey, who, born on this side of the Atlantic, in Newfoundland, had spent the greater part of his life until then earning his living as a school teacher in the colonies, especially at Barbados …
	The negro Countess of Stamford returned with her son and daughter (who, born subsequent to her marriage, is fully entitled to the name of Lady Mary Grey) to South Africa, where they met with a sorry reception on the part of those who had advanced money to them on the strength of their belief in the validity of the mulatto's succession to the earldom and estates.
	What has become of John Grey I am unable to say. But his sister, Lady Mary Grey, like himself a dark hued mulatto, has married a Boer and, as the legitimate daughter of an earl, retains her title. The Countess also is married, this time to a South African half breed named Pieter Pieterse, and has therefore forfeited her rank and prerogatives as a peeress of the realm.
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	This extract is from the Law Report in The Times of 4 May 1892:-
	… the history of the late earl presented some very curious features. He was in holy orders and in 1844 married a person called Susan Gaydon, who was in a humble station of life. In or about 1854 he separated from her and left England for the Cape, where he resided continuously until the date of his death. There was no issue of that marriage, and Susan Gaydon died in 1869. In 1872 Harry Grey, as he then was, married at Wynberg, Cape of Good Hope, Annie Macnamara, who was also in a comparatively humble situation in life, and after a married life of two years, or nearly two years, she died in 1874. At this time there was living in the house as a servant a woman of colour named Martha Solomon or Simon. After the death of his second wife it appeared that Mr Grey cohabited with this woman, with the result that two illegitimate children were born - a son, John, who was born in 1877, and a daughter, Frances, who was born in 1879. In the following year, 1880, Harry Grey married the woman Solomon, on December 6. He believed in was a matter of common knowledge that, according to the Roman-Dutch law which prevailed in the Cape Colony, the effect of a marriage was to legitimate children born before the marriage. Subsequently to the marriage there was only one child born, a daughter, Mary, who was born in 1881. She was, for the purpose of succession to this peerage, the only legitimate offspring of the eighth earl.

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