PEERAGE
Last updated 16/05/2013
Date
Rank
Order
Name
Born
Died
Age
SEVERN
19 Jun 1999
V
1
HRH Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis
10 Mar 1964
Created Viscount Severn and Earl of
Wessex 19 Jun 1999
See "Wessex"
SEWEL
10 Jan 1996
B[L]
1
John Buttifant Sewel
15 Jan 1946
Created Baron Sewel 10 Jan 1996
SEYMOUR OF SUDELEY
16 Feb 1547
B
1
Thomas Seymour
c 1508
28 Mar 1549
to
Created Baron Seymour of Sudeley
28 Mar 1549
16 Feb 1547
KG 1547
Peerage extinct on his death
SEYMOUR OF TROWBRIDGE
19 Feb 1641
B
1
Francis Seymour
c 1590
12 Jul 1664
Created Baron Seymour of Trowbridge
19 Feb 1641
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
1660-1664
12 Jul 1664
2
Charles Seymour
5 Feb 1621
25 Aug 1665
44
MP for Great Bedwyn 1640 and Wiltshire
1661-1664
25 Aug 1665
3
Francis Seymour
He succeeded to the Dukedom of Somerset
(qv) in 1675 with which title this peerage
then merged until its extinction in 1750
******************
9 Jul 1863
Edward Adolphus Ferdinand Seymour
17 Jul 1835
30 Sep 1869
34
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Seymour 9 Jul 1863
He was the eldest son and heir apparent of the
12th Duke of Somerset, but died before he
could succeed to that title
SHACKLETON
11 Aug 1958
B[L]
1
Edward Arthur Alexander Shackleton
15 Jul 1911
22 Sep 1994
83
to
Created Baron Shackleton 11 Aug 1958
22 Sep 1994
MP for Preston 1946-1950 and Preston
South 1950-1955. Minister of Defence for
the RAF 1964-1967. Minister without
Portfolio 1967-1968. Lord Privy Seal 1968
and 1968-1970. Paymaster General 1968
PC 1966
KG 1974
Peerage extinct on his death
SHACKLETON OF BELGRAVIA
21 Dec 2010
B[L]
1
Fiona Sara Shackleton
26 May 1956
Created Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia for
life 21 Dec 2010
SHAFTESBURY
23 Apr 1672
E
1
Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper,2nd baronet
22 Jul 1621
21 Jan 1683
61
Created Baron Ashley 20 Apr 1661 and
Baron Cooper of Pawlett and Earl of
Shaftesbury 23 Apr 1672
MP for Tewkesbury 1640, Downton 1640
and Wiltshire 1653-1660. Chancellor of
the Exchequer 1661-1667. President of the
Board of Trade 1672-1676. Lord Chancellor
1672-1673. Lord Lieutenant Dorset 1672-1674
21 Jan 1683
2
Anthony Ashley Cooper
16 Jan 1652
2 Nov 1699
47
MP for Weymouth & Melcombe Regis 1673-1679
2 Nov 1699
3
Anthony Ashley Cooper
26 Feb 1671
4 Feb 1713
41
MP for Poole 1695-1698
4 Feb 1713
4
Anthony Ashley Cooper
9 Feb 1711
27 May 1771
60
Lord Lieutenant Dorset 1734-1771
PC 1761
29 May 1771
5
Anthony Ashley Cooper
17 Sep 1761
14 May 1811
49
14 May 1811
6
Cropley Ashley Cooper
21 Dec 1768
2 Jun 1851
82
MP for Dorchester 1790-1811.
PC 1814
2 Jun 1851
7
Anthony Ashley-Cooper
28 Apr 1801
1 Oct 1885
84
MP for Woodstock 1826-1830, Dorchester
1830-1831, Dorset 1831-1846 and Bath
1847-1851. Lord Lieutenant Dorset 1856-
1885.
KG 1862
1 Oct 1885
8
Anthony Ashley-Cooper
27 Jun 1831
13 Apr 1886
54
MP for Hull 1857-1859 and Cricklade
1859-1865
For further information on this peer, see the
note at the foot of this page
13 Apr 1886
9
Anthony Ashley-Cooper
31 Aug 1869
25 Mar 1961
91
Lord Lieutenant Belfast 1904-1911,Antrim
1911-1916 and Dorset 1916-1952 KP 1911
PC 1922
25 Mar 1961
10
Anthony Ashley-Cooper
22 May 1938
Nov 2004
66
For further information on this peer, see the
note at the foot of this page
Nov 2004
11
Anthony Nils Christian Ashley-Cooper
24 Jun 1977
15 May 2005
27
15 May 2005
12
Nicholas Edmund Anthony Ashley-Cooper
3 Jun 1979
SHAND
20 Aug 1892
B
1
Alexander Burns Shand
13 Dec 1828
6 Mar 1904
75
to
Created Baron Shand 20 Aug 1892
6 Mar 1904
PC 1890
Peerage extinct on his death
SHANDON
1 Jul 1918
B
1
Sir Ignatius John O'Brien,1st baronet
30 Jul 1857
10 Sep 1930
73
to
Created Baron Shandon 1 Jul 1918
10 Sep 1930
Solicitor General [I] 1911. Attorney
General [I] 1912. Lord Chancellor [I]
1913-1918.
PC [I] 1912
Peerage extinct on his death
SHANNON
6 Sep 1660
V[I]
1
Francis Boyle
25 Jun 1623
Apr 1699
75
Created Baron Boyle and Viscount
Shannon 6 Sep 1660
Apr 1699
2
Richard Boyle
c 1675
20 Dec 1740
to
MP for Arundel 1708-1710, Hythe 1710-1711
20 Dec 1740
and 1712-1715 and East Grinstead 1715-1734
PC [I] 1721
Peerage extinct on his death
--------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
20 Mar 1756
E[I]
1
Henry Boyle
1682
28 Dec 1764
82
Created Baron of Castle Martyr,
Viscount Boyle of Bandon and Earl of
Shannon 20 Mar 1756
Speaker of the House of Commons [I]
1733-1756.
PC [I] 1733
28 Dec 1764
2
Richard Boyle
30 Jan 1728
20 May 1807
79
Created Baron Carleton 6 Aug 1786
PC [I] 1763
PC 1782
KP 1783
20 May 1807
3
Henry Boyle
8 Aug 1771
22 Apr 1842
70
Lord Lieutenant Cork 1831-1842
KP 1808.
PC [I] 1809
MP for co.Cork 1801-1807 and
Youghal 1807
22 Apr 1842
4
Richard Boyle
12 May 1809
1 Aug 1868
59
MP for co.Cork 1830-1832
1 Aug 1868
5
Henry Bentinck Boyle
22 Nov 1833
8 Feb 1890
56
8 Feb 1890
6
Richard Henry Boyle
15 May 1860
11 Dec 1906
46
For further information on this peer, see the
note at the foot of this page
11 Dec 1906
7
Richard Bernard Boyle
13 Nov 1897
13 Apr 1917
19
13 Apr 1917
8
Robert Henry Boyle
1 Feb 1900
29 Dec 1963
63
29 Dec 1963
9
Richard Bentinck Boyle
23 Oct 1924
9 May 2013
88
9 May 2013
10
Richard Henry John Boyle
19 Jan 1960
SHARKEY
20 Dec 2010
B[L]
1
John Kevin Sharkey
24 Sep 1947
Created Baron Sharkey for life 20 Dec 2010
SHARMAN
2 Aug 1999
B[L]
1
Colin Morven Sharman
19 Feb 1943
Created Baron Sharman 2 Aug 1999
SHARP
19 Sep 1966
B[L]
1
Evelyn Adelaide Sharp
25 May 1903
1 Sep 1985
82
to
Created Baroness Sharp 19 Sep 1966
1 Sep 1985
Peerage extinct on her death
SHARP OF GRIMSDYKE
21 Jul 1989
B[L]
1
Eric Sharp
17 Aug 1916
2 May 1994
77
to
Created Baron Sharp of Grimsdyke
2 May 1994
21 Jul 1989
Peerage extinct on his death
SHARP OF GUILDFORD
1 Aug 1998
B[L]
1
Margaret Lucy Sharp
21 Nov 1938
Created Baroness Sharp of Guildford
1 Aug 1998
SHARPLES
18 Jun 1973
B[L]
1
Pamela Sharples
11 Feb 1923
Created Baroness Sharples 18 Jun 1973
SHAUGHNESSY
25 Jan 1916
B
1
Thomas George Shaughnessy
6 Oct 1853
10 Dec 1923
70
Created Baron Shaughnessy 25 Jan 1916
10 Dec 1923
2
William James Shaughnessy
29 Sep 1883
4 Oct 1938
55
4 Oct 1938
3
William Graham Shaughnessy
28 Mar 1922
22 May 2003
81
22 May 2003
4
Michael James Shaughnessy
12 Nov 1946
9 Dec 2007
61
9 Dec 2007
5
Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy
9 Feb 1955
SHAW
20 Feb 1909
B[L]
1
Thomas Shaw
23 May 1850
28 Jun 1937
87
to
Created Baron Shaw 20 Feb 1909
28 Jun 1937
He was subsequently created Baron
Craigmyle in 1929 (qv). This peerage
extinct on his death
SHAW OF NORTHSTEAD
30 Sep 1994
B[L]
1
Michael Norman Shaw
9 Oct 1920
Created Baron Shaw of Northstead
30 Sep 1994
MP for Brighouse and Spenborough 1960-1964,
Scarborough and Whitby 1966-1974
and Scarborough 1974-1992
SHAWCROSS
14 Feb 1959
B[L]
1
Hartley William Shawcross
4 Feb 1902
10 Jul 2003
101
to
Created Baron Shawcross 14 Feb 1959
10 Jul 2003
MP for St.Helens 1945-1958. Attorney
General 1945-1951. President of the
Board of Trade 1951.
PC 1946
Peerage extinct on his death
SHEFFIELD
16 Feb 1547
B
1
Sir Edmund Sheffield
23 Nov 1521
31 Jul 1549
27
Created Baron Sheffield 16 Feb 1547
31 Jul 1549
2
John Sheffield
c 1538
10 Dec 1568
10 Dec 1568
3
Edmund Sheffield
c 1564
6 Oct 1646
He was created Earl of Mulgrave (qv) in
1626 with which title this peerage then
merged
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
9 Jan 1781
B[I]
1
John Baker-Holroyd
21 Dec 1735
30 May 1821
85
20 Sep 1783
B[I]
1
Created Baron Sheffield [I]
29 Jul 1802
B
1
9 Jan 1781 and 20 Sep 1783, Baron
22 Jan 1816
E[I]
1
Sheffield [UK] 29 Jul 1802 and
Viscount Pevensey and Earl of
Sheffield [I] 22 Jan 1816
MP for Coventry 1780 and Bristol 1790-1802
President of the Board of Agriculture 1803
PC 1809
30 May 1821
2
George Augustus Frederick Charles
Holroyd
16 Mar 1802
5 Apr 1876
74
5 Apr 1876
3
Henry North Holroyd
18 Jan 1832
21 Apr 1909
77
to
MP for Sussex East 1857-1865
21 Apr 1909
On his death all peerages except the Irish
Barony of 1783 became extinct. The Irish
Barony of 1783 merged with the Barony of
Stanley of Alderley (qv)
SHEIKH
6 Jun 2006
B[L]
1
Mohamed Iltaf Sheikh
13 Jun 1941
Created Baron Sheikh 6 Jun 2006
SHELBURNE
31 Dec 1688
B[I]
1
Elizabeth Petty
c 1708
to
[L]
Created Baroness Shelburne for life
c 1708
31 Dec 1688
Peerage extinct on her death
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
31 Dec 1688
B[I]
1
Charles Petty
c 1673
Apr 1696
to
Created Baron Shelburne 31 Dec 1688
Apr 1696
Peerage extinct on his death
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
29 Apr 1719
E[I]
1
Henry Petty
22 Oct 1675
17 Apr 1751
75
to
Created Baron Shelburne 16 Jun 1699
17 Apr 1751
and Viscount Dunkerron and Earl of
Shelburne 29 Apr 1719
MP for Great Marlow 1715-1722 and Wycombe
1722-1727
PC [I] 1701
Peerages extinct on his death
--------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
6 Jun 1753
E[I]
1
John Petty
1706
14 May 1761
54
Created Baron Dunkeron and Viscount
Fitzmaurice 7 Oct 1751 and Earl of
Shelburne 6 Jun 1753 and Baron
Wycombe 20 May 1760
MP for Wycombe 1754-1760. PC [I] 1754
14 May 1761
2
William Petty
2 May 1737
7 May 1805
68
He was created Marquess of Lansdowne (qv)
in 1784 with which title this peerage then
merged
SHELDON
22 Jun 2001
B[L]
1
Robert Edward Sheldon
13 Sep 1923
Created Baron Sheldon for life 22 Jun 2001
MP for Ashton-under-Lyne 1964-2001.
Minister of State,Civil Service 1974.
Minister of State,Treasury 1974-1975. Fin
Sec to Treasury 1975-1979
PC 1977
SHEPHARD OF NORTHWOLD
21 Jun 2005
B[L]
1
Gillian Patricia Shephard
22 Jan 1940
Created Baroness Shephard of Northwold
21 Jun 2005
MP for Norfolk SW 1987-2005. Min of State,
Treasury 1990-1992. Secretary of State for
Employment 1992-1993. Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food 1993-1994. Secretary of State
for Education and Employment 1994-1997. PC 1992
SHEPHERD
28 Jun 1946
B
1
George Robert Shepherd
19 Aug 1881
4 Dec 1954
73
Created Baron Shepherd 28 Jun 1946
PC 1952
4 Dec 1954
2
Malcolm Newton Shepherd
27 Sep 1918
5 Apr 2001
82
Minister Of State,Foreign and
Commonwealth Office 1967-1970. Lord
Privy Seal 1974-1976.
PC 1965
Created Baron Shepherd of Spalding
16 Nov 1999
(see below)
5 Apr 2001
3
Graeme George Shepherd
6 Jan 1949
SHEPHERD OF SPALDING
16 Nov 1999
B[L]
1
Malcolm Newton Shepherd,Baron Shepherd
27 Sep 1918
5 Apr 2001
82
to
Created Baron Shepherd of Spalding
5 Apr 2001
16 Nov 1999
Peerage extinct on his death
SHEPPARD OF DIDGEMERE
6 Sep 1994
B[L]
1
Allan John George Sheppard
25 Dec 1932
Created Baron Sheppard of Didgemere
6 Sep 1994
SHEPPARD OF LIVERPOOL
14 Feb 1998
B[L]
1
David Stuart Sheppard
6 Mar 1929
5 Mar 2005
75
to
Created Baron Sheppard of Liverpool
5 Mar 2005
14 Feb 1998
Bishop of Liverpool 1975-1997
Peerage extinct on his death
SHEPPEY
6 Sep 1680
E[L]
1
Elizabeth Walter
c 1625
Jul 1686
to
Created Countess of Sheppey for life
Jul 1686
6 Sep 1680
Peerage extinct on her death
SHERARD
10 Jul 1627
B[I]
1
Sir William Sherard
1 Aug 1588
1 Apr 1640
51
Created Baron Sherard 10 Jul 1627
1 Apr 1640
2
Bennet Sherard
30 Nov 1621
15 Jan 1700
78
MP for Leicestershire 1679-1681,1685-1687
and 1689-1695. Lord Lieutenant Rutland
1690-1700
15 Jan 1700
3
Bennet Sherard
9 Oct 1677
16 Oct 1732
55
31 Oct 1718
V
1
Created Viscount Sherard 31 Oct 1718
to
MP for Leicestershire 1701-1702 and
16 Oct 1732
Rutland 1713-1714. Lord Lieutenant
Rutland 1700-1712 and 1715-1732
He was later created Earl of Harborough
(qv) in 1719.
On his death the Viscountcy became extinct
whilst the Barony passed to -
16 Oct 1732
4
Philip Sherard,Earl of Harborough
c 1680
16 Feb 1750
16 Feb 1750
5
Bennet Sherard,Earl of Harborough
3 Sep 1709
23 Feb 1770
60
23 Feb 1770
6
Robert Sherard,Earl of Harborough
21 Oct 1719
21 Apr 1799
79
21 Apr 1799
7
Philip Sherard,Earl of Harborough
10 Oct 1767
10 Dec 1807
40
10 Dec 1807
8
Robert Sherard,Earl of Harborough
26 Aug 1797
28 Jul 1859
61
28 Jul 1859
9
Philip Castell Sherard
7 Mar 1804
14 Mar 1886
82
14 Mar 1886
10
Castell Sherard
17 Aug 1849
5 Oct 1902
53
5 Oct 1902
11
Philip Halton Sherard
2 May 1851
1 May 1924
72
1 May 1924
12
Robert Castell Sherard
1858
14 Jun 1931
72
to
Peerage extinct on his death
14 Jun 1931
SHERBORNE
20 May 1784
B
1
James Dutton
22 Oct 1744
22 May 1820
75
Created Baron Sherborne 20 May 1784
MP for Gloucestershire 1781-1784
22 May 1820
2
John Dutton
24 Jun 1779
19 Oct 1862
83
19 Oct 1862
3
James Henry Legge Dutton
30 May 1804
8 Mar 1883
78
8 Mar 1883
4
Edward Lenox Dutton
23 Apr 1831
19 Jul 1919
88
19 Jul 1919
5
Frederick George Dutton
28 May 1840
2 Jan 1920
79
2 Jan 1920
6
James Huntley Dutton
5 Mar 1873
17 Sep 1949
76
17 Sep 1949
7
Charles Dutton
13 May 1911
25 Dec 1982
71
25 Dec 1982
8
Ralph Stawell Dutton
25 Aug 1898
20 Apr 1985
86
to
Peerage extinct on his death
20 Apr 1985
SHERBROOKE
25 May 1880
V
1
Robert Lowe
4 Dec 1811
27 Jul 1892
80
to
Created Viscount Sherbrooke
27 Jul 1892
25 May 1880
MP for Kidderminster 1852-1859, Calne
1859-1868 and University of London 1868-
1880. Vice President of the Board of Trade
and Paymaster General 1855-1858. Vice
President of the Council of Education
1859-1864. Chancellor of the Exchequer
1868-1873. Home Secretary 1873-1874.
PC 1855
Peerage extinct on his death
For further information on this peer,see the
note at the foot of this page
SHERFIELD
29 Jun 1964
B
1
Roger Mellor Makins
3 Feb 1904
9 Nov 1996
92
Created Baron Sherfield 29 Jun 1964
9 Nov 1996
2
Christopher James Makins
23 Jul 1942
28 Jan 2006
63
28 Jan 2006
3
Dwight William Makins
2 Mar 1951
SHERLOCK
17 Jun 2010
B[L]
1
Maeve Christina Mary Sherlock
10 Nov 1960
Created Baroness Sherlock for life 17 Jun 2010
SHERWOOD
14 Aug 1941
B
1
Sir Hugh Michael Seely,3rd baronet
2 Oct 1898
1 Apr 1970
71
to
Created Baron Sherwood 14 Aug 1941
1 Apr 1970
MP for Norfolk East 1923-1924 and
Berwick upon Tweed 1935-1941
Peerage extinct on his death
SHINGAY
7 May 1697
B
1
Edward Russell
1653
26 Nov 1727
74
to
Created Baron of Shingay,Viscount
26 Nov 1727
Barfleur and Earl of Orford
7 May 1697
See "Orford"
SHINWELL
19 Jun 1970
B[L]
1
Emanuel Shinwell
18 Oct 1884
8 May 1986
101
to
Created Baron Shinwell for life 19 Jun 1970
8 May 1986
MP for Linlithgowshire 1922-1924 and 1929-1931,
Seaham 1935-1950 and Easington 1950-1970.
Minister of Fuel and Power 1945-1947.
Secretary of State for War 1947-1950.
Minister of Defence 1950-1951.
PC 1945
CH 1965
Peerage extinct on his death
SHIPBROOK
8 Feb 1777
E[I]
1
Francis Vernon
c 1715
15 Oct 1783
to
Created Baron Orwell 7 Apr 1762,
15 Oct 1783
Viscount Orwell 21 Jul 1776 and Earl
of Shipbrook 8 Feb 1777
MP for Ipswich 1762-1768
Peerages extinct on his death
SHIPLEY
14 Jul 2010
B[L]
1
John Shipley
5 Jul 1946
Created Baron Shipley for life 14 Jul 2010
SHORE
5 Jun 1997
B[L]
1
Peter David Shore
20 May 1924
24 Sep 2001
77
to
Created Baron Shore for life 5 Jun 1997
24 Sep 2001
MP for Stepney 1964-1974, Stepney and
Poplar 1974-1983 and Bethnal Green and
Stepney 1983-1997. Secretary of State for
Economic Affairs 1967-1969. Minister
without Portfolio 1969-1970. Secretary of
State for Trade and Industry 1974-1976..
Secretary of State for the Environment
1976-1979.
PC 1967
Peerage extinct on his death
SHREWSBURY
1074
E
1
Roger de Montgomery
27 Jul 1094
Created Earl of Shrewsbury 1074
27 Jul 1094
2
Hugh de Montgomery
27 Jul 1098
27 Jul 1098
3
Robert de Montgomery
after 1113
to
He was deprived of the peerage in 1102
1102
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
20 May 1442
E
1
John Talbot,7th Lord Talbot
1390
17 Jul 1453
63
Created Earl of Shrewsbury
20 May 1442 and Earl of Waterford
17 Jul 1446
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1414-1419,
1425-1426 and 1445-1447.
KG 1424
17 Jul 1453
2
John Talbot
1413
10 Jul 1460
47
Lord Treasurer 1456-1458
KG 1457
10 Jul 1460
3
John Talbot
12 Dec 1448
28 Jun 1473
24
28 Jun 1473
4
George Talbot
1468
26 Jul 1538
70
KG 1488
26 Jul 1538
5
Francis Talbot
1500
21 Sep 1560
60
KG 1545
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Talbot 17 Feb 1533
21 Sep 1560
6
George Talbot
1528
18 Nov 1590
62
KG 1561
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Talbot 5 Jan 1553
For information on his wife,Bess of Hardwick,see
the note at the foot of this page
18 Nov 1590
7
Gilbert Talbot
20 Nov 1552
8 May 1616
63
MP for Derbyshire 1572-1583. Lord
Lieutenant Derbyshire 1605. KG 1592
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of
Acceleration as Baron Talbot 28 Jan 1589
8 May 1616
8
Edward Talbot
25 Feb 1561
8 Feb 1618
56
MP for Northumberland 1584-1587
8 Feb 1618
9
George Talbot
2 Apr 1630
2 Apr 1630
10
John Talbot
by 1601
8 Feb 1654
8 Feb 1654
11
Francis Talbot
c 1623
16 Mar 1668
For information on this peer's wife,see the note
at the foot of this page
16 Mar 1668
12
Charles Talbot
24 Jul 1660
1 Feb 1718
57
30 Apr 1694
D
1
Created Marquess of Alton and Duke
to
of Shrewsbury 30 Apr 1694
1 Feb 1718
Secretary of State 1689-1690 and 1694-
1699. Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1713-1714.
Lord High Treasurer 1714.
PC 1689
KG 1694. Lord Lieutenant Staffordshire 1681-1687,
Herefordshire 1694-1704, Hertford 1689-1691,
Shropshire 1712-1714,Wiltshire 1689-1718 and
Anglesey,Caernarvon 1694-1696
On his death the Dukedom became extinct
whilst the Earldom passed to -
1 Feb 1718
13
Gilbert Talbot
11 Jan 1673
22 Jul 1743
80
22 Jul 1743
14
George Talbot
11 Dec 1719
22 Jul 1787
67
22 Jul 1787
15
Charles Talbot
8 Mar 1753
6 Apr 1827
74
6 Apr 1827
16
John Talbot
18 Mar 1791
9 Nov 1852
61
9 Nov 1852
17
Bertram Arthur Talbot
11 Dec 1832
10 Aug 1856
23
10 Aug 1856
18
Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot
8 Nov 1803
4 Jun 1868
64
MP for Hertford 1830-1831 and 1832-1833,
Dublin 1831-1832 and Staffordshire South 1837-
1849.
PC 1858
He had previously succeeded to the Earldom of
Talbot (qv) in 1849
For further information on the "Great Shrewsbury
Case" of 1857-1858, see the note at the foot
of this page
4 Jun 1868
19
Charles John Chetwynd-Talbot
13 Apr 1830
11 May 1877
47
MP for Stafford 1857-1859,Staffordshire North
1859-1868 and Stamford 1868
PC 1875
11 May 1877
20
Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot
13 Nov 1860
7 May 1921
60
7 May 1921
21
John George Charles Henry Alton
Alexander Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot
1 Dec 1914
12 Nov 1980
65
12 Nov 1980
22
Charles Henry John Benedict Crofton
Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot
18 Dec 1952
SHULDHAM
31 Jul 1776
B[I]
1
Molyneux Shuldham
c 1717
30 Sep 1798
to
Created Baron Shuldham 31 Jul 1776
30 Sep 1798
Governor of Newfoundland 1772-1775.
MP for Fowey 1774-1784
Peerage extinct on his death
SHUTE
17 Apr 1880
B
1
George William Barrington
14 Feb 1824
7 Nov 1886
62
Created Baron Shute 17 Apr 1880
See "Barrington"
SHUTT OF GREETLAND
12 May 2000
B[L]
1
David Trevor Shutt
16 Mar 1942
Created Baron Shutt of Greetland
12 May 2000
PC 2009
SHUTTLEWORTH
16 Jul 1902
B
1
Sir Ughtred James Kay-Shuttleworth,2nd baronet
18 Dec 1844
20 Dec 1939
95
Created Baron Shuttleworth
16 Jul 1902
MP for Hastings 1869-1880 and Clitheroe
1885-1902. Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster 1886. Lord Lieutenant Lancashire
1908-1928.
PC 1886
20 Dec 1939
2
Richard Ughtred Paul Kay-Shuttleworth
30 Oct 1913
8 Aug 1940
26
8 Aug 1940
3
Ronald Orlando Lawrence
Kay-Shuttleworth
7 Oct 1917
17 Nov 1942
25
17 Nov 1942
4
Charles Ughtred John Kay-Shuttleworth
24 Jun 1917
5 Oct 1975
58
5 Oct 1975
5
Charles Geoffrey Nicholas
Kay-Shuttleworth
2 Aug 1948
Lord Lieutenant Lancashire 1997-
SIDMOUTH
12 Jan 1805
V
1
Henry Addington
30 May 1757
15 Feb 1844
86
Created Viscount Sidmouth
12 Jan 1805
MP for Devizes 1784-1805. Speaker of the
House of Commons 1789-1801. Prime
Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer
1801-1805. Lord President of the Council
1805,1806-1807 and 1812. Lord Privy Seal
1806. Home Secretary 1812-1822. PC 1789
15 Feb 1844
2
William Leonard Addington
13 Nov 1794
25 Mar 1864
69
25 Mar 1864
3
William Wells Addington
25 Mar 1824
28 Oct 1913
89
MP for Devizes 1863-1864
28 Oct 1913
4
Gerald Anthony Pellew Bagnall
Addington
29 Nov 1854
25 Mar 1915
60
25 Mar 1915
5
Gerald William Addington
19 Aug 1882
4 Apr 1953
70
4 Apr 1953
6
Raymond Anthony Addington
24 Jan 1887
7 Feb 1976
89
7 Feb 1976
7
John Tonge Anthony Pellew Addington
3 Oct 1914
30 Jan 2005
90
30 Jan 2005
8
Jeremy Francis Addington
29 Jul 1947
SIEFF
18 Jan 1966
B[L]
1
Israel Moses Sieff
4 May 1889
14 Feb 1972
82
to
Created Baron Sieff 18 Jan 1966
14 Feb 1972
Peerage extinct on his death
SIEFF OF BRIMPTON
14 Feb 1980
B[L]
1
Marcus Joseph Sieff
2 Jul 1913
23 Feb 2001
87
to
Created Baron Sieff of Brimpton
23 Feb 2001
14 Feb 1980
Peerage extinct on his death
SILCHESTER
17 Jul 1821
B
1
Thomas Pakenham
14 May 1774
28 May 1835
61
Created Baron Silchester 17 Jul 1821
See "Longford"
SILKIN
4 Jul 1950
B
1
Lewis Silkin
14 Nov 1889
11 May 1972
82
Created Baron Silkin 4 Jul 1950
MP for Peckham 1936-1950
PC 1945 CH 1965
11 May 1972
2
Arthur Silkin
20 Oct 1916
25 Nov 2001
85
to
He disclaimed the peerage for life 18 May 1972
18 May 1972
25 Nov 2001
3
Christopher Lewis Silkin
12 Sep 1947
to
He disclaimed the peerage for life May 2002
May 2002
SILKIN OF DULWICH
13 May 1985
B[L]
1
Samuel Charles Silkin
6 Mar 1918
17 Aug 1988
70
to
Created Baron Silkin of Dulwich
17 Aug 1988
13 May 1985
MP for Dulwich 1964-1983. Attorney
General 1974-1979.
PC 1974
Peerage extinct on his death
SILSOE
18 Jan 1963
B
1
Sir Arthur Malcolm Trustram Eve,1st baronet
8 Apr 1894
3 Dec 1976
82
Created Baron Silsoe 18 Jan 1963
3 Dec 1976
2
David Malcolm Trustram Eve
2 May 1930
31 Dec 2005
75
31 Dec 2005
3
Simon Rupert Trustram Eve
17 Apr 1966
SIMEY
12 May 1965
B[L]
1
Thomas Spensley Simey
25 Nov 1906
27 Dec 1969
63
to
Created Baron Simey 12 May 1965
27 Dec 1969
Peerage extinct on his death
SIMON
20 May 1940
V
1
John Allsebrook Simon
28 Feb 1873
11 Jan 1954
80
Created Viscount Simon 20 May 1940
MP for Walthamstow 1906-1918 and Spen
Valley 1922-1940. Solicitor General 1910-
1913. Attorney General 1913-1914. Home
Secretary 1915-1916 and 1935-1937.
Chancellor of the Exchequer 1937-1940.
Lord Chancellor 1940-1945.
PC 1913
11 Jan 1954
2
John Gilbert Simon
2 Sep 1902
5 Dec 1993
91
5 Dec 1993
3
Jan David Simon
20 Jul 1940
SIMON OF GLAISDALE
5 Feb 1971
B[L]
1
Jocelyn Edward Salis Simon
15 Jan 1911
7 May 2006
95
to
Created Baron Simon of Glaisdale
7 May 2006
5 Feb 1971
MP for Middlesborough West 1951-1962.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1958-
1959. Solicitor General 1959-1962. Lord of
Appeal in Ordinary 1971-1977.
PC 1961
Peerage extinct on his death
SIMON OF HIGHBURY
16 May 1997
B[L]
1
David Alec Gwyn Simon
24 Jul 1939
Created Baron Simon of Highbury
16 May 1997
SIMON OF WYTHENSHAWE
17 Jan 1947
B
1
Ernest Darwin Simon
9 Oct 1879
3 Oct 1960
80
Created Baron Simon of Wythenshawe
17 Jan 1947
MP for Withington 1923-1924 and 1929-1931
3 Oct 1960
2
Roger Simon
16 Oct 1913
14 Oct 2002
88
14 Oct 2002
3
Matthew Simon
10 Apr 1955
SIMONDS
18 Oct 1954
V
1
Gavin Turnbull Simonds
28 Nov 1881
28 Jun 1971
89
to
Created Baron Simonds 18 Apr 1944
28 Jun 1971
[for life] and 24 Jun 1952 and
Viscount Simonds 18 Oct 1954
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 1944 and 1954-
1962. Lord Chancellor 1951-1954
PC 1944
Peerages extinct on his death
SIMPSON OF DUNKELD
5 Nov 1997
B[L]
1
George Simpson
2 Jul 1942
Created Baron Simpson of Dunkeld
5 Nov 1997
SINCLAIR
c 1449
B[S]
1
William Sinclair,Earl of Orkney
1480
Created Lord Sinclair c 1449 and
Earl of Caithness 28 Aug 1455
1480
2
William Sinclair
Jul 1487
Jul 1487
3
Henry Sinclair
9 Sep 1513
9 Sep 1513
4
William Sinclair
1570
1570
5
Henry Sinclair
1528
21 Oct 1601
73
21 Oct 1601
6
Henry Sinclair
Mar 1581
1602
21
1602
7
James Sinclair
1607
1607
8
Patrick Sinclair
1615
1615
9
John Sinclair
29 Oct 1610
10 Nov 1676
66
10 Nov 1676
10
Henry St.Clair
3 Jun 1660
Mar 1723
62
to
On his death the heir was under attainder
Mar 1723
[Mar 1723]
[John St.Clair]
5 Dec 1683
2 Nov 1750
66
[2 Nov 1750]
[James St.Clair]
30 Nov 1762
MP for Dysart Burghs 1722-1734 and
1747-1754, Sutherland 1736-1747 and
Fifeshire 1754-1762
30 Nov 1762
11
Charles St.Clair
4 Jan 1775
4 Jan 1775
12
Andrew St.Clair
30 Jul 1733
16 Dec 1775
42
16 Dec 1775
13
Charles St.Clair
30 Jul 1768
30 Mar 1863
94
30 Mar 1863
14
James St.Clair
3 Jul 1803
24 Oct 1880
77
24 Oct 1880
15
Charles William St.Clair
8 Sep 1831
25 Apr 1922
90
25 Apr 1922
16
Archibald James Murray St.Clair
16 Feb 1875
25 Nov 1957
82
25 Nov 1957
17
Charles Murray Kennedy St.Clair
21 Jun 1914
1 Apr 2004
89
Lord Lieutenant Dumfries and Kirkcudbright
1982-1989
1 Apr 2004
18
Matthew Murray Kennedy St. Clair
9 Dec 1968
SINCLAIR OF CLEEVE
21 Jan 1957
B
1
Robert John Sinclair
29 Jul 1893
4 Mar 1979
85
Created Baron Sinclair of Cleeve
21 Jan 1957
4 Mar 1979
2
John Robert Kilgour Sinclair
3 Nov 1919
27 Aug 1985
65
27 Aug 1985
3
John Lawrence Robert Sinclair
6 Jan 1953
SINGH OF WIMBLEDON
12 Oct 2011
B[L]
1
Indarjit Singh
1932
Created Baron Singh of Wimbledon for life
12 Oct 2011
SINHA
14 Feb 1919
B
1
Satyendra Prasanno Sinha
Jun 1864
5 Mar 1928
63
Created Baron Sunha 14 Feb 1919
PC 1919
5 Mar 1928
2
Arun Kumar Sinha
22 Aug 1887
11 May 1967
79
For further information on this peer's petition
for a writ of summons to the House of Lords,
see the note at the foot of this page
11 May 1967
3
Sudhindro Prossanho Sinha
29 Oct 1920
6 Jan 1989
68
6 Jan 1989
4
Susanta Prasanna Sinha
1953
1992
39
1992
5
Anindo Kumar Sinha
1930
18 Jan 1999
68
18 Jan 1999
6
Arup Kumar Sinha
23 Apr 1966
SKELMERSDALE
30 Jan 1828
B
1
Edward Bootle-Wilbraham
7 Mar 1771
3 Apr 1853
82
Created Baron Skelmersdale
30 Jan 1828
MP for Westbury 1795-1796, Newcastle
under Lyme 1796-1812, Clitheroe 1812-1818
and Dover 1818-1828
3 Apr 1853
2
Edward Bootle-Wilbraham,later [1880] 1st
12 Dec 1837
19 Nov 1898
60
Earl of Lathom
19 Nov 1898
3
Edward George Bootle-Wilbraham,2nd Earl
of Lathom
26 Oct 1864
15 Mar 1910
45
15 Mar 1910
4
Edward William Bootle-Wilbraham,3rd Earl
of Lathom
16 May 1895
6 Feb 1930
34
6 Feb 1930
5
Arthur George Bootle-Wilbraham
21 May 1876
9 Feb 1969
92
9 Feb 1969
6
Lionel Bootle-Wilbraham
23 Sep 1896
21 Jul 1973
76
21 Jul 1973
7
Roger Bootle-Wilbraham
2 Apr 1945
SKENE
1 Oct 1857
B
1
James Duff,Earl of Fife
6 Jul 1814
7 Aug 1879
65
Created Baron Skene 1 Oct 1857
See "Fife"
SKIDELSKY
15 Jul 1991
B[L]
1
Robert Jacob Alexander Skidelsky
25 Apr 1939
Created Baron Skidelsky 15 Jul 1991
SKRIMSHIRE OF QUARTER
2 Oct 1979
B[L]
1
Margaret Betty Harvie Anderson
12 Aug 1913
7 Nov 1979
66
to
Created Baroness Skrimshire of Quarter
7 Nov 1979
for life 2 Oct 1979
MP for Renfrewshire East 1959-1979
PC 1974
Peerage extinct on her death
SLANE
c 1370
B[I]
1
Sir Simon Fleming
Oct 1370
Created Baron Slane c 1370
Oct 1370
2
Thomas Fleming
1435
1435
3
Christopher Fleming
30 Nov 1446
30 Nov 1446
4
Christopher Fleming
1457
1457
5
David Fleming
1463
1463
6
Thomas Fleming
8 Dec 1470
8 Dec 1470
7
James Fleming
1492
1492
8
Christopher Fleming
9 Aug 1517
9 Aug 1517
9
James Fleming
1578
1578
10
Thomas Fleming
9 Nov 1597
9 Nov 1597
11
William Fleming
1612
1612
12
Christopher Fleming
9 Jun 1625
9 Jun 1625
13
Thomas Fleming
c 1604
after 1629
He resigned the peerage in favour of -
1629
14
William Fleming
1641
1641
15
Charles Fleming
1661
1661
16
Randall Fleming
22 Oct 1676
22 Oct 1676
17
Christopher Fleming
1669
14 Jul 1726
57
to
He was attainted and the peerage forfeited
16 Apr 1691
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
22 Jan 1816
V[I]
1
Henry Conyngham,Earl Conyngham
26 Dec 1766
28 Dec 1832
66
Created Viscount Slane,Earl of Mount
Charles and Marquess Conyngham
22 Jan 1816
See "Conyngham"
SLATER
8 Jul 1970
B[L]
1
Joseph Slater
13 Jun 1904
21 Apr 1977
72
to
Created Baron Slater 1970
21 Apr 1977
MP for Sedgefield 1950-1970
Peerage extinct on his death
SLIGO
29 Dec 1800
M[I]
1
John Denis Browne,3rd Earl of Altamont
11 Jun 1756
2 Jan 1809
52
Created Marquess of Sligo 29 Dec 1800
and Baron Monteagle 20 Feb 1806
PC [I] 1785
KP 1800
2 Jan 1809
2
Howe Peter Browne
18 May 1788
26 Jan 1845
56
Lord Lieutenant Mayo 1842-1845. KP 1810
PC [I] 1809
PC 1834
For further information on this peer, see the
note at the foot of this page
26 Jan 1845
3
George John Browne
31 Jan 1820
30 Dec 1896
76
30 Dec 1896
4
John Thomas Browne
10 Sep 1824
30 Dec 1903
79
MP for Mayo 1857-1868
30 Dec 1903
5
Henry Ulick Browne
14 Mar 1831
24 Feb 1913
81
24 Feb 1913
6
George Ulick Browne
1 Sep 1856
26 Feb 1935
78
Lord Lieutenant Mayo 1914-1922
For further information on this peer, see the
note at the foot of this page
26 Feb 1935
7
Ulick de Burgh Browne
30 Mar 1898
7 Jan 1941
42
7 Jan 1941
8
Arthur Howe Browne
8 May 1867
28 May 1951
84
28 May 1951
9
Terence Morris Browne
28 Sep 1873
28 Jul 1952
78
28 Jul 1952
10
Denis Edward Browne
13 Dec 1908
11 Sep 1991
82
11 Sep 1991
11
Jeremy Ulick Browne
4 Jun 1939
Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 8th Earl of Shaftesbury
The following is extracted from "Reynolds' Newspaper" of 18 April 1886:-
'The Earl of Shaftesbury committed suicide on Tuesday [13 April 1886], by shooting himself with
a revolver, while being driven in a cab along Upper Regent-street. It appears that his lordship
engaged a cab in the upper part of Regent-street shortly after four o'clock, and directed the
cabman to drive down the street. The driver did so, and on reaching the lower end of the
thoroughfare was told by the earl to return. This the man did, and when the upper end of the
street was reached, his lordship again directed the cab to be turned around. This was done
several times, and when the cab was near Oxford-street, about half-past four o'clock, the driver
heard a shot. He jumped down, and the earl, who was unknown to him, said, "It's all right,
cabman: drive on!" The man replied, Yes, I know it's all right; but what is this?" and pointed to
a bullet-hole in the front part of the cab, adding, "I value my life too much to drive on." He was,
however, about to mount the box again, when a second report was heard, and this time Lord
Shaftesbury shot himself in the left temple. At this moment Police-constable Smith, who had
heard the first report, came up, and entering the cab, told the cabman to drive up to the
Middlesex Hospital. A crowd gathered around the vehicle, but the earl was not recognised by
anyone until the hospital was reached, a few minutes afterwards. There the policeman and
driver of the cab carried his lordship, who was still alive, into the in-patient's ward, and
summoned the assistance of the house-surgeon, Dr. Bartlett, but Lord Shaftesbury was just
breathing his last, and was beyond all surgical aid, the bullet having penetrated the brain.
Meanwhile an intimation of the sad occurrence had been sent to the friends of the deceased,
and in a short time the Countess of Shaftesbury arrived, followed by his lordship's butler, but
only to learn that the worst had happened. The weapon used was a six-barrelled revolver, and
it is supposed from the position of the first shot that it had been fired accidentally, but the
situation of the fatal wound showed that the second was discharged with deliberate aim.'
At the subsequent inquest, evidence was heard that the Earl had, for the last few months of
his life, suffered from depression. The dead Earl's brother gave evidence that the Earl felt that
life was no longer worth living. He would stay in bed for days on end, and all of the Earl's
servants were directed to keep an eye on him. Great care was taken to remove all weapons
out of his reach, although it was not considered necessary to place the Earl under restraint.
When the Earl's clothing was searched after his death, a number of scraps of paper were
found. On these, in the Earl's handwriting, were found the words "I am no good to anybody.
I cannot live any longer. Forgive me! Bless you, dear Harriet! [Lady Shaftesbury]. You are too
good for me."
The coroner's jury returned a verdict that the Earl had committed suicide by shooting himself
with a revolver whilst in a state of unsound mind.
Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury
The 10th Earl of Shaftesbury was a very wealthy and flamboyant character, in the same mould
as his father, Lord Ashley, the son of the 9th Earl. Lord Ashley died in 1947 before he could
succeed to the title, which therefore passed, on the death of the 9th Earl in 1961, to his
grandson, the 10th Earl.
Lord Ashley had already shocked 1920s society by marrying the model and actress Sylvia
Hawkes in 1927, before divorcing her some years later. She later married four more times, two
of her later husbands being Douglas Fairbanks and Clark Gable. Lord Ashley later married
Francoise Goussault, who became the mother of the 10th Earl.
The 10th Earl was educated at Eton, where he developed a taste for exotic women. He does
not appear to have had much regard for young women of his own class, describing them in the
Eton school magazine as 'round-shouldered, unsophisticated garglers of pink champagne.'
After studying at Oxford, the Earl embarked upon matrimony for the first time in 1966, when he
married the 40-year old divorcee Bianca Le Vien. They were divorced in 1976 due to the Earl's
adulterous habits. Later that year he married another divorcee, Christina Casella. This marriage
produced the 11th and 12th Earls of Shaftesbury, but also ended in divorce.
After the death of his mother in 1999 and the divorce from his second wife, the Earl re-located
to France, spending much of his time on the Cote d'Azur, where, despite being in his early 60s,
he plunged into a hectic social life, fuelled, it is said, by alcohol and Viagra. He was described as
'a philanthropist who specialised in rescuing lap dancers.'
In 2002, he announced that he planned to marry a French lingerie model named Nathalie Lions,
but this marriage never eventuated. Instead, on 5th November 2002, he married a Dutch-
Tunisian nightclub hostess named Djamila M'Barek. This marriage made no difference to his social
life, and he and his wife were separated by early 2004, when he took up with a woman named
Nadia Orch, variously described as a 'Moroccan prostitute' or, more euphemistically, 'a club
hostess.'
On 6 November 2004, the Earl checked out of his Cannes hotel and then vanished. When no
trace of him was found, the French police launched a formal criminal enquiry. Initially, it was
thought that he may have been kidnapped by gangsters in order to extort his fortune from him,
but this theory was soon discounted and the police authorities came to believe that the Earl had
been murdered.
In February 2005, Djamila M'Barek was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where she confessed
to being involved in her husband's death. She claimed that her brother Mohammed M'Barek had
strangled the Earl in her flat at Cannes, and had dumped the body. She was subsequently
arrested, as was her brother. Mohammed denied his involvement and claimed no knowledge of
the location of the Earl's body.
By examining the Earl's phone records, the police were able to identify the telephone mast which
received the last-known signal from the Earl's mobile phone. This clue led police to search the
undergrowth in a valley on the outskirts of Cannes where, on 7 April 2005, they found a badly
decomposed body that had been half-eaten by animals.
In May 2007, Djamila and Mohammed M'Barek were tried for the murder of the Earl. Both were
found guilty and both received 25-year prison sentences.
Richard Henry Boyle, 6th Earl of Shannon
On the death of the 5th Earl of Shannon in February 1890, the next heir was his eldest son,
Richard Henry Boyle, known under his courtesy title of Viscount Boyle. The difficulty was that
Richard had moved to Canada in 1883 and had not been heard of for the last two years.
The following article is taken from "The Times" of 2 April 1890:-
'The Hon. Henry Boyle left London on Saturday last [29 March 1890] for Canada, with the view
of endeavouring to find some traces of his eldest brother, of whom nothing has been heard for
over two years, and who, by the somewhat sudden death of his father, the [5th] Earl of
Shannon, some months ago, has succeeded to the family titles and estates.
'About seven years ago Viscount Boyle, having resigned his commission in the Rifle Brigade,
left England with the view of settling in the west of Canada, and he was subsequently joined
by his brother Henry, and they were engaged together for some time in ranching operations.
As the speculation did not, however, prove as successful as was expected, the brothers
separated, and after a short interval Mr. Henry Boyle decided some three years back to return
to England in order to avail himself of an opening which [he had been] offered in the City.
Before leaving Mr. Boyle wrote to his brother telling him he was going home. Lord Boyle decided,
however, to remain in Canada, and since then, with the exception of a report received from an
innkeeper that he was seen about two years ago near one of the mining camps, nothing has
been heard of him. Last year every effort was made to find him, as, apart from the natural
anxiety of his friends, Lord Boyle came into a considerable sum of money, and it became
necessary to find him in order to procure his signature to some papers. It is understood that
Lord Shannon, before he died, had arranged to sell a considerable portion of the estates in
Ireland to the tenants…….He died, however, without signing the necessary deeds, and we
believe the matter will have to stand over until it is discovered who the present owner of the
estates is.'
Some months later, the new Earl resurfaced in New York. This report is taken from the
"Chicago Tribune" of 25 July 1890:-
'New York, July 2 - Among the names on the passenger list of the White Star steamship
Teutonic, which sailed from this port Wednesday, appeared that of a Mr. R. Boyle. This plain
Mr. R. Boyle was the missing Viscount Boyle, now (because of the death of the old Earl) Earl of
Shannon of County Cork, Ireland. Lord Boyle, or Earl [of] Shannon, as he is now called, is an
eccentric young man with a decidedly interesting history. At the age of 22, just seven years
ago, the young Viscount left his home to seek his fortune in the far Northwest. He is a young
man of a decidedly roving disposition, democratic in his tastes, fond of outdoor sports, and
equally fond, as it would appear, of indulging in what is known in this country as high rolling.
His Lordship landed on these shores about seven years ago, with unbounded ambition, a
pocketful of money, and a general desire to have a good time so far as circumstances would
permit. After thoroughly "doing" this city in company with other kindred spirits, his Lordship
went to a ranch in Montana and engaged in the delectable pursuit of "punching" cattle and
waging a sportsmanlike warfare upon the wild denizens of the great North-western forests
and streams.
'Nor was the pursuit of politics forgotten in the land of his adoption. A real, live Irish Lord
was a person to command respect, and Lord Boyle was, therefore, elected a member of the
Legislature. He served a term with great credit to himself and to the unbounded satisfaction
of his constituents. [Burke's Peerage states that he served as a member of the Canadian
Parliament, but in reality he appears to have been a member of the Northwest Territories
legislature]
'Lord Boyle was next heard of in Victoria, B.C. There, according to accounts published in the
papers at the time, he appears to have led a rather fast life. Then his Lordship suddenly
disappeared, and from that time - over two years ago - until within the last week he had not
been heard from.
As his Lordship had not written home since his departure, over seven years
ago, it is not to be wondered at that his relatives were worried by his erratic and wayward
conduct.
'Then came all sorts of conflicting reports as to where Lord Boyle had hidden himself. One
gentleman who claimed to know located the missing nobleman in the diamond fields of
South Africa. Others had met his Lordship digging for golden nuggets in the mines of Alaska,
while not a few were positive that he gone to the Bengal jungles to wrestle with the tigers
and huge-eared elephants. After speculating upon his Lordship's whereabouts until the four
quarters of the globe had become exhausted, it was determined to call the young man dead
as the best and only means of disposing of the matter. Like Stanley, therefore, Lord Boyle
was killed in various ways. From this time on his Lordship died, at intervals, all manner of
deaths.
'Of course when the old Earl of Shannon, Lord Boyle's father, died some months ago and the
missing Lord had himself become the Earl, it became a matter of some moment either that
this much killed young man should be brought to life or that the fact of his death should be
well established. For this purpose Lord Boyle's brother Henry came to this country soon after
the Earl's death and scoured the great Northwest on the trail of his missing relative, but
finding no trace, returned disheartened to this city. The brother's search, however, was not
altogether futile, for a telegram was received two weeks ago from Idaho from the missing
man, stating that he was alive and well and would shortly arrive in New York. Closely
following the telegram came the young Earl himself, bronzed and weather-beaten as a Sioux
Indian, but a splendid specimen of physical health and robust manhood. The new Earl of
Shannon remained quietly in this city for a few days and then as plain R. Boyle left with his
brother for home.'
Robert Lowe, 1st and only Viscount Sherbrooke
The following biography, which concentrates on Lowe's period in Australia, appeared in the
February 1955 issue of the Australian monthly magazine "Parade":-
'By one of those curious whims of nature, Robert Lowe was born an albino, of lily-white skin,
Arctic-blond hair, and weak pink eyes. But if he looked like an overgrown Angora rabbit, he had
the tongue of an asp and the belligerence of a wild bull elephant. At the age of 31 he was told
he might soon be blind and probably dead; so he came to Australia to make a quick bid for
fortune and retire. Instead, he threw himself into the colony's fight for self-government and in
the seven years he lived here, between 1842 and 1850, became embroiled in more fights than
most men encounter in a lifetime.
'Surviving at least two duels by men stung to fury by his caustic tongue as a member of the first
Legislative Council, Lowe returned to England to achieve the Chancellorship of the Exchequer
under Gladstone, a peerage as Viscount Sherbrooke and the distinction of being one of the most
remarkable personalities of his day - defying death and the doctors to live to the ripe old age of
81.
'It was at Bingham, Notts, on December 4, 1811, that Robert Lowe's blood-red eyes first gazed
upon the world. His father was a land-owning, foxhunting rector there, and Robert was the
second son, and the fourth of seven children. An elder sister, Elizabeth, was also an albino.
Because of this aberration and the delicate eyesight that accompanied it, he was not sent to
a public school (Winchester) until he was 14, and he was 22 before he graduated at Oxford. He
gained a distinguished pass, however, with a first in classics and a second in mathematics. He
would have gained a first in the latter, also, so his friends maintained, had his poor eyesight
not required him to put his face so close to the paper that his nose rubbed out half the answers.
'He settled temporarily to tutoring, until in 1835 he won a fellowship at Magdalen College. That
same year he became engaged to a Georgiana Orred and announced to his father that he had
decided to become a barrister. Parental consent and cash were withheld from both projects.
Nevertheless Robert married his Georgiana in March, 1836, and bought a small house at Oxford.
He continued on with his tutoring, but at the same time drove his weak eyes to pore over law
books. He was called to the Bar in January, 1842, but the hard work had taken toll of his eyes,
and tormenting headaches and indifferent general health drove him to consult three specialists.
Their verdict was unanimous: seven more years of eyesight and then complete blindness. They
advised him for his health's sake to go to Australia. Robert talked the prospect over with
Georgiana, and together they decided that in Australia he might reasonably hope to make a
quick fortune, upon which, together with her income, he would be able to retire.
'They sailed in June, 1842, and arrived in Sydney four months later. The Governor was then Sir
George Gipps, and his wife was a relative of Georgiana's. After a fortnight's stay in the vice-
regal residence at Parramatta, the Lowes took up house in Macquarie Street, and Lowe settled
to what he called "the wretched trade of an advocate." For the first three months all went well,
although he suffered greatly from the glaring Sydney sunlight. Then a local doctor, claiming that
tic douloureux [trigeminal neuralgia - a very painful disease] and not merely congenital defic-
iency of the eyes threatened his life as well as his eyesight, forbade him the use of his eyes
altogether.
'Lowe thought of returning to England, but as 1843 wore on he decided in desperation to forget
all about doctor's orders, to nurse his eyesight as much as possible, but to continue his original
plan of working at the Bar. A little later he adopted blinkers, dark goggles which hooded his eyes
and admitted only pencil points of light. Gradually he began to get the "feel" of things in the
colony of New South Wales, which then included Port Phillip (Victoria) and Moreton Bay
(Queensland).
'The year he arrived the colonists had been granted a measure of representative government
under a new constitution establishing a Legislative Council of 36 members - 24 of them elected
representatives and the other 12 Crown nominees and Government officials. The Governor,
however, retained the power of veto over any decision of the Council, and Gipps was opposed
to the elected representatives' demands for responsible government and upheld the English
Colonial Office's right to supreme authority. At the end of 1843 Gipps appointed Lowe one of his
Crown nominees to the Council to "strengthen the Government" against the demands of the
popular members.
'Lowe's success in the Council helped to advance his prestige at the Bar, although he never
reached the rank of Richard Windeyer [1806-1847], or [Sir] Archibald Michie [1813-1899] [two
of Sydney's leading barristers at the time]. The one trial by which he is remembered today was
his defence of John Knatchbull, accused of the murder of the widowed Mrs. Jamieson. He was
unsuccessful, but his defence was some 100 years ahead of its time - a suit for an acquittal on
the grounds of moral insanity. [For further details see the note under the Knatchbull baronetcy].
The trial had results of personal importance. He and his wife were childless and adopted the
two small orphaned children of the murdered widow, Mary and Bobby Jamieson. The girl died
soon after the Lowes returned to England, while Bobby lived to a restless, troublesome
adulthood, and caused his foster parents endless misery before he died in an insane asylum.
'For a time Lowe was a faithful ally of the Government in the Legislative Council, upholding the
supreme infallibility of Whitehall, and few others in the Council could match his classic oratory
or caustic wit. It was during this period that he made a reference in debate considered a
personal affront by an Elderman Macdermott and a Captain Moore, who called upon him next
day in his chambers in Elizabeth Street demanding that he make an immediate apology or "state
a time and place." Lowe refused to do either, claiming his right to freedom of speech in the
Council, and ordered them out of his chambers with some biting references to the effect that
only gentlemen could have any honour to avenge, adding that in any case it was beneath his
dignity to fight with those not his social equal. To add indignity to insult, he had them bound
over to keep the peace and aired the whole affair in the Council by pressing for a prosecution.
Public opinion was against him, however, and for a time he was the most unpopular man in the
colony.
'The affair eventually blew over, and Lowe's popularity was recovered, at least in part, when he
pressed for an inquiry to draw up recommendations for improvements in education. At the same
time he began to favour the colony's claims for more representative government, and towards
the end of 1844 he resigned as a nominee of the after supporting the establishment of a
separate colony for the area round Port Phillip (later constituted as Victoria.)
'He fell back on journalism as a sideline to law, and put out the first number of "Atlas," a "weekly
journal of politics, commerce and literature," in November, 1844. It became immediately popular
because of its advocacy of representative government and the wit of Lowe's satirical skits and
epigrams. Within six months he had become as popular as he had previously been unpopular,
and in April, 1845, he was returned to the Council as an elected member.
'Shortly afterwards he broke with [William Charles] Wentworth and the "squattocracy" over the
land question. He was accused of betrayal, but Lowe was evidently sincere in his detestation
of a land monopoly such as the squatters had secured from the English Ministry. Not only did it
thwart the hopes of immigrants wanting "room to live in," he said, but it frustrated the only
means by which the colony could settle people on the land and so establish a genuine
yeomanry.
'Before the issue was settled, Gipps retired and was succeeded as Governor by Sir Charles
FitzRoy. In England W. E. Gladstone, the new Colonial Secretary, began suggesting the revival
of transportation as a means of overcoming financial depression in the colony. There was an
immediate public outcry against the move; but the squatting interests were jubilant at the
at the prospect of free labour. Then, out of the blue, in 1849, the convict ship 'Hashemy' arrived
in Sydney with 250 convicts aboard. The Sydney colonists collected at Circular Quay in a
spontaneous meeting of protest, to which Lowe repaired. It was a day of drenching rain, but the
crowd ignored the downpour as Lowe harangued them with fiery phrases. A deputation to the
Governor headed by Lowe had some results. Eventually some of the convicts were permitted to
land, but they were sent "up country" while the majority were pushed on by sea to Moreton Bay.
It was some years before transportation ceased, but these public meetings of protest gave the
death-blow to the system.
'Towards the end of 1849 his wife's health and her constant wish to return to England decided
Lowe to leave the colony, and they sailed with their young Jamieson charges on January 27,
1850. He resumed practice at the Bar in England, and in April 1851, joined 'The Times' as a
leader-writer. He was elected Liberal Member for Kidderminster the following year and politics
thereafter were his main preoccupation until the end of his life.
'For more than 30 years he played major roles in British politics, as Secretary of the Board of
Control, Vice-President of the Board of Trade, President of the Board of Health, Minister for
Education and Chancellor of the Exchequer. In this sphere he reverted to the upholding of
established government, and he opposed any extension of voting rights.
'Tall Bobby Lowe, of the white hair and witty tongue, became one of the best-known figures
in English public life. In 1880 his ability and service were rewarded with a peerage. As Viscount
Sherbrooke he devoted more time to his small estate in Surrey and less to politics, as his health
at last began to fail. Georgiana died in 1884 and the following year he married again. It was not
until 1892 that he, too, died, at Warlingham in Surrey.'
Elizabeth ("Bess") Hardwick, wife of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury
The following biography, in which I have amended certain areas in the interests of accuracy,
appeared in the June 1967 issue of the Australian monthly magazine "Parade":-
'Young Bess Hardwick, daughter of John Hardwick, a financially insecure gentleman of England,
was not only physically attractive, but was an amazingly good cook and housekeeper. The
delectable "beres, broths and jellies" she concocted despite the limited kitchen expenses she
was allowed, never ceased to amaze her parents, her other sisters and their few guests. But
while Bess scrimped and saved and wrote up her kitchen accounts neatly and accurately, she
took some time off to do a little scheming.
With her ivory-like skin shining with sweat and her light amber hair dishevelled as she worked
over the oven, she vowed that one day she would rise above her environment and win a place
of affluence among the nobles who treated her family with disdain or pity. And Bess Hardwick,
making the most of her cooking and business skills as well as her attractive face and figure,
achieved her ambition with a vengeance. Going through four fabulously rich husbands, she
inherited their estates and ended her life as the wealthiest woman in England.
'The story of Elizabeth Hardwick, the most successful gold-digger of 16th century England,
began in about 1518 when she was born to John and Elizabeth Hardwick at Hardwick Hall,
Derbyshire. Bess was 14 when a family friend, Lady Zouche, told Bess's parents the girl needed
a holiday in London, The parents agreed and the pair set out for Lady Zouche's London
residence. Staying with Lady Zouche at that time was an eccentric and aged gentleman, a man
of exceedingly poor health and excessively vast estates. Among the dying man's estates was a
great tract of land that made him possibly the richest landowner in Bess's native county of
Derbyshire. When Lady Zouche cajoled her into becoming the old man's nurse, she retired to the
kitchen and began preparing him an endless stream of her best dishes.
'The result was that Barlow's health began to improve. In fact it improved so startlingly that he
began casting passionate eyes on his youthful nurse. Bess wasted no time in unnecessary
courting. She persuaded Barlow to make out a will in her favour and, not long after her 15th
birthday, led her tottering old groom to the altar. Barlow managed to survive his nuptial day
for a few months. Then he died. The 15-year-old Bess was now a widow possessing vast
wealth. [This story is totally at odds with other sources, which state that Barlow was a
sickly teenager. In any event, the outcome was the same - his early death left Bess a very
wealthy woman].
'Although she had sufficient assets to keep her in luxury for the rest of her life, Bess did not
rest on her laurels. She began looking around for another wealthy husband, this time one with
a noble title. Her great wealth making a hasty remarriage unnecessary, she bided her time.
Indeed she had waited 3 years when Sir William Cavendish [c 1505-1557], who had already
outlived two wives, came into her sights.
'Cavendish had inherited from his father, Clerk of the Pipe in the Exchequer, tremendous land
holdings in Suffolk. He was also a financial adviser to King Henry VIII. When Henry broke with
the Pope and the State confiscated church property in England, William was given the task of
taking over the monasteries. He performed this duty so efficiently and expeditiously that Henry
rewarded him by handing over to him valuable slices of this nationalised property.
'Bess and Cavendish were married at the unlikely hour of 2 am on August 20, 1547. Following
the nuptials, the celebrations rollicked on for 24 hours before the exhausted couple retired to
their bed chamber. Although six children were born during the next 10 years [actually eight,
two of whom died in infancy], she found time to persuade her husband to join with her in the
purchase of valuable real estate. In that time Bess and her husband bought not only her old
family estate in Derbyshire, but built several mansions, some of which survive. At Chatsworth
she built the mighty palace and ducal residence that became [and remains] one of England's
showpieces.
'In October 1557 Cavendish died, leaving Bess engulfed in assets. In fact, even at this stage
of her life she was regarded as one of England's wealthiest women. Her widowhood also made
her the most eligible. It was not long after this second bereavement that she met Sir William
Saint Lo, the handsome captain of Queen Elizabeth's personal guard. He was also Grand Butler
of England and the owner of extensive estates.
'Bess could see only one impediment to a successful marriage - Saint Lo already had a large
batch of daughters by a former wife. This meant, she knew, that in the event of his death she
must divide his estate with the daughters. She solved the problem by assuring him they could
never marry unless his will specified her as the sole heir. Falling for the bait, Saint Lo agreed.
Three months after the wedding Saint Lo died peacefully following a short illness.
'Bess was still officially in mourning when friends noticed she was being attended by George
Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and one of Queen Elizabeth's most valued advisers. Shrewsbury, a
nobleman of vast wealth, had found that the dual role of adviser to the Queen and manager of
his extensive estates was getting too much for him. In Bess he saw the answer to all his
worries. She was rich and handled financial affairs better than most men. Also, he knew, she
was an excellent cook.
'The earl came up against the business woman in Bess when he first asked for her hand in
marriage. She said she would not consider it unless he settled a parcel of property worth
hundreds of thousands of pounds on her. Also, his youngest daughter, Grace, was to marry
Bess's eldest son, Henry Cavendish, while Gilbert Talbot, heir to the earldom, must marry Bess's
youngest daughter. The subsequent marriage between Shrewsbury and Bess caused the Queen
to heap praise on both parties. Of Bess, Elizabeth wrote: "There ys no Ladye yn thys land that
I beter love and lyke."
'On May 17, 1568, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, landed in England a fugitive from her kingdom.
She was at once arrested by Elizabeth and, shortly afterwards, the Earl of Shrewsbury was
selected as Mary's gaoler, first in one then in another of his castles. The relationship between
Bess and her husband deteriorated rapidly from the day Mary was put in their care and within a
few months they were openly abusing each other.
'Bess began intriguing with Mary, at the same time accusing her husband of being their prisoner's
lover. Then one day it was learned that the Countess of Lennox, mother of Charles Stuart [Earl
of Lennox of the 1572 creation], would be passing the Shrewsbury mansion, Rufford, when Bess
was in residence. So Bess arranged to have the lady invited into Rufford. There she lavished
hospitality on her guest and managed to induce the countess to stay over for a few days. The
reason for her graciousness was that the countess was travelling towards Scotland in search of
a wife for her son Charles, then fourth in line to the English throne.
The Countess of Shrewsbury's plans hinged on the hope that one of her daughters might impress
the Countess of Lennox as a future daughter-in-law. When Charles Stuart and Elizabeth
Cavendish later met, love was immediate. Less than a week after that meeting the pair was
secretly married. When Shrewsbury heard of the match, he was delighted and wrote to his
friend, Lord Burghley, the Queen's treasurer: "The young man is so far in love that belike he is
sick without her. This truly effected I shall be well at quiet for there are few noblemen's sons
in England that she (Bess) hath not prayed me to deal for at some time or another. And now
this comes unlooked for without thanks to me."
'But Queen Elizabeth did not take the marriage in the same spirit. Indeed she flew into a violent
because she believed such a close union with the family of Mary Queen of Scots was close to
treason. When the Queen issued orders demanding that the parties concerned must present
themselves before her in London, Shrewsbury protested that the marriage took place without
his consent. Thus he was allowed to remain out of the capital, but all others connected with
the marriage set out for London and the Queen's wrath.
'Immediately the Countesses of Shrewsbury and Lennox entered the city they were arrested
and imprisoned in the Tower. While the Countess of Lennox complained that this was the third
time she had been in the Tower over love matters, the Countess of Shrewsbury busied herself
writing appeals for release to friends she thought could help her. In time, after promising the
that she would do her "reverent dutie," Bess returned to her husband, where she learned that
her daughter, the wife of Charles Stuart, had given birth to a child [Arbella, who was at one
time considered a possible successor to Queen Elizabeth. She eventually starved herself to
death in the Tower of London in 1615].
'By now there was no hope of reconciliation between Shrewsbury and his countess. Ultimately
Bess left her husband and went to live at Hardwick Hall, the home of her childhood and now a
part of her huge estates. In 1584 the Earl of Shrewsbury and 40 of his horsemen laid siege to
Chatsworth, which was successfully defended by Bess's sons Charles and William Cavendish.
Claiming the palace was his, Shrewsbury wrote to the Queen: "Why should my wife and her
servants rule me, making me the wife and she the husband?"
'But Elizabeth sided with Bess and ordered Shrewsbury to take her back and live with her.
Bitterly he carried out the order, but demanded back from his wife everything he had given
her. He was still trying to devise new ways of frustrating his wife when he died in 1590, a
bitter, frustrated old man.
'For the next 17 years Bess went on a building spree, sinking hundreds of thousands of pounds
into new castles and mansions and extending the old. In 1608, after seeing Chatsworth
extended to massive proportions, a heavy frost forced the workmen who were building extra
wings on to Hardwick Hall to stop work for several days. And before they could get back to
the job the old countess was dead, leaving an estate practically unrivalled in Britain.'
Anna Maria Talbot [25 Mar 1642-20 Apr 1702], wife of Francis Talbot, 11th Earl
of Shrewsbury
The following biography of the Countess of Shrewsbury appeared in the Australian monthly
magazine "Parade" in its February 1955 issue:-
'As a sedan chair left St. James' Palace, London, one autumn night in the reign of Charles II, a
slim figure slipped stealthily from the shadows and, before the chair-men could intervene, thrust
a murderous sword three times through the side of the chair at the gallant within. The man who
leapt out clutching a bleeding arm was, however, curiously evasive in his answers to the watch-
men who pounded to the rescue. The sword thrusts, he privately suspected, were delivered by
a woman, and that could only mean that Anna Brudenell, Countess of Shrewsbury, had decided
to dispense with him as a lover. Life, even without his beautiful red-headed mistress, was still
sweet to Thomas Killigrew, most talkative man at court; so for the first time, he shut his mouth
tightly and made no accusations.
'Men with far more courage than "Tom the Jester" had taken their dismissal passively. Though a
threat from Anna, "the Devil Countess," came from the most provocative lips of the Restoration
period, every word carried a promise of sudden death. Yet there was no shortage of men willing
to play with the fire of Anna Brudenell's love. In the profligate court of the Merry Monarch,
competition for distinction in amour and intrigue ran high. At the age of 20, Anna had earned
undisputed leadership among the courtesans.
'The Devil Countess began life in 1638 as the Honourable Anna Maria Brudenell, daughter of the
second Earl of Cardigan. Few women less deserved the title "Honourable." From her fiery passage
through a fiery era, history records not a single word of praise for her. At 21 Anna was in full
bloom of the beauty that was the downfall of every male. According to one description: "There
was in her round, fair visage, with its languishing eyes and full pouting mouth, something
voluptuous and bold." If she had a physical fault, it was apparent only to a Frenchman. The
Chevalier de Gramont thought she was slightly over-endowed with what he delicately called
"embonpoint" [i.e. plumpness] -a minor matter in the days of bustles and bows.
'She married Francis Talbot, the eleventh Earl of Shrewsbury when she was scarcely 21. Perhaps
her beauty was the bait, perhaps her extensive dowry. In either case, after a short period of
starry-eyed infatuation, the Earl went back to the placid life of a plodding middle-aged states-
man and left Anna to amuse herself as she liked - and her liking was love. Her first acknowledged
conquest at court was the handsome, dashing young Earl of Arran. Despite his immaturity he
had built up a reputation as an experienced heartbreaker.
'Anna changed that. The Earl became a court joke, mooning around like a student who had
learned too much too quickly. Oblivious of the sniggers, his eyes followed Anna wherever she
went. When she smiled, he smiled, when she frowned he was abjectly depressed. Tired of
such cloying devotion, Anna fluttered her eyelashes at her brother-in-law, Richard Talbot.
Talbot took the bait readily but proved to be more shark than minnow. He alone of Anna's lovers
dominated her and whipped her into line. In a few months he tired of her and cast her aside.
Worse, he kept the impassioned letters she wrote and presented them to his new mistress
cynically tied with a lock of Anna's hair.
'When she met Colonel Thomas Howard, brother of the Earl of Carlisle, Anna's score stood at one
victory and one defeat on the field of love. Howard surrendered unconditionally. When,
inevitably, she tired of him and cast eyes on Harry Jermyn, the colonel refused to be shaken off.
He filled the air with unsoldierly blubbering and, when tears and pleading failed, threatened to
confess details of the affair to her husband. The threat infuriated rather than alarmed her. The
plot she laid to rid herself of the tiresome colonel was as twisted as her own nature. Harry [i.e.
Henry Jermyn, later 3rd Baron Jermyn and 1st Baron Dover] - "the invincible Jermyn" - swords-
man, bully, and lady-killer, was to be the instrument of Howard's death.
'Reassuring Howard of her love, she persuaded him to take her to supper in a Charing Cross
restaurant. She and the adoring Howard were tete-a-tete at a secluded table when, as pre-
arranged, Jermyn hove in sight. Anna invited him to join them. While Howard glowered, Jermyn
held Anna's hand and made such outrageous love to her that Howard had no choice but to
challenge him to a duel.
'Anna greeted the news joyfully. Those who had met Jermyn with swords had never left the
field on their feet. Howard was as good as dead, she believed. Jermyn chose for his second
Colonel Giles Rawlings. Howard was supported by the younger brother of Lord Dillon. As was
the custom, all four fought. Unfortunately for Anna's plans, the invincible Jermyn was
vulnerable. When the dust settled, he had a wound which kept him on his back for months,
while Colonel Rawlings died where he lay. In one way Anna's plan had succeeded - Howard
and his second who, according to rumour, had taken the precaution of wearing body armour -
fled the country. But her fine new lover, Jermyn, was a wreck.
'It was then that Anna's guttersnipe streak came uppermost. From the dozens of eligible and
willing men ready to come when she beckoned, she chose Thomas Killigrew [1612-1683], court
buffoon and professional funnyman. Killigrew, a mean-souled little gossip with a viperish tongue,
held his place at court by playing cruel, practical jokes which infuriated his victims and sent his
worthless audience into peals of laughter.
'He was the most unlikely-looking lover of the batch, yet there was something about the futile
little man that appealed to Anna's twisted nature. Elated and slightly incredulous at his fortune,
Tom the Jester could not resist using the affair in his trade of buffoon. Night after night he
regaled the gentlemen of the court with prurient details of the affair. His harping on the theme
whetted the curiosity of George Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham, acknowledged No. 1
romantic lover of his age. Anna threw no obstacles in the way of Buckingham's amorous
experiments. Evidently he found that Killigrew had not exaggerated, for Buckingham was soon
firmly on the hook.
'Anna, however, learned from him that her boudoir secrets were rapidly becoming common
property to every rake at court and there was black murder in her heart. Her plan to dismiss
Killigrew was involved but effective. She persuaded him that to challenge Buckingham, a master
swordsman, to a duel, would be the greatest prank of his clownish career. Killigrew felt that the
duke would not soil a noble sword on a buffoon, but Anna was not so sure. Killigrew knew that
his position depended on getting laughs, so he agreed and thanked Anna for the suggestion.
Next night at the theatre he bandied insulting pleasantries with Buckingham, and when all eyes
were on them climbed into his box and struck him in the face with a stocking. Buckingham was
not amused. He cut the joker shrewdly across the seat of the breeches with a riding whip.
Killigrew swung from box to box crying: "Mercy, your Grace, mercy!" while the audience went
into paroxysms of mirth. Buckingham put an end to the farce by kicking the clown soundly. Next
day Killigrew went to Anna for applause. He got a cold reception. She had no intention of
consorting with a man who had been publicly kicked, she told him.
'Dismissed, Killigrew continued to publicise his knowledge of Anna. He should have known her
better. One night as his carriage turned into the drive of his house, a band of thugs wrenched
open the door, dragged out the occupant and killed him with a dozen sword thrusts. The
woman's voice which exhorted the bravoes to "Kill the villain!" belonged to Anna. It was not her
her fault that the murdered man was not Killigrew but his unfortunate valet. Her next attempt,
delivered personally as his sedan chair left St. James's Palace, silenced the braggart. He left
town hastily.
'Anna and Buckingham were soul-mates. Both were entirely without morals and above the laws
that governed other people. They made no attempt at discretion and before long England and
the Continent rang with their tempestuous affair. They shared even their contempt for
patriotism. On one of their trips to France they entered into a pact with Louis XIV to spy on
England, for which Anna received a pension of 10,000 livres. Between them they jockeyed
Charles II into selling Dunkirk and other British possessions to France.
'Only one thing marred their association - both had living spouses. Anna proposed to remedy
that in her usual way. Until then, the ageing Earl of Shrewsbury had given her a free rein in
her infidelities. She set her barbed tongue to work to break down his equanimity. All the world
knew he was a cuckold, she told him, and if he had a spark of family honour he would set
matters right. With his family honour impugned, the Earl challenged Buckingham, finest swords-
man in the kingdom, to a duel with rapiers.
'Not satisfied with engineering her husband's death, Anna insisted on seeing the deed
accomplished. On the appointed morning [16 Jan 1668] she dressed herself as a page and rode
to Barn Elms, the duelling ground. She held her lover's horse while he fought a duel which was
no more than murder, for the stout, ageing Earl received no mercy from Buckingham. With her
husband writhing on the ground with a mortal chest wound, Anna threw herself into her lover's
arms oblivious of his bloodstained shirt. Wet with the blood of the murdered man, the couple
carried on a love scene that sickened even the hardened bravoes. The Earl lingered for two
months [dying on 16 March], but his house was closed to Anna. She moved in with Buckingham,
who ordered his own duchess to return to her father, while Charles II set the seal of royal
approval on the sordid affair by granting Buckingham a palpably illegal "divorce."
'The cold-blooded killing, however, was the turning point both in the career of the Devil
Countess and of Buckingham, to whom she bore a son. Their popularity wilted under public
disapproval and it was then that the Shrewsbury clan dragged the pair into court and
established the flagrant illegality of the Buckingham divorce. Buckingham returned to his wife
and was forgiven; Anna Brudenell, still young, dropped from sight.
'Twice before her death in 1702, she emerged from obscurity. At 38 she married the son of a
Somersetshire knight, years her junior [George Rodney Brydges]. A little later the Devil Countess
lived up to her name, when she lured her son [by Buckingham] into an ill-timed Jacobean plot
against William III. Her advice almost cost the boy his head. With this indiscretion, one of the
wickedest women faded from history.'
The Great Shrewsbury Case of 1857-1858
On the death of the unmarried 17th Earl of Shrewsbury in 1856 at the age of 23, the Earldom
(which is the Premier Earldom of England) was claimed by a distant cousin, Henry John
Chetwynd-Talbot, 3rd Earl Talbot of Hensol. The claim also affected the possession of vast
estates which had been bequeathed to Lord Edmund Howard, the infant 2nd son of the 14th
Duke of Norfolk (and later 1st Viscount Fitzalan of Derwent). The property would become vested
in Lord Edmund if the title of the Earl of Shrewsbury, to which the property was annexed by an
Act of Parliament, was found to have become extinct. The question of the property is dealt with
separately in this note.
Given the possibility that Lord Edmund Howard would be deprived of his possible inheritance, the
Earl Talbot's claim was resisted not only by the Duke of Norfolk, but also by the Princess Doria
Pamphili-Landi of Rome, the only surviving child of the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, and a Major
Talbot, of Castle Talbot, of Wexford in Ireland. Because so much was at stake, the case soon
became known as the "Great Shrewsbury Case."
The following is my summary of the pedigree relied upon by Earl Talbot in his claim. It is rather
complex, but I hope you can follow it.
The title of Earl of Shrewsbury was created in 1442 by Henry VI and conferred by that monarch
on Sir John Talbot and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, as a reward for Sir John's
distinguished services as commander of the English army in France. The title descended in direct
succession through father and son for two generations to John Talbot, 3rd Earl. The 3rd Earl had
a younger brother, Sir Gilbert Talbot of Grafton, to whom we will return later.
After the death of the 3rd Earl, the title descended from father to son until the death of the 7th
Earl in 1616, when he was succeeded by his brother, Edward Talbot, who became 8th Earl. He
died two years later, when this branch of the Talbot family became extinct.
We now go back to Sir Gilbert Talbot of Grafton, brother of the 3rd Earl. Sir Gilbert had three
sons - the eldest, another Gilbert, died without male issue; the second, Humphrey, died in the
Holy Land, also without male issue; the third, Sir John Talbot of Albrighton, left a number of male
heirs from two marriages. His eldest son from his first marriage was Sir John Talbot of Grafton,
and it was Sir John's grandson, George Talbot, who succeeded as 9th Earl of Shrewsbury on the
death of the 8th Earl in 1618.
The 9th Earl, who was a Roman Catholic priest, died childless in 1630. He was succeeded by his
nephew, John Talbot as 10th Earl. This John was twice married - by his first wife, he had three
sons; George, who died without issue in the lifetime of his father; Francis, who succeeded his
father as 11th Earl in 1654; and Gilbert Talbot of Balchcoate, to whom we will return shortly. On
the death of Francis, 11th Earl, in 1668 (of wounds received in a duel with the 2nd Duke of
Buckingham), the title descended to his son, Charles Talbot, who was subsequently created
Duke of Shrewsbury in 1694, the Dukedom becoming extinct on his death in 1718. The next heir
to the Earldom was Gilbert, son of the Gilbert Talbot of Balchcoate mentioned above. He was a
Jesuit priest, who never assumed the use of the title and who died unmarried in 1743. The title
then passed to his nephew, George, 14th Earl and subsequently descended to Bertram Arthur
Talbot, 17th Earl, who died unmarried in 1856. On his death, the descendants of Sir John Talbot
of Albrighton by his first marriage became extinct.
Back we go again to Sir John Talbot of Albrighton, and, in particular, the issue from his second
marriage. His first son from the second marriage had died without issue, but the second son of
the second marriage, John Talbot of Salwarp, in turn produced a number of sons, the eldest of
whom, Sherrington Talbot, was twice married. By his first marriage, he had a number of sons, all
of whom except the eldest, another Sherrington, died without issue. This Sherrington also had a
number of sons, all of whom, with the exception of John Talbot of Lacock, had no male issue.
John Talbot of Lacock married twice and had a number of children, but eventually the
descendants of Sherrington Talbot by his first marriage died out and this line became extinct.
The next heirs were, as a result, to be found amongst the descendants of Sherrington Talbot
from his second marriage. The eldest son from the second marriage, George Talbot of Rudge,
died leaving only a daughter. The next son, William Talbot of Whittington, had a son, also William
Talbot, who became Bishop of Oxford 1699-1715 and Bishop of Salisbury 1715-1722. His son, in
turn, was Charles Talbot, Lord Chancellor between 1733 and 1737 and who was created Baron
Talbot of Hensol in 1733. The Earl Talbot who was the claimant in the Shrewsbury case was
descended in a direct line from the 1st Baron Talbot of Hensol.
After a great deal of lengthy argument placed before the House of Lords Committee for
Privileges, mainly concerning the evidence of the extinction of all other possible lines of descent
from the 1st Earl, the Committee decided, on 1 June 1858, that the Earl Talbot was entitled to
become the 18th Earl of Shrewsbury.
The next question to be decided was that of the ownership of the estates. It was commonly
supposed at the time that the estates had been annexed to the Earldom by an Act of
Parliament, and were therefore inalienable. As we have seen, the 17th Earl did not agree with
this view and had included in his will a provision to leave the whole of the estates in trust for
the second son of the Duke of Norfolk. The motivation behind the 17th Earl's wish to dispose
of the estates could, perhaps, be that he thought that the Earldom would become extinct on
his death, or, alternatively, his wish to keep the estates within his extended family, since the
Dukes of Norfolk were descended from a daughter of the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury.
In 1700, the owner of the Shrewsbury estates was Charles Talbot, 1st and only Duke of
Shrewsbury. Although he came from a Catholic family, and had been raised as a Catholic, he
converted to the Church of England and took a prominent role in the 1688 Revolution. In that
year, an Act of Parliament was passed "to prevent the growth of Popery" which imposed upon
Catholics an incapacity to acquire property unless they converted to the Protestant religion.
The passing of this harsh act appears to have prompted the Duke to take precautions for
preserving his estates for his Catholic relations by settling his estates by way of trust in the
hands of Protestant friends who he knew would do the right thing, a device which was quite
common at that time.
Accordingly, on 31 October 1700, the Duke settled the whole of his
estates, failing his own male issue, on his cousin George Talbot, later the 14th Earl.
In 1720, by an Act of Parliament (6th George I, cap 29) the Shrewsbury estates were annexed
to the Earldom and a bar was placed on the alienation of such estates. After much debate on
the matter, the Court decided that this prevented the provisions of the will of the 17th Earl
from operating, and thus the 18th Earl regained control of the Shrewsbury estates.
Arun Kumar Sinha, 2nd Baron Sinha
The 1st Baron Sinha received his peerage in 1919, the first Indian to be ennobled. On his
death in 1928, his son attempted to prove his right to a seat in the House of Lords, but
this was denied on a technicality. At the time of his birth, there was no registration of births
and marriages in India. Every peer must produce a copy either of his birth or of his parents'
marriage certificate before he can take his seat, but he was unable to do so.
In December 1936, Lord Sinha took the opportunity at an audience with King Edward VIII (just
prior to his abdication) to present a petition for a writ of summons to the House of Lords. This
petition was subsequently considered by the Committee for Privileges in 1939.
According to a report in "The Times" of 26 July 1939, 'there was no dispute in relation to any of
the facts stated in the petition. The late Baron Sinha on May 15, 1880 [just prior to his 16th
birthday], married Gobinda Mohini Sinha according to the formalities prescribed by Hindu law and
usage. He and his wife were at all times domiciled in the Presidency of Bengal and were members
of the Hindu community at the date of the marriage, which took place in the Presidency. Hindu
law did not forbid a plurality of wives, but the marriage in fact remained a union between the
late Lord Sinha and his wife to the exclusion of any other spouses. It was a monogamous
marriage.
'In 1886, and before the birth of the petitioner, Lord Sinha and his wife joined the religious sect
known as the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj, and they remained members of it during the whole of
their married life. One of the main tenets of the sect was monogamy, and so long as the late
Lord Sinha continued to be a member of the sect he could not while his first wife was alive
contract a second marriage which the Courts in India would recognise as valid. He never did
leave the sect.
'The petitioner was born in Calcutta on 22 August, 1887, and was the eldest son of the
marriage. Lord Sinha died in 1928; and the question was whether the petitioner, within the
meaning of the patent, was the heir male of the body lawfully begotten.
'The Lord Chancellor said that nothing in their decision of that petition was intended to apply
to a case where the petitioner was claiming as a son of a parent who had in fact married two
wives. It was apparent that great difficulties might arise in questions relating to the descent
of a dignity where the marriage from which heirship was alleged to result was one of a
polygamous character.
'If sons were born to one or more of the wives it might be difficult to reconcile one of those
sons with English ideas of "heirship," which must be involved in the words contained in a patent
granted by the King in a well-known form and dealing with a British dignity which entitled the
holder to sit and vote in the House of Lords. If there were several wives the son of a second or
third wife might be a claimant to a dignity to the exclusion of a later born son of the first wife.
The law as to heirship in England had provided no means of settling such questions as those.
'Those difficulties, however, did not arise in the present case. The petitioner was beyond doubt
the eldest son of the late Lord Sinha by his only wife and equally beyond doubt he was lawfully
begotten according to the laws of India applicable to Hindu parents. Having regard to the
domicile of the parties to the marriage at the date when it was solemnized the marriage would
properly be treated as valid in this country for all purposes, except, it might be, the inheritance
of real estate before the Law of Property Act, 1925, or the devolution of entailed interests as
equitable interests before or since that date, and some other exceptional cases.
'The present question related to the descent of a dignity conferred by the Crown on a subject
resident and domiciled in India who, according to his religion at the date of the patent, was
prohibited from forming a polygamous union.
'The case was without precedent in peerage law, and, in the absence of authority, must be
decided in the light of its special facts. Announcing the decision of the Committee, the Lord
Chancellor (Lord Maugham) said: "I have formed the opinion, with which I believe your lordships
concur, that the petitioner on the facts stated has established that is the 'heir male of the body
of the late Lord Sinha, lawfully begotten.' " '
Howe Peter Browne, 2nd Marquess of Sligo
In December 1812, Sligo was charged and convicted of "enticing British Seamen to desert." The
following account is taken from the 'Newgate Calendar.'
'At nine o'clock [on 16 December 1812] Sir William Scott attended, and charged the grand jury.
The [Admiralty] Court then adjourned till ten o'clock, at which hour Sir William returned,
accompanied by Lord Ellenborough, Mr Baron Thompson and several Doctors of Law. The Duke
of Clarence was on the bench. The jury were then sworn to try the Marquis of Sligo, who
appeared in court, and sat by his counsel, Messrs Dauncey, Dampier and Scarlett.
'Before the trial began, Mr Dauncey stated that his lordship wished to plead guilty as to part,
and not guilty to the rest; and wished, therefore, only one part now be entered into.
'Dr Robinson, on the other side, was not unwilling to accede to this arrangement; but Lord
Ellenborough said that the indictment must not be garbled. He must plead guilty to the whole,
or not guilty to the whole.
'After some conversation between the counsel the trial proceeded; the indictment was read,
charging the Marquis with unlawfully receiving on board his ship William Elden, a seaman in the
King's service, and detaining, concealing and secreting him. The second count charged him with
enticing and persuading the said seaman to desert; the third count, with receiving the said
Elden, knowing him to have deserted.
'There were other counts with respect to other seamen, and a count for an assault and false
imprisonment.
'Dr Robinson (the Advocate-General) stated the case. Captain Sprainger (examined by the
Attorney-General) stated that in April, 1810, the Marquis was introduced to him by letter from
Admiral Martin; his lordship appeared desirous of making a tour, and for that purpose hired a
vessel called the Pylades. The witness gave him all the assistance in his power, by sending him
riggers and carpenters and gunners, who were lent to him for the purpose of outfitting his
vessel, but still remained part of his (Captain Sprainger's) crew. In the course of these
transactions his lordship passed and repassed in a boat called the gig, which was rowed by four
men: Charles Lee, Robert Lloyd, James Foljambe and John Walker; they had belonged to the
boat for three years, and were constantly in it. The defendant observed that they were fine
clever-looking men. Afterwards, about a week before he sailed, he missed two of these men,
which the more surprised him as they were very trusty seamen, had never been absent or
irregular, and, though frequently suffered to go on shore without a midshipman, had never in
any instance abused this confidence. They had, besides, the wages of three years due to them.
'On the 13th, before he sailed, he went on board the
Pylades
to see Lord Sligo, and told him of
the extraordinary circumstances of his missing these two men, whom his lordship probably
recollected. He was then going to communicate to his lordship some suspicions which his
officers had suggested to him, when Lord Sligo interrupted him, saying surely he (Captain
Sprainger) could not think him so base as to take away these men, after the civilities by him
shown to his lordship. He further said that some of the men whom he had lent to him had
offered to desert, but he had refused to accept them. Witness then replied to Lord Sligo that
he trusted he had not his men, and that he would not take them or any others from his
Majesty's service; but, lest they should come to him, he (Captain S) would leave a description
of their persons, and take his lordship's word of honour that he would not receive them, but
give them up to the commanding officer at Malta, who had orders to keep them till his return.
He then left his lordship, having received his promise and word of honour, and having remarked
to his lordship how serious a thing it was to entice his Majesty's seamen. The fleet was at
that time nearly two thousand below its complement, and it was very difficult to procure
British seamen. He did not muster his lordship's crew; they seemed to be foreigners, in number
about twenty or thirty. His lordship had proposed to take fifty men, as his vessel was to be a
letter of marque. A few would have been sufficient for the purposes of navigation. As soon as
reached the ship he ordered a description of the two men to be made out, and it was sent to
Lord Sligo; he received no answer then, though he afterwards had a letter from his lordship.
He had never seen Lee or Lloyd since. (The letter was here read, in which Lord Sligo stated
that in the course of his voyage he found that he had on board some men-of-war's men, and
that he was determined to send them on shore [at] the first opportunity. Whatever expenses
he might incur on their account he should put down to the score of humanity, and glory in it.
He thought this explanation necessary to Captain Sprainger, who had treated him like a
gentleman; but the other captain who complained he should not notice. If the business was
brought into court he should do his best to defend himself, and if he did not succeed he had
an ample fortune, and could pay the fines.) The letter was dated Constantinople.
'William Elden, a seaman - who was in the navy nearly thirteen years, and at the time
mentioned was on board the
Montague,
off Malta, and had a ticket-of-leave to go ashore
there on the 13th of that month, in the morning - said he and other seamen, belonging to the
Montague,
four of them in all, were going back to their ships when they were accosted by
two men in livery, and another, who was dressed in a white jacket. The men in livery were
servants of the Marquess of Sligo, and the other was the second mate of his lordship's vessel.
They gave him drink, and so intoxicated him that he knew not how he got on board the
Pylades,
where he found himself placed in the pump well, abaft the mainmast, when he recovered his
senses, and there he also saw two more of his shipmates, and a stranger, who was in a sailor's
dress. Witness then came on deck, where he saw Macdermot, Thompson, Cook, Fisher and
Brown on the deck. He also saw Lord Sligo on board, that evening on deck, who asked him his
name, when witness told his name, and he belonged to the
Montague.
They were then two
miles from shore. Next morning he again saw Lord Sligo, being then perfectly sober, when he
was walking the deck with a shipmate of the
Montague,
of which they were talking. Lord
Sligo again asked their names, and they answered that they were Elden and Story, and that
those were the names by which they went on board that ship; but Story told his lordship that
being men-of-war's men it would not do to go by their own names, and Lord Sligo immediately
said: "Come to me, and I will alter them." They went on the quarterdeck, and defendant gave
the name of William Smith to the witness. A few days afterwards his lordship told him that he
would be useful in exercising the guns, to which he replied that he saw none there who did not
know the use of the guns as well as himself. He then saw nine men of the
Montague
there:
Cook, Fisher, Brown, Story, Sullivan, Thompson, Macdermot and Travers. Lord Sligo took an
active part in the management of the vessel, and assigned to them all their duties. At Palermo
he asked Lord Sligo for leave to go on shore to get clothes; his lordship gave him five four-
dollar pieces for wages. He went onshore and returned, not surrendering himself to any King's
ship. At Messina he begged leave to quit the
Pylades,
and offered to return all the money and
clothes he had received; his lordship would not suffer him, and foreign sentinels were placed in
arms over the crew to prevent any from escaping. Lord Sligo at Palermo told the crew that he
had procured a protection from Admiral Martin, having pledged his honour that he had no men-
of-war's men on board. They were afterwards chased by the
Active
frigate and a brig, and were
brought to, and a King's boat came alongside. Lord Sligo the desired witness to go below, who
said he would rather stay where he was. The rest were then below. Lord Sligo left him for a few
minutes; but returned, and told him he must go down. He then went down into the after-hold
underneath the cabin, where were the rest of the seamen of the
Warrior
and the
Montague
;
the hatch was closed over them, and a ladder placed on top. In about half-an-hour they were
called up. They then proceeded to Patmos, where he and some more had leave of absence
for a few days. The next day Lord Sligo sailed without giving them any notice, and left him and
six more in great distress. They were forced to sell their clothing; they had nothing but what
they stood upright in. They got a boat, but could not overtake the
Pylades
; they then went to
Scio, and went with a British consul to the
Pylades
; but Lord Sligo refused to take them in,
and threatened to fire at them; he knew them very well, as they were all upon deck; he took
four of them on board - the carpenter, the surgeon, the man of the
Warrior
(Lee) and the
sailmaker. The witness had been since tried, and sentenced to receive two hundred lashes;
but his punishment had been remitted.
'Fisher, Sullivan and Brown, all belonging to the
Montague
, corroborated Elden's statement.
Captain Hayes deposed to his having searched the
Pylades
, when the Marquis declared, upon
his word, no men were concealed on board.
'After a short consultation in the box the jury found his lordship guilty of all the counts in the
indictment, except one for false imprisonment.
'The judge (Sir William Scott [later Baron Stowell]) then ordered that his lordship, who was in
court, should enter into recognisance to appear the next day to receive judgment.
'The trial lasted till nearly two o'clock in the morning.
'The Marquis of Sligo on Thursday [17 December 1812] appeared in court to receive sentence;
an affidavit was put in, which purported that he knew nothing of the circumstances of his
having men-of-war's men on board till the time of the search.
'Lord Ellenborough interrupted it by observing that the affidavit must not impeach the evidence.
Mr Scarlett said that was not its object. The affidavit was then continued, stating that as soon
as he found two of the
Warrior's
men he was anxious to dismiss them; it then expressed
contrition for his folly and rashness, and a hope that the letter which was written to Captain
Sprainger (which was never intended for the public) would not be thought to convey any
disrespect for the laws of his country, which he was ready and anxious to uphold.
'Sir William Scott then, after an impressive speech, passed the sentence of the Court upon
his lordship, which was, that his lordship should pay to the King a fine of five thousand
pounds, and be imprisoned four months in Newgate.
'His lordship bowed, and was conducted by the keepers through the private door to the jail.'
There was a happy sequel to the Marquess's trial. His mother, the Dowager Marchioness, was
so impressed with the fatherly advice given by Sir William Scott when sentencing the
Marquess that she expressed the opinion that "it would be an excellent thing if her son could
continue to have the benefit of such paternal counsels." Accordingly the Dowager Marchioness
and Sir William were married shortly afterwards, although the Marquess, still being in prison,
could not attend the ceremony. Nevertheless, the influence of his new step-father appears
to have been beneficial, as the Marquess was subsequently rehabilitated, being Governor of
Jamaica, Lord Lieutenant of Mayo and a Privy Counsellor.
George Ulick Browne, 6th Marquess of Sligo
The 5th Marquess of Sligo, father of the 6th Marquess, was employed in the Indian Civil Service
under the name of Lord Henry Ulick Browne between 1850 and 1886. As a result, he was present
in India during the time of the Indian Mutiny.
According to an article in the 'Chicago Daily Tribune' of 1 March 1913:-
'…..he [the 6th Marquess] was a 12 months' old baby when the great Sepoy mutiny broke
out in India in 1857…..His father [Lord Henry Ulick Browne, later the 5th Marquess] left his wife
and his little boy at Monghyr [now known as Munger, a city on the Ganges River in what was
then Bengal, now the state of Bihar] in what he believed to be complete safety, while he
himself hurried, in response to the call of duty, to the scene of the trouble.
'To his dismay the rebels cut off all chance of his rejoining his wife and child, and, worse
still, surrounded Monghyr.
'Lady Ulick Browne, as she was then, sought refuge with the baby in the collector's house,
together with the few other English people in the district, and during four weeks sustained a
siege which cost the lives of most of the defenders through thirst, hunger, disease, and the foe.
'Lady Ulick realised that her little boy would succumb if he remained, and she accordingly took
the desperate risk of permitting her devoted Hindoo ayah, or nurse, to dye the child a dusky
color with chestnut leaves and to make her way with him through the insurgents' lines by
passing off the little fellow as her own offspring.
'Three weeks later Monghyr was relieved by the British troops, Lady Ulick Browne being among
the few of the gallant survivors of the siege. But not till nearly three months afterwards were
she and her husband able to ascertain what had become of their child and nurse or to
discover whether they had managed to get safely through the Sepoy lines around Monghyr
and through the rebel infested country to safety, or had perished in the attempt.
'Eventually, however, the faithful and devoted ayah turned up with the little fellow, who is
now the new Marquis of Sligo……….'
Copyright @ 2003-2013
Leigh Rayment