1st Marquess of Hertford

THIS FAMILY SHARES A COMMON ANCESTOR WITH THE DUCAL HOUSE OF SOMERSET

SIR EDWARD SEYMOUR, 4th Baronet (1633-1708), of Berry Pomeroy, the speaker in the Long Parliament from 1672, wedded firstly, in 1661, Margaret, daughter and co-heiress of Sir William Wale, an alderman of the city of London, and by her was grandfather of the 8th Duke of Somerset.

Sir Edward espoused secondly, in 1674, Lætitia, daughter of Alexander Popham, of Littlecote, Wiltshire, by whom he had issue.

his eldest son by his second wife,

POPHAM SEYMOUR-CONWAY (1675-99), inherited the estates of his maternal cousin, Edward, Earl of Conway, who dsp under the will of the said Earl, and assumed, in consequence, 1683, the surname of CONWAY.

This gentleman fell in a duel with Colonel George Kirk, in 1699; and dying unmarried, those estates devolved upon his next brother,

FRANCIS SEYMOUR-CONWAY (1679-1732), who also assumed the surname and arms of CONWAY, and was elevated to the peerage, 1703, in the dignity of Baron Conway, of Ragley, Warwickshire.

Part of his extensive inheritance being situated in Ulster, his lordship was created a peer of Ireland, in 1712, as Baron Conway, of Killultagh, County Antrim.

He did not, however, take his seat in the Irish House of Lords until 1721.

His lordship was sworn of the Irish Privy Council, and in the following year, Governor of Carrickfergus (1728-32).

His lordship married firstly, in 1703, the Lady Mary Hyde, third daughter of Laurence, 1st Earl of Rochester, by whom he had four daughters; the second of whom, Mary, wedded NICHOLAS PRICE, of Saintfield, County Down.

Lord Conway espoused secondly, Jane Bowden, of Drogheda, by whom he had a son, who died in infancy, and a daughter who died unmarried; and thirdly, in 1715/16, Charlotte, daughter of Alderman Sir John Shorter, Knight, Lord Mayor of London, 1688, and sister-in-law of the celebrated statesman, Sir Robert Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford, by whom he had (with three daughters) four sons; of whom

FRANCIS, succeeded to the honours;
Henry (Field-Marshal the Hon).

His lordship died at Lisburn, County Antrim, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

FRANCIS, 2nd Baron (1718-94); who was created, in 1750, Viscount Beauchamp and Earl of Hertford (similar honours had been conferred upon his lordship's ancestor, Edward, Duke of Somerset, which expired with Algernon, 7th Duke), with remainder, in default of male issue, to the male descendants of his brother, Field-Marshal the Hon Henry Seymour-Conway.

His lordship was installed a Knight of the Garter in 1756; and in 1765 he was constituted Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; the following year, Lord Chamberlain of the Household, having previously filled the office of Master of the Horse.

He married, in 1741, the Lady Isabella Fitzroy, youngest daughter of Charles, 2nd Duke of Grafton, by which lady he had thirteen children.

His lordship's armorial bearings as Earl of Hertford are displayed at the top.

His lordship was advanced, in 1793, to the dignities of Earl of Yarmouth and MARQUESS OF HERTFORD.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

FRANCIS, 2nd Marquess (1743-1822), KG, MP for Lisburn, 1761-8, Antrim, 1768-76, Lord Chamberlain of the Household, Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Governor of County Antrim, who espoused firstly, in 1768, Alice Elizabeth, daugther of Herbert, 2nd Viscount Windsor, though the marriage was without issue.

His lordship had a natural son by Margaret Williams, HARRY AUGUSTUS, of Knockbreda, ancestor of the Seymour Baronets.

He wedded secondly, in 1776, Isabella Anne, daughter of Charles, 9th Viscount Irvine, and had further issue,

FRANCIS CHARLES, his successor.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

FRANCIS CHARLES, 3rd Marquess (1777-1842), KG GCH PC, MP for County Antrim, 1812-18, who espoused, in 1798, Maria Emilia, daughter of William, 4th Duke of Queensbury, and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;
Henry;
Francis Maria.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD, 4th Marquess (1800-70), MP for County Antrim, 1822-26, who died unmarried.

His lordship had a liaison with ca 1818 in Paris with Elizabeth Agnes Dunlop-Wallace, by whom he had a natural son, RICHARD WALLACE.

Francis Hugh George Seymour, 5th Marquess (1812–84);
Hugh de Grey Seymour, 6th Marquess (1843–1912);
George Francis Alexander Seymour, 7th Marquess (1871–1940);
Hugh Edward Conway Seymour, 8th Marquess (1930–97);
Henry Jocelyn Seymour, 9th Marquess (b 1958).

The heir apparent is the present holder's eldest son, William Francis Seymour, styled Earl of Yarmouth (b 1993).

Seat and former seats ~ Ragley Hall, Warwickshire; Sudbourne Hall, Suffolk; Lisburn, County Antrim; Kingley Farm, Alcester, Warwickshire.

Former London residences ~ 16 Lower Grosvenor Street; Hertford House, Manchester Square.

First published in December, 2019.

1st Earl Landaff

The family of MATHEW originated from Wales, where at Radyr, Glamorganshire, they long resided; and possessed the town of Llandaff in that county. SIR DAVID MATHEW (1400-84), Knight, was Standard-Bearer of EDWARD IV, whose monument is still to be seen in Llandaff Cathedral, Glamorganshire.

EDWARD MATHEW, of Radyr, was possessed, in 1600, of the town of Llandaff, and other estates, which his ancestors enjoyed for time immemorial.

At his decease he left an only son,

GEORGE MATHEW, the first of the family in Ireland, who became seated at Thurles, County Tipperary, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Poyntz MP, of Iron Acton, Gloucestershire, and widow of Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles (who died before his father Walter, 11th Earl of Ormond).

Mr Mathew died in 1636, leaving two sons and a daughter, and was succeeded by the elder son,

THEOBOLD MATHEW, of Thurles, who married Margaret, eldest daughter of Sir Valentine Browne Bt, and was succeeded by his elder son,

GEORGE MATHEW, of Thurles, who wedded Eleanor, second daughter of Edmond, 3rd/13th Baron Dunboyne, and was succeeded by his son,

GEORGE MATHEW, who erected a splendid mansion upon his estate at Thurles, containing forty bedrooms, and ample corresponding accommodation for as many guests.

This gentleman distinguished himself by hospitality upon an unprecedented and almost boundless scale. He fitted up his sumptuous residence as a guest house of the first magnitude, and his guests were informed upon their arrival, that as such they were to regard it, and to consider themselves, in every sense of the word, quite at home. 

They might either live in their own suite of rooms, or at the table d'hôte, as they pleased. There was a coffee-room, tavern, billiards-room, etc, and Mr Mathew himself appeared only as one of the guests. 

This highly accomplished and celebrated person had the degree of LL.D conferred upon him, 1677, by his half-brother James, 1st Duke of Ormond, Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

Mr Mathew wedded firstly, Catherine, third daughter of Sir John Shelley, 3rd Baronet, by Mary, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Gage Bt, of Firle, East Sussex, and had issue, an only child,

GEORGE, his heir.

He espoused secondly, in 1716, Ann, widow of James, 3rd Earl of Tyrone, by whom he no issue, and at his decease, the estates devolved upon his brother-in-law,

GEORGE MATHEW, married his cousin, Mary Anne Mathew, and had issue,

George (1733-8);
Elizabeth.

On the failure of male issue in this branch, the estates devolved to

GEORGE MATHEW, of Thomastown, who wedded firstly, Margaret, fourth daughter of Thomas Butler (grandson of the Lord Richard Butler, younger son of James, 1st Duke of Ormond, by the Lady Margaret Burke, eldest daughter of William, 7th Earl of Clanricarde, and widow of Bryan Magennis, Viscount Iveagh, and had issue, a daughter.

Mr Mathew espoused secondly, Isabella, fourth daughter of William Brownlow, of Lurgan, County Armagh (by the Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, eldest daughter of James, 6th Earl of Abercorn), and had issue, a son, who died in infancy, when the estate devolved upon a junior branch of the family,

THOMAS MATHEW, of Thurles, and subsequently of Thomastown, who married, in 1736, Miss Mary Mathews, of Dublin, and had issue,

FRANCIS, his heir;
Catherine Ann Maria.

The only son and heir,

FRANCIS MATHEW (1738-1806), wedded firstly, in 1764, Ellis, second daughter of James Smyth (son of the Rt Rev Edward Smyth, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor), and had issue,

FRANCIS JAMES, his heir;
Montague James, Lieutenant-General in the Army;
George Toby Skeffington;
Elizabeth.

He espoused secondly, in 1784, the Lady Catherine Skeffington; and thirdly, in 1799, ______ Coghlan, second daughter of Jeremiah Coghlan.

Mr Mathew, MP for Tipperary, 1768-83, High Sheriff of County Tipperary, 1769, was elevated to the peerage, in 1783, in the dignity of Baron Landaff, of Thomastown, County Tipperary.

He was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1793, as Viscount Landaff, of Thomastown, County Tipperary.

His lordship was further advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1797, as EARL LANDAFF.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

FRANCIS JAMES, 2nd Earl (1768-1833), KP, MP for County Tipperary, 1801-6, Knight of St Patrick, 1831, who married, in 1797, Gertrude Cecilia, daughter of John La Touche, of Harristown, County Kildare, though the marriage was without issue.

His lordship died of syncope in Dublin, on 12 March 1833, aged 65, when the titles expired.

Dying intestate, his estates went to his sister, the Lady Elizabeth Mathew, who died in 1842, leaving the estates to a cousin, the Vicomte de Chabot, the son of her mother's sister, Elizabeth Smyth.

THOMASTOWN CASTLE, Golden, County Tipperary, was built by George Matthew and dated from ca 1670.

It comprised a long, two-storey house of pink brick.

The house in its present form was enlarged in the Gothic style by Francis, 2nd Earl Landaff, in 1812.

(Sir) Richard Morrison designed the house incorporating a veneer of Gothic openings, including the ornate polygonal and square towers to the front elevation.

The office wing to the right was also enlarged in the Gothic style.

From ca 1872 the great mansion fell into disrepair to become the impressive and spectacular ruin it is today.

Father Theobald Mathew, the famous temperance reformer whose father was a cousin of the 1st Earl, grew up at the Castle.

The 2nd Earl's sister, Lady Elizabeth Mathew, bequeathed Thomastown to her maternal cousin, the Vicomte de Rohan-Chabot, son of the Comte de Jarnac.

The estate later passed to the Daly family.

The ruinous building was purchased in 1938 by the Rt Rev David Mathew, the historian, who wished it to be kept in the family and saved from destruction.

This expectation proved to have been in vain.

The arched gate lodge to the east reflects the architecture of the main house and retains many fine details, such as the cross loops and hood mouldings.

The walled gardens provide an example of the many demesne-related activities thereby contributing context to the site.

First published in September, 2018.  Landaff arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

1st Viscount Valentia

This family derives its surname from the lordship of Annesley, Nottinghamshire, where its patriarch RICHARD DE ANNESLEY, was seated at the time of the general survey in 1079.

From this Richard descended

SIR JOHN ANNESLEY, Knight, of Headington, Oxfordshire, MP for Nottinghamshire during the reigns of EDWARD III and RICHARD II.

This gentleman married Isabel, sister and co-heir of Sir John Chandos, one of the Knights of the Garter at the institution of that noble order, Viscount of Saint Sauveur in the Cotentin, Normandy, Seneschal of Poitou, Constable of Aquitaine, etc.

Sir John died in 1410, and was succeeded by his son,

THOMAS ANNESLEY, of Annesley, MP for Nottinghamshire, whose great-grandson,

WILLIAM ANNESLEY, of Rodington, had, with other children,

ROBERT ANNESLEY, of Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire; who died in 1553, and was succeeded by his son,

GEORGE ANNESLEY, of Newport Pagnell, whose eldest son,

ROBERT ANNESLEY, was a naval officer in the reign of ELIZABETH I, and also a captain in Her Majesty's army raised to suppress the Earl of Desmond's rebellion; after which he became an undertaker in the plantation of Munster.

He wedded Beatrice, daughter of John Cornwall, of Moor Park, Herefordshire, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR FRANCIS ANNESLEY (c1585-1660), 1st Viscount Valentia,

Who filled for forty years several of the highest situations in Ireland. In 1612, he was constituted constable of Mountnorris Castle; and in 1614, Sir Francis represented County Armagh in parliament. 

This gentleman was a protagonist in the plantation of Ulster. Upon the institution of the order of Baronets of Ireland, Sir Francis was the second person upon whom that dignity was conferred, in 1620, designated of Mountnorris, County Armagh. 

In 1621, he obtained a reversionary grant of the VISCOUNTY OF VALENTIA, County Krrry, at the decease of the then viscount (of the first creation), Sir Henry Power. 

He was put, however, into the more immediate possession of a peerage in the dignity of Baron Mountnorris, of Mountnorris, County Armagh.

His lordship married firstly, Dorothea, daughter of Sir John Philipps Bt, of Picton Castle, Pembrokeshire, by whom he had ARTHUR, his successor, and other children.

He wedded secondly, Jane, daughter of Sir John Stanhope, by whom he had several children, the eldest of whom, FRANCIS, espoused Deborah, daughter of the Most Rev Henry Jones, Lord Bishop of Meath, and was father of FRANCIS, of Thorganby, Yorkshire, who married had issue,

FRANCIS, ancestor of the Annesleys of Bletchingdon;
Martin, in holy orders;
William, ancestor of the EARLS ANNESLEY.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ARTHUR, 2nd Viscount (1614-86); who was enrolled amongst the peers of England, in 1661, in the dignities of Baron Annesley, of Newport Pagnell, and EARL OF ANGLESEY.

His lordship, Treasurer of the Royal Navy, 1667, Lord Privy Seal, 1673, married Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Sir James Altham, of Oxey, Hertfordshire, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, and had issue,

JAMES;
Altham, cr Baron Altham;
Richard (Very Rev);
Arthur;
Charles;
Dorothy; Elizabeth; Frances; Philippa; Anne.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES, 2nd Earl (c1645-90), who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of John, 8th Earl of Rutland, and had issue,

JAMES, 3rd Earl;
JOHN, 4th Earl;
ARTHUR, 5th Earl;
Elizabeth.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JAMES, 3rd Earl (1670-1702), who espoused the Lady Catherine Darnley, natural daughter of JAMES II by Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester, and left an only daughter and heir,

CATHERINE, married to William Phipps, son of Sir Constantine Phipps, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, and had a son, CONSTANTINE PHIPPS, who was created Baron Mulgrave.

His lordship was succeeded by his brother,

JOHN, 4th Earl (1676-1710), who wedded, in 1706, the Lady Henrietta Stanley, eldest daughter and co-heir of William, 9th Earl of Derby, by whom he had no surviving issue.

He was succeeded by his brother,

ARTHUR, 5th Earl, who espoused Mary, daughter of John Thompson, 1st Baron Haversham; but dying issueless, in 1737, the honours devolved upon his kinsman,

RICHARD, 6th Earl (c1693-1761), 5th Baron Altham, as 6th Earl of Anglesey (revert to descendants of Altham, second son of 1st Earl).

His lordship was not left, however, in uninterrupted enjoyment of the honours; for soon after his accession, a claimant arose in the person of Mr James Annesley, who asserted that he was himself the son of Arthur, 4th Lord Altham, and a publication entitled "The Adventures of an Unfortunate Young Nobleman" gave a very interesting and extraordinary narrative of his case.

In that statement it was alleged that Mr Annesley was the true and lawful son and heir of Arthur, Lord Altham, and that he had been kidnapped and transported by his uncle RICHARD, to make room for his own accession to the honours and estates of the family.

Mr Annesley followed up the matter, instituted a suit at law for the recovery of the estates, and after a trial in the Court of Exchequer in Ireland, James Annesley versus Richard, called Earl of Anglesey, begun in 1743, and continued daily, obtained a VERDICT.

It is believed, however, that he did not live long after, as the uncle, notwithstanding this decision, continued to enjoy the honours and fortune.

The conduct of that person throughout the whole course of his iniquitous career, fully sustained the presumption that he had been very capable of committing the foul crime thus laid to his charge.

He is said to have married three wives, two of whom he heartlessly abandoned; and the offspring of the third was unable but partially to establish his legitimacy.

The second lady, Miss Simpson, he wedded when a half-pay officer, without title or fortune, and for some years afterwards was maintained chiefly by her father and friends.

After his accession to the barony of Altham, and subsequently to the earldom of Anglesey, this lady was received at the viceregal court in Dublin as the consort of his lordship, and so introduced by himself.

He cohabited with her for several years, during which time he had three daughters, and these, with their mother, he eventually left to starve.

His third wife was a Miss Donovan, whom he espoused in the lifetime of the second, under the allegation that he had a wife living when he married Miss Simpson, and that his marriage with that unhappy lady was therefore illegal.

To Juliana Donovan he appears to have been married in 1741, immediately after the decease of Ann Prust, the first wife, by his own chaplain, the Rev L Neil, at his seat, Camolin Park, County Wexford.

By her he had an only son and three daughters,

ARTHUR, his successor;
Richarda; Juliana; Catherine.

When the 6th Earl died, the legitimacy of his son was contested by the heir-at-law, John Annesley, of Ballysack, who petitioned the Irish parliament to be admitted to the honours of the family.

The matter excited great public interest, and was pending in the Irish House of Lords for almost four years, when their lordships came to a decision, establishing the marriage with Miss Donovan , and confirming the right of her son,

ARTHUR (1744-1816), as 8th Viscount, to the viscountcy of Valentia and the other Irish honours.

His lordship on coming of age, in 1765, and taking his seat in the Irish House of Lords, applied for as writ as EARL OF ANGLESEY to the English parliament; by there the decision was against him, and the writ was, of course, denied.

He continued, however, to sit as Viscount Valentia (his claim being a second time investigated and confirmed in Ireland), and was created, in 1793, EARL OF MOUNTNORRIS.

His lordship married firstly, in 1767, Lucy, only daughter of George, 1st Baron Lyttelton, by whom he had,

GEORGE, his heir;
Juliana Lucy; Hester Annabella.

He wedded secondly, in 1783, Sarah, third daughter of the Rt Hon Sir Henry Cavendish Bt, and the Baroness Waterpark, by whom he left at his decease,

Henry Arthur;
Catherine; Frances Caroline; Juliana.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE, 2nd Earl and 9th Viscount Valentia (1770-1844), who married, in 1790, Anne, daughter of William, 2nd Viscount Courtenay, and had issue,

GEORGE ARTHUR (1793-1841);
William (Rev), 1796-1830.

His lordship died without surviving male issue, when the earldom of MOUNTNORRIS expired.

The viscountcy of VALENTIA and the other Irish titles, however, passed to his lordship's third cousin twice removed,

ARTHUR, 10th Viscount,

• Arthur Annesley, 10th Viscount (1785–1863);

• Arthur Annesley, 11th Viscount (1843–1927);

• Caryl Arthur Annesley, 12th Viscount (1883–1949);

• William Monckton Annesley, 13th Viscount (1875–1951);

• Francis Dighton Annesley, 14th Viscount (1888–1983);

• Richard John Dighton Annesley, 15th Viscount (1929–2005);

• Francis William Dighton Annesley, 16th Viscount (b 1959).

The heir presumptive is the present holder's brother, the Hon Peter John Annesley.

CAMOLIN PARK, County Wexford, was a square house dating from the 18th century, sold by Lord Valentia in 1858.

It stood ruinous for many years until it was demolished completely about 1974.

First published in January, 2016. Valentia arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

1st Earl of Iveagh

The family of GUINNESS claims descent from the ancient and eminent house of MAGENNIS, in which formerly vested the viscountcy of Magennis of Iveagh.

Several members of this family are interred in the churchyard of St Catherine's, Dublin, and, in the parish register, the translation of the name from Magennis to McGuinness, or Guinness, is clearly traceable.

ART ROE or ARTHUR MacGUINNESS, of Rathfriland, County Down, received the honour of knighthood, and assumed the surname of MAGENNIS.

In 1623 Sir Arthur was created Viscount Magennis of Iveagh, though that peerage expired in 1693.

He died in 1629, and was buried at Drumballyroney, near Rathfriland, County Down.

His younger son,

CON MAGENNIS, married and was father of

HUGH MAGENNIS, who wedded and had a son,

EVER MAGENNIS, who removed to, and settled in Dublin.

He married and had issue,

RICHARD GUINNESS (c1690-1766), of Celbridge, County Kildare, described in a Bill in Equity Exchequer, 1746, as

"Richard Guinis, Agent or Receiver to the Most Rev Arthur Price, Archbishop of Cashel," and is therein authorized to demise episcopal lands.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of William Read, of Huttonread, County Kildare, and had issue,

Richard;

ARTHUR, of whom presently;

Samuel;

Benjamin;

Frances; Elizabeth.

The second son,

ARTHUR GUINNESS (1725-1803), of Beaumont, County Dublin, who in a Bill filed in the Court of Exchequer, 1747, styles himself "of the City of Dublin, Gentleman." 

Arthur Guinness (1725-1803)

He purchased, in 1759, the St James's Gate Brewery from Mr Mark Rainsford.

He wedded, in 1761, Olivia, daughter and co-heiress of William Whitmore, of Dublin, by his wife, daughter of John Grattan, of Clonmeen, County Kildare, and had issue,

Hosea (Rev);

ARTHUR, of whom hereafter;

Edward;

Benjamin;

John Grattan;

William Lunell;

Elizabeth; Olivia; Louisa; Mary Anne.

His second son,

ARTHUR GUINNESS JP DL (1768-1855), of Beaumont, for many years President of the Chamber of Commerce, Dublin, who espoused, in 1793, Anne, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Benjamin Lee, of Merrion, County Dublin, by Susanna his wife, daughter of the Rev John Smyth, Chancellor of Connor (brother of Arthur Smyth, Archbishop of Dublin).

Mr Guiness died in 1855, having had issue,

William Smythe LEE-GRATTAN-GUINNESS (Rev), Rector of Rathdrum;
Arthur Lee, of Stillorgan House, died unmarried;
BENJAMIN LEE, of whom we treat;
Susanna; Mary Jane; Louisa; Anne; Elizabeth; Rebecca.

The third son,

BENJAMIN LEE GUINNESS JP DL (1798-1868), MP for the City of Dublin, 1865-8, married, in 1837, Elizabeth, third daughter of Edward Guinness, of Dublin, and had issue,

Arthur Edward, his successor;

Benjamin Lee, DL, Captain, Royal Horse Guards; father of 3rd Baronet;

EDWARD CECIL, of whom hereafter;

Anne Lee, m 4th Baron Plunkett, Archbishop of Dublin.

Benjamin Lee Guinness was created a baronet, in 1867, designated of Ashford Castle, County Galway.

Sir Benjamin, at his own cost, restored the venerable Cathedral of St Patrick in Dublin.

His eldest son,

SIR ARTHUR EDWARD GUINNESS, 2nd Baronet (1840-1915), JP, DL, wedded, in 1871, the Lady Olivia Charlotte White, daughter of 3rd Earl of Bantry.

Sir Arthur was elevated to the Peerage, in 1880, in the dignity of BARON ARDILAUN, of Ashford, County Galway.

His lordship dsp 1915, when the Peerage became extinct and the Baronetcy devolved upon his nephew, Algernon Arthur St Lawrence Lee Guinness, as 3rd Baronet.

Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness's third son,

EDWARD CECIL GUINNESS (1847-1927), KP, GCVO, espoused, in 1873, his cousin, Adelaide Maria, daughter of Richard Samuel Guinness, MP, of Deepwell, County Dublin, by Katherine Frances, his wife, daughter of Sir Charles Jenkinson, 10th Baronet, of Hawkesbury, and had issue,

RUPERT EDWARD CECIL LEE, his successor;

Arthur Ernest, father of MAUREEN, mother of 5th Marquess of Dufferin & Ava;

Walter Edward, created 1st Baron Moyne.

His lordship was created a baronet, in 1885, designated of Castleknock, County Dublin; and raised to the Peerage, in 1891, in the dignity of Baron Iveagh, of Iveagh, County Down.

1st Earl of Iveagh KP, GCVO, by H M Paget
(Image: English Heritage, Kenwood)

He was advanced to a viscountcy, in 1905, as Viscount Iveagh, of Iveagh, County Down; and further advanced, in 1919, to the dignities of Viscount Elveden and EARL OF IVEAGH.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

RUPERT EDWARD CECIL LEE, 2nd Earl (1874-1967), KG, CB, CMG, VD etc, who married, in 1903, the Lady Gwendolen Florence Mary Onslow, elder daughter of 4th Earl of Onslow, and had issue,

Richard (died in infancy);

Arthur Onslow Edward;

Honor Dorothy Mary; Patricia Florence Susan; Brigit Katherine Rachel.

His lordship's second son,

ARTHUR ONSLOW EDWARD (1912-45), styled Viscount Elveden, wedded, in 1936, the Lady Elizabeth Cecilia Hare, daughter of 4th Earl of Listowel, and had issue,

ARTHUR FRANCIS BENJAMIN, his successor;

Elizabeth Maria; Henrietta.

Lord Elveden was killed in action in the Netherlands during the 2nd World War.

His son and successor,

ARTHUR FRANCIS BENJAMIN, 3rd Earl (1937-92), espoused, in 1963, Miranda Daphne Jane, daughter of Major Charles Arthur Smiley, and had issue,

ARTHUR EDWARD RORY, his successor;

Rory Michael Benjamin;

Emma Lavinia; Louisa Jane.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

ARTHUR EDWARD RORY, 4th Earl (1969-), who married, in 2001, Clare Hazell and has issue, two sons, of whom,

Arthur b 2002, styled Viscount Elveden.

Seat ~ Elveden Hall. Suffolk.

Former residences ~ Pyrford Court, near Woking; Farmleigh, Castleknock, County Dublin.

Guinness arms courtesy of the NLI.

Glentoran's Lucan Encounter

JIM GRACEY, SPORTS EDITOR OF THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH, WROTE AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE LORD GLENTORAN IN 2018. I HAVE WRITTEN SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT THE 7TH EARL OF LUCAN 

3rd Baron Glentoran CBE. Photo Credit: Belfast Telegraph

SOLDIER, sportsman and peer of the realm, the remarkable LORD GLENTORAN recalls how a chance meeting with his notorious cousin set him on an unlikely path to a place in history.

There was a time when the young adventurer [the Hon] Robin Dixon relished a good snowfall as he went about his business, winning medals with his daring on the winter sports slopes and reaching a peak with a historic Olympic bobsleigh gold medal.

This week [January, 2018], he laments, it has been keeping him from his work as Lord Glentoran.

Keenly active in mind and body at age 82, this most remarkable man takes his House of Lords role seriously, flying to London, from his home in Ballyclare, each week to engage in the upper house debates, most notably those relating to the affairs closest to his heart — sport and Northern Ireland.

He does so out of a sense of duty and service, a constant theme in a most amazing life.

“It's a job of work and I feel it is important to keep going, and to play a proper part when I am there. For me, it is all about putting something back,” he says. “But this week I wasn’t able to get over because of the snow and I was disappointed about that.”

It is the ultimate irony for a man, unused to admitting defeat, to be thwarted by snow and ice.

For it was his mastery of those elements that earned him his unique place in sporting history and folklore.

To this day, 54 years after his astonishing feat at the Innsbruck Winter Games in 1964, he and partner Tony Nash remain Great Britain’s only Olympic bobsleigh gold medallists.

Think about it, a bobsleigh gold medallist from Northern Ireland and world champion the following year, for good measure?

It sounds even more unlikely than the script of the cult movie Cool Runnings which tells the story of the Jamaican bobsleigh team at the 1988 Games in Calgary.

Except where Dixon’s life story is concerned, it is a tale of Boys' Own ripping yarn proportions, much more astonishing and entertaining than fiction.

Eton-educated Army officer, sportsman, businessman, politician and peer of the realm, his family title inherited from his late father [2nd] Lord Glentoran, the last Speaker of the Northern Ireland Senate when the old Stormont parliament was stood down and replaced by Direct Rule in 1973.

President of the British Bobsleigh Association, he was an Olympic ice skating judge in the era of gold medallist Robin Cousins.

It is the most incredible CV and at this point no one should be surprised when LORD LUCAN makes an appearance.

The infamous earl, Dixon tells us matter-of-factly, was a second cousin who, by sheer chance, put the future Lord Glentoran on the path to Winter Olympic gold medal glory before embarking on his own slippery slope.

“We were related but I only knew him vaguely,” Robin recollects.

But Lucan was to play his part in creating Olympic history when the pair met by coincidence at the exclusive San Moritz ski resort in 1957.

Dixon, then an officer in the Grenadier Guards, was on a services’ ski holiday when Lucan, then plain John Bingham, “interrupted a rather good breakfast”.

“He had some involvement with the British bobsleigh team and asked if I’d like to fill in for a man who was injured,” Robin explains.

“I told him I had never even heard of bobsleigh but I was willing to give it a go. I’d been a boxer in the Army and a fairly good sprinter and wanted to try something different. I don’t think I’d ever seen a bobsleigh when I climbed into the back of one and didn’t look at the course on the way down but when we stopped I realised I quite enjoyed it. It was more dangerous in those days as the tracks were not as well manicured. People were dying every year but I was hooked.”

Lucan, of course, would go on to become one of the most notorious crime figures of the 20th century for the 1974 murder of his children’s nanny, Sandra Rivett, and a brutal attack on his estranged wife, followed by a disappearance and fruitless worldwide manhunt that continues to fascinate.

He was legally declared dead in 2016.

“I believe he was dead long before that,” offers Robin, who in sharp contrast, went on to find fame.

While still serving as an Army officer, he and Nash began racing in four-man bobs, but teamed up in the two-man when pilot Henry Taylor, an accomplished motor racing driver, was injured competing in Formula 1 in 1960.

Nash, who was “blind as a bat” and raced in glasses, took over as driver, with Dixon bringing up the rear.

“It was fun and exciting and an opportunity to get a cheap cap and I grabbed it,” he said. “In the ’50s from a GB point of view, it was very amateur. It was just a bunch of guys who wanted to have some fun. It’s a different world now with these professional sledders, eating, sleeping and drinking bobsleigh.”

For Dixon and Nash, it was whisky they were drinking the night before their gold medal triumph, Robin confides.

“Yes, we sipped a whisky or two. We were focused and on the ball but come the evening there were other things to do and we got on with life,” he said.

By the time the 1964 Innsbruck Games came around, the pair had established themselves as a formidable team.

Going into the second day of competition, they were in the gold medal position after the first two runs, ahead of their Italian rivals who were favourites to win.

But when it seemed disaster had struck on the first run of the second day, one of the most generous and sporting gestures in Olympic history helped them get back on track.

A rear axle bolt on their sled had sheared off and they didn’t have a spare.

That should have left the field clear for the Italians but in the spirit of a sporting era long gone, the Italian team captain stepped in to offer a replacement from their kit.

The gesture earned the Italian Eugenio Monti the Games’ inaugural fair play medal, named after Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin.

Even then, Dixon recalls:

“On our last run we made a small mistake and I thought ‘that’s it’. We went to a hut near the finish and had a coffee and schnapps. Then various people found us to say the world’s press were looking for us. The race track had softened and nobody could overtake us. We just hugged each other. It was a great moment.”

Dixon and Nash had won by 0.12 seconds from Italy.

It was only 10.30 in the morning but the champagne was cracked open — it flowed all day and the next, Dixon was back in uniform at his barracks in England.

The pair, who have a corner named after them at the St Moritz track, won the world championship in 1965 and took bronze in 1966.

They also competed at the 1968 Olympics, finishing fifth behind Monti.

By then, Dixon had left the Army, having also served with 3 Para and the SAS in the Cyprus and Borneo conflicts, and gone into business at home in Northern Ireland. “My family felt it was time I started contributing to the life of the province,” he explains.

Having previously worked for Kodak, he built Redland Tile and Brick Ltd into a multi million-pound subsidiary of Redland plc.

Appointed High Sheriff of County Antrim in 1983, he was chairman of Positively Belfast from 1992 to 1996, and a shadow Northern Ireland Office Minister on the Conservative benches for seven years.

Walking and reading are his more sedate pursuits back in the Ballyclare home he shares with wife Maggie, Lady Glentoran.

He has three sons, Andrew, Patrick and the eldest, Danny, who is first in line to the Barony.

And his 60-year friendship with bobsleigh partner Nash, who lives in Devon, still endures.

“We’re still great mates and have a ball when we get together,” says Robin.

Every four years, when the Winter Olympics come round, they are asked to retell their amazing story. “And I am very happy to do so,” adds Robin.

“If it inspires just one young person to follow in our tracks and become a success, it is worthwhile. I’m immensely proud of the gold medal and it makes you a member of a very exclusive club, not just here in Northern Ireland but also worldwide.”

First published in June, 2020. 

1st Earl of Godolphin

This family derived its surname from Godolphin (originally written Godolghan), in Cornwall, which word in Cornish signifies a white eagle, and that emblem became the device on the shield of the family. Sir Alexander de Godolghan (c1295-1349) was established as the principal landowner of Godolpin during the 14th century.

His lineal descendant,

SIR JOHN GODOLPHIN, of Godolphin, was High Sheriff of Cornwall, 1505, during the reign of HENRY VII, and joint steward, with Robert, Baron Willoughby de Broke, of the mines in Devon and Cornwall.

His elder son and successor,

WILLIAM GODOLPHIN (c1486-c1570), of Godolphin, married Margaret, daughter and co-heir of John Glynn, and was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR WILLIAM GODOLPHIN (1515-70), Knight, MP for Cornwall, 1539-53, an eminent person in the time of HENRY VIII, who received for his services the honour of knighthood.

Sir William was thrice High Sheriff of Cornwall, and he attained a high military reputation, particularly at the siege of Boulogne.

He wedded Blanch, daughter of William Langdon, and had three daughters, Margaret, Grace, and Anne.

Sir William left no male issue, and the representation of the family devolved, upon his decease, upon his nephew,

SIR FRANCIS GODOLPHIN (c1534-1608), Knight, MP for Cornwall, 1589, Lostwithiel, 1593, who espoused Margaret, daughter of Sir John Killigrew, of Arwennack, Cornwall, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR WILLIAM GODOLPHIN (c1568-1613), Knight, MP for Cornwall, 1605, who married Thomasine, daughter and heir of Thomas Sidney, of Wighton, Norfolk, and had issue,

FRANCIS, his heir;
Sidney;
William;
Penelope.

Sir William, who received the honour of knighthood in 1599 at Dublin Castle, was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR FRANCIS GODOLPHIN KB MP (1605-67), of Godolphin, Breage, Cornwall, who was appointed a Knight of the Bath at the coronation of CHARLES II.

He wedded Dorothy, daughter of Sir Henry Berkeley, of Yarlington, Somerset, and had a numerous family including,

William, his heir;
SIDNEY, of whom we treat;
Henry (Very Rev), Dean of St Paul's;
Elizabeth; Ursula; Jael.

The second son,

THE RT HON SIR SIDNEY GODOLPHIN KG MP (1645-1712), of Whitehall, QUEEN ANNE'S chief minister, was elevated to the peerage, in 1684, in the dignity of Baron Godolphin, of Rialton.

He espoused, in 1675, Margaret, daughter of Thomas Blagge, and had issue, an only child, FRANCIS, his successor.

Photo Credit: National Portrait Gallery, London

His lordship was advanced, in 1706, to the dignities of Viscount Rialton and EARL OF GODOLPHIN.

He was succeeded by his only son,

FRANCIS, 2nd Earl (1678-1766), who married, in 1698, the Lady Henrietta Churchill, daughter of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
Henry;
Margaret;
Henrietta, m 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne;
Mary, m 4th Duke of Leeds.

Without living male heirs, the titles expired.

GODOLPHIN HOUSE, near Helston, in Cornwall, was once the ancestral seat of the Earls of Godolphin.

First published in February, 2019.  Godolphin arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

1st Duke of Westminster

This noble family traces its descent in the male line to an illustrious house which flourished in Normandy for a century and a half before the conquest of England, and obtained its surname from having held the high and powerful office in that principality of LE GRAND or  LE GROS VENOUR, from which they took their surname, variously written Grosvenor, Le Grosvenour, Grovenor, Le Groveneur, and Le Grovenour.

ROBERT LE GROSVENOR, of Budworth, Cheshire, which he received as a grant from Hugh Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester ca 1160, married Alice, and had issue, two sons, Randle and Robert, of whom

RANDLE LE GROSVENOR, of Budworth, died ante 1232, having had issue,

RICHARD LE GROSVENOR, of Hulme, Cheshire, who was living 1234-69, and had a son,

ROBERT LE GROSVENOR, of Hulme, High Sheriff of Chester, 1284-7, who was buried 1293, at the church of the Friars' Minor in Chester, having issue by his wife, Margery, a son,

ROBERT LE GROSVENOR, a minor in 1293, but of full age in 1305, when he did homage for his manor of Allostock to the Abbot of Vale Royal, was High Sheriff of Chester, 1307-12, served in the Scottish war during the reign of EDWARD II, espoused Margery, and died in 1328, having had issue,

ROBERT LE GROSVENOR, of Rudheath, Cheshire, afterwards of Hulme, did homage for his lands in 1328, wedded before 1323, Emma, daughter and co-heir of William de Modburlegh, and died ante 1342, having had issue, with a younger son, Robert, 

RALPH LE GROSVENOR, of Hulme, who died before 1356, and was buried at Nether Peover, Cheshire, having had issue, by Joan his wife,

SIR ROBERT LE GROSVENOR, who proved his pedigree before a court of chivalry in defence of his arms (Scrope v Grosvenor), azure, a bend or, against Richard le Scrope, who challenged them.

The descent of Sir Robert was fully admitted, but the arms were adjudged to Scrope, and in conclusion Sir Robert Grosvenor was recommended to bear azure, a garb or, from the arms of the ancient Earls of Chester, which has ever since continued the cognizance of his descendants.

Sir Robert was succeeded by his son,

SIR THOMAS GROSVENOR, of Hulme, who married Katherine, daughter and heiress of Sir William Fesant, Knight, and had three sons, viz.

ROBERT, Lord of Hulme;
RALPH, of whom presently;
THOMAS.

The second son,

RALPH LE GROSVENOR, wedded firstly, Joan, only daughter and heiress of John Eton (now Eaton), of Cheshire, and had, with other issue, his heir,

ROBERT GROSVENOR, who espoused Catherine, daughter of Sir William Norris, of Speke, Lancashire, and was succeeded by his second, but eldest surviving son,

RICHARD GROSVENOR; who married, in the first year of HENRY VIII, Catherine, third daughter and one of the co-heiresses of Richard Cotton, of Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, and had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Richard;
John;
Anthony;
Elizabeth; Eleanor; Catherine; Anne; Margaret; Maud; Dorothy; Mary; Ursula.

Richard Grosvenor was succeeded at his decease, in 1542, by his eldest son,

SIR THOMAS GROSVENOR, Knight, who wedded Maud, daughter of Sir William Pole, Knight, of Poole, Cheshire, and by her had issue,

THOMAS, his heir;
Richard;
Elizabeth; Catherine; Grace.

Sir Thomas was succeeded, in 1549, by his eldest son,

THOMAS GROSVENOR, of Eaton, Cheshire, who married Anne, daughter of Roger Bradshaigh, of Haigh, Lancashire, and had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;
Mary; Anne;
Julian.

Mr Grosvenor was succeeded at his decease, in 1579, by his eldest son,

RICHARD GROSVENOR, of Eaton, High Sheriff of Chester, 1602, who wedded Christian, daughter of Sir Richard Brooke, of Norton Priory, Cheshire, and had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;
Anne; Christian; Frances; Catherine; Eleanor; Margaret.

Mr Grosvenor was succeeded at his decease, in 1619, by his only surviving son,

SIR RICHARD GROSVENOR, Knight (1585-1645), who was created a baronet in 1622, designated of Eaton, Cheshire.

He married firstly, in 1600, Lettice, second daughter of Sir Hugh Cholmondeley, Knight, and had issue,

RICHARD, his heir;
Christian; Mary; Grace.

He wedded secondly, in 1614, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Wilbraham, of Woodhey; and thirdly, in 1621, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Peter Warburton, of Grafton, both in Cheshire, but had no other issue.

Sir Richard was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR RICHARD GROSVENOR, 2nd Baronet (1604-64), who espoused, in 1628, Sydney, daughter of Sir Roger Mostyn, Knight, of Mostyn, Flintshire, and had several children.

Sir Richard was succeeded by his grandson,

SIR THOMAS GROSVENOR, 3rd Baronet (1656-1700), who wedded, in 1677, Mary, only daughter and heiress of Alexander Davies, of Ebury, Middlesex, by which alliance the Grosvenor family acquired its great estates in London and its vicinity.

Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet. Photo Credit: The National Trust

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR RICHARD GROSVENOR, 4th Baronet (1689-1732), who espoused firstly, Jane, daughter of Sir Edward Wyndham, of Orchard Wyndham, Somerset, by whom he had no surviving issue.

He married secondly, Diana, only daughter of Sir George Warburton, of Arley, Cheshire, but had no issue.

Sir Richard was succeeded by his brother,

SIR THOMAS GROSVENOR, 5th Baronet (1693-1733), MP for Chester, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother,

SIR ROBERT GROSVENOR, 6th Baronet (1695-1755), who espoused, in 1730, Jane, only surviving child and heiress of Thomas Warre, and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;
Thomas;
Mary; Elizabeth; Dorothy.

Sir Robert was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR RICHARD GROSVENOR, 7th Baronet (1731-1802), twentieth in descent from Gilbert le Grosvenor, the companion-in-arms of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

Sir Richard was elevated to the peerage, in 1761, in the dignity of Baron Grosvenor.

In 1784, his lordship was advanced to the dignities of Viscount Belgrave and Earl Grosvenor.

His lordship wedded, in 1764, Henrietta, daughter of Henry Vernon, of Hilton Park, Staffordshire, and his wife, Henrietta, daughter of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, by whom he left an only surviving child,

ROBERT, 2nd Earl (1767-1845), who espoused, in 1794, Eleanor, only daughter of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Wilton, and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;
THOMAS, Earl of Wilton;
Robert, created BARON EBURY; ancestor of Bendor Grosvenor.

His lordship was advanced to the dignity of a marquessate, in 1831, as Marquess of Westminster.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD, 2nd Marquess (1795-1869), KG, PC, who wedded, in 1819, Elizabeth, younger daughter of George, 1st Duke of Sutherland.

His second and eldest surviving son,

HUGH LUPUS, 3rd Marquess (1825-99), KG PC JP, was advanced to the dignity of a dukedom, in 1874, as DUKE OF WESTMINSTER.

Gerald, 6th Duke of Westminster

GERALD, 6th Duke (1951-2016), KG etc, was born at Omagh, County Tyrone.

Grosvenor House, London

GROSVENOR HOUSE, the former London residence of the Dukes of Westminster, was originally hidden from Park Lane by a high fence.

The quiet garden was pleasantly secluded in the very midst of London.

The entrance to the splendid mansion was in Upper Grosvenor Street, the fine colonnade having been erected in 1842.

Ancestral and former seats ~ Eaton Hall, Cheshire; Halkin Castle, Flintshire; Motcombe House, Dorset; Moor Park, Hertfordshire, Ely Lodge, County Fermanagh.

Former London residence ~ Grosvenor House.

First published in November, 2015. 

1st Baron Altham

This family derives its surname from the lordship of Annesley, Nottinghamshire, where its patriarch, RICHARD DE ANNESLEY, was seated at the time of the general survey in 1079.

From this Richard descended

SIR JOHN ANNESLEY, Knight, of Headington, Oxfordshire, MP for Nottinghamshire, 1377-88, who married Isabel, sister and co-heir of Sir John Chandos, one of the Knights of the Garter at the institution of that noble order, Viscount of Saint Sauveur in the Cotentin, Normandy, Seneschal of Poitou, Constable of Aquitaine, etc.

Sir John died in 1410, and was succeeded by his son,

THOMAS ANNESLEY, of Annesley, MP for Nottinghamshire, whose great-grandson,

WILLIAM ANNESLEY, of Rodington, had, with other children,

ROBERT ANNESLEY, of Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire; who died in 1553, and was succeeded by his son,

GEORGE ANNESLEY, of Newport Pagnell, whose eldest son,

ROBERT ANNESLEY, was a naval officer in the reign of ELIZABETH I, and also a captain in Her Majesty's army raised to suppress the Earl of Desmond's rebellion; after which he became an undertaker in the plantation of Munster.

Captain Annesley wedded Beatrice, daughter of John Cornwall, of Moor Park, Herefordshire, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR FRANCIS ANNESLEY (c1585-1660), Knight, who filled for forty years several of the highest situations in Ireland.

In 1612, he was constituted constable of Mountnorris Castle; and in 1614, Sir Francis represented County Armagh in parliament.

Sir Francis was a protagonist in the plantation of Ulster.

Upon the institution of the Order of Baronets of Ireland, Sir Francis was the second person upon whom that dignity was conferred, in 1620, designated of Mountnorris, County Armagh.

In 1621, he obtained a reversionary grant of the viscountcy of VALENTIA, at the decease of the then Viscount (first creation), Sir Henry Power.

He was put, however, into the more immediate possession of a peerage in the dignity of Baron Mountnorris, of Mountnorris, County Armagh.

His lordship married firstly, Dorothea, daughter of Sir John Philipps Bt, of Picton Castle, Pembrokeshire, by whom he had ARTHUR, his successor, and other children.

He wedded secondly, Jane, daughter of Sir John Stanhope, by whom he had several children, the eldest of whom, FRANCIS, espoused Deborah, daughter of the Most Rev Henry Jones, Lord Bishop of Meath, and was father of FRANCIS, of Thorganby, Yorkshire, who married and had issue,

FRANCIS, ancestor of the Annesleys of Bletchingdon;
Martin, in holy orders;
William, ancestor of the EARLS ANNESLEY.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ARTHUR, 2nd Viscount (1614-86); who was enrolled amongst the peers of England, in 1661, as Baron Annesley, of Newport Pagnell, and EARL OF ANGLESEY.

His lordship, Treasurer of the Royal Navy, 1667, and Lord Privy Seal, 1673, married Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Sir James Altham, of Oxhey, Hertfordshire, and had issue,

James, his successor;
ALTHAM, of whom hereafter;
RICHARD, 3rd Baron;
Arthur;
Charles;
Dorothy; Elizabeth; Frances; Philippa; Anne.

His lordship's second son,

THE HON ALTHAM ANNESLEY (1650-99), espoused firstly, in 1678, Alicia, daughter of the Hon Charles Leigh; and secondly, in 1697, Ursula, daughter of Sir Robert Markham Bt, by whom he had issue, an only child,

JAMES GEORGE.

Mr Annesley was elevated to the peerage in, 1681, in the dignity of BARON ALTHAM, of Altham, County Cork, with remainder to the issue male of his younger brothers (after his own).

He was succeeded by his only son,

JAMES GEORGE, 2nd Baron (1697-1700), who was succeeded by his uncle,

THE HON AND VERY REV DR RICHARD ANNESLEY (1655-1701), Dean of Exeter, as 3rd Baron, who married Dorothy, daughter of John Davy, and had issue,

ARTHUR, his successor;
Richard (1689-90);
RICHARD, 6th Earl of Anglesey, 5th Baron;
Elizabeth.

His lordship died in 1701, the year he inherited the peerage, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ARTHUR, 4th Baron (1689-1727), who wedded firstly, in 1703, Phillips, daughter of John, 1st Baron Haversham; and secondly, in 1707, Mary Sheffield, natural daughter of John, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, by whom he had issue, an only child,

THE HON JAMES ANNESLEY (1715-60),

Who was kidnapped and transported by his uncle Richard, in 1728, to make room for his own accession to the honours and estates of the family. 

The historian and television presenter, Dan Cruickshank, told the story of the unfortunate James Annesley in the BBC Four programme Kidnapped: A Georgian Adventure.

As a consequence of this action, the title reverted to the 4th Baron's uncle,

RICHARD (1694-1761), 6th Earl of Anglesey, as 5th Baron.

Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey, 5th Baron Altham (1694–1761)
Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris, 6th Baron Altham (1744–1816)
George Annesley, 2nd Earl of Mountnorris, 7th Baron Altham (1769–1844).

First published in August, 2018.  Altham arms courtesy of European Heraldry.