Stuart Hall

THE EARLS CASTLE STEWART WERE THE SECOND LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY TYRONE, WITH 32,615 ACRES

This is a branch of the royal house of STEWART, springing from Robert, Duke of Albany and Regent of Scotland, third legitimate son of ROBERT II, King of Scotland.

This cadet (whose elder brother was Andrew, first and last Lord Avandale), was

WALTER STEWART, of Morphie, Aberdeenshire, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Arnot, of Arnot, Fife, and by her had issue, a son,

ALEXANDER STEWART, of Avandale, who had a charter of the lands and barony of Avandale on the resignation of his uncle, Lord Avandale (born 1485-6).

He was one of the lords auditors, 1488, but died before June, 1489, when he was succeeded by his son (by some said to be his brother),

ANDREW STEWART, 1st Lord Avondale, who wedded Margaret, sister of David, 1st Earl of Cassillis, and had issue,

ANDREW, his successor;

Henry, 1st Lord Methven;

James;

Alexander;

William;

Barbara; Agnes; Anne.

His lordship fell at the battle of Flodden, 1513, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW (c1505-49) succeeding his uncle as 2nd Lord Avondale, who exchanged the title for that of OCHILTREE.

His lordship married Margaret, natural daughter of James, 1st Earl of Arran, and had issue,

ANDREW, his successor;
Walter;
Isobel.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW (c1521-91), 2nd Lord Ochiltree, who married Agnes Cunningham, and had a son and heir, Andrew Stewart, styled Master of Ochiltree, who predeceased him in 1578, and was succeeded by his grandson,

ANDREW, 3rd Lord Ochiltree (c1560-1629), who having sold the feudal barony of OCHILTREE to his cousin, Sir James Stuart, of Killeith, was created, 1619, Baron Castle Stewart, of County Tyrone, where he possessed considerable estates.

He wedded, ca 1587, Margaret, daughter of Sir John Kennedy, of Blairquhan, and had issue,

ANDREW, his successor;
JOHN, 5th Baron;
Robert, ancestor of the Earl Castle Stewart;
Margaret, m George Crawford, of Crawfordsburn;
Maria, m John Kennedy, of Cultra;
Anna.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR ANDREW, 2nd Baron (1590-1639), who had been previously created a baronet.

He espoused, ca 1604, the Lady Anne Stewart, fifth daughter and co-heiress of John, 5th Earl of Atholl, by which lady he had issue,

ANDREW, 3rd Baron;
JOSIAS, 4th Baron.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ANDREW, 3rd Baron (-1650), who married Joyce, daughter and heiress of Sir Arthur Blundell, by whom he had issue, an only child, MARY, who wedded Henry 5th Earl of Suffolk.

His lordship died without male issue, and the honours devolved upon his brother,

JOSIAS, 4th Baron (c1637-62), who espoused Anne, daughter of John Madden, of Enfield, Middlesex, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Charles Waterhouse, of Manor Waterhouse, County Fermanagh.

This marriage was without issue and the titles reverted to his uncle,

JOHN, 5th Baron, after whose decease without issue, the title remained in abeyance until 1774, when it was claimed by, and allowed to

CAPTAIN ROBERT STEWART, de jure 6th Baron, who married Anne, daughter of William Moore, of Garvey, County Tyrone.

He died ca 1685, and was succeeded by his son,

ANDREW, de jure 7th Baron (1672-1715), who wedded Eleanor, daughter of Robert Dallway, of Bellahill, County Antrim, by whom he had issue,

ROBERT, de jure 8th Baron (1700-42), who wedded, in 1722, Margaret, sister and co-heiress of Hugh Edwards, of Castle Gore, County Tyrone, and had issue,

ANDREW THOMAS, 9th Baron (1725-1809), who was created Viscount Castle Stewart in 1793.

His lordship was further advanced to an earldom, in 1800, as EARL CASTLE STEWART.

His lordship wedded, in 1781, Sarah, daughter of the Rt Hon Godfrey Lill, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland, by whom he had issue,

ROBERT, his successor;
Andrew;
Caroline; Sarah.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

ROBERT, 2nd Earl (1784-1854), who espoused, in 1806, Jemima, only daughter of Colonel Robinson, by whom he had issue,

EDWARD, 3rd Earl;
CHARLES ANDREW KNOX, 4th Earl;
Andrew Godfrey, in holy orders, father of 6th Earl.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD, 3rd Earl (1807-57), who married, in 1830, Emmeline, only surviving daughter and heir of Benjamin Bathurst, in a childless marriage.

His lordship was succeeded by his brother,

CHARLES ANDREW KNOX, 4th Earl (1810-74), who wedded, in 1835, Charlotte Raffles Drury, only daughter of Acheson Quintin Thompson, of County Louth, and had issue,

HENRY JAMES, his successor;
Mary; Ella Sophia; Alice Maude; Margaretta.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

HENRY JAMES, 5th Earl (1837-1914), High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1870, who espoused, in 1866, Augusta Le Vicomte, daughter of Major William Stewart Richardson-Brady, and had issue, two daughters,

Mary; Muriel Albany.

His lordship died without male issue, and the titles reverted to his cousin,

ANDREW JOHN, as 6th Earl (1841-1921); who married, in 1876, Emma Georgiana Diana, daughter of Major-General Arthur Stevens, and had issue,

Andrew John, Viscount Stuart (1880-1915), killed in action;
Robert Sheffield (1886-1914), killed in action;
ARTHUR, of whom presently;
Charles Patrick;
Katherine Frances.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

ARTHUR, 7th Earl (1889-1961), MC, Major, Machine Gun Corps, MP for Harborough, 1929-33, who wedded, in 1920, Eleanor May, daughter of Solomon Robert Guggenheim, and had issue,

David Andrew Noel, Viscount Stuart (1921-42), killed in action;
Robert John Ochiltree, Viscount Stuart (1923-44), died of wounds in action;
ARTHUR PATRICK AVONDALE, of whom hereafter;
Simon Walter Erskine.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

ARTHUR PATRICK AVONDALE, 8th Earl (1928-2023), of Stuart Hall, near Stewartstown, County Tyrone, who married firstly, in 1952, Edna, daughter of William Edward Fowler, and had issue,

ANDREW RICHARD CHARLES, his successor;

Bridget Ann.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

ANDREW RICHARD CHARLES, 9th Earl (1953-), who wedded, in 1953, Anniw Yvette, daughter of Robert le Poulain, and has issue, a daughter,

Celia Elizabeth, born in 1976.

THE other major event of his long reign as head of the family was the 1st Earl's acquisition, in 1782, of a third manor in County Tyrone, the manor of Orritor, alias Orator.

Orritor was near Stewartstown, and was thus geographically well-situated to round off the existing manors of Castle Stewart and Forward.

However, the Orritor Estate adjoined Drum Manor and was, thus, closer to Cookstown than Stewartstown; or New Mills, around where the Forward estate is situated.

The fourth manor in the Tyrone estate came in by inheritance, not deliberate purchase, and was remote from the other three: the manor of Hastings, alias Castlegore (near Castlederg) formerly the property of the Edwards family of Castlegore.

Robert Stewart of Stuart Hall had married Margaret Edwards of Castlegore back in 1722; and, as a result of failure of heirs male in the Edwards family, Castlegore passed to the Stuarts.

In 1862, the four manors generated an annual income of £7,567.

A further temporary addition to the Tyrone estate was made in 1866, when Lord Stuart, later 5th Earl Castle Stewart, married the heiress of the Richardson Brady family of Oaklands, alias Drum Manor, Cookstown.

On his death in 1914, however, he was succeeded in the earldom and in the Castle Stewart estates by his cousin; but at Drum Manor by one of his daughters, Lady Muriel Close.

STUART HALL, near Stewartstown, County Tyrone, was built about 1760 for Andrew, 1st Earl Castle Stewart.

It was originally a three-storey Georgian block with a pillared porch, joined to an old tower-house by a 19th century Gothic wing.

More recently, the top two storeys of the main block were removed, giving it the appearance of a Georgian bungalow.

Stuart Hall was blown up by the IRA in July, 1972, and subsequently demolished.

A new dwelling was subsequently built on the site in 1987.

The present house is surrounded by lawns and a maintained woodland garden.

Gillian, Countess Castle Stewart, informed me that Stuart Hall Estate was sold in early 2024 to Sean Coyle, a resident and successful businessman from the county.

Earlier this year (2025) Mr Coyle was awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. 

Lady Castle Stewart was delighted that, at the same time, he purchased and saved the Collection of family portraits, where they remain.

The Castle Stewart Dutch art collection remains under the care of the National Trust still at Ardress House on public display, and our Coronation Robes and Coronets at the NT's Spring Hill House property.

There is a ha-ha to grazing, with fine views of the landscape park and woodland beyond.

The stables and farm buildings survive from the 18th century and are listed.

The walled garden has a 1832 date stone and is adorned by a castellated wall and two folly towers backing onto the former stack yard.

Rowan describes it as ‘…castellated, of rubble stone with brick corbelling and a plump round tower at either end.’

A stone inscription on a frieze, though, has an inscription which reads either 1783 or 1785.

The walled garden is not kept up.

There were extensive glasshouses.

The chief attribute of the demesne is the fine stands of mature trees, disposed in the landscape style of the mid-18th century.

There is also forest planting.

A gate lodge of ca 1835 has gone but the gate screen remains.

First published in December, 2009. 

Franklin Maxims: X

THE ROTTEN APPLE SPOILS HIS COMPANION

Coolbawn House

THE BRUENS OWNED 6,932 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY WEXFORD

JAMES BRUEN, said to have been of Tarvin, Cheshire, went to Ireland in Cromwell's Army and settled at Abbeyboyle, County Roscommon. He was administrator to his brother, Henry Bruen, of Dublin, in 1700.

James Bruen’s son,

MOSES BRUEN, of Boyle, County Roscommon, purchased land and property in counties Carlow and Wexford from the Beaucamp, Grogan and Whaley families.

Thereafter, the family settled at Oak Park, County Carlow, and Coolbawn, County Wexford.

This Moses, who died in 1757, left issue,

Moses;
HENRY, of Oak Park;
Bridget; Mary; Elinor Catherine; Margaret; Elizabeth.

The second son,

COLONEL HENRY BRUEN (1741-95), of Oak Park, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1785, MP for Jamestown, 1783-90, County Carlow, 1790-95, removed, ca 1775, to estates which he purchased in County Carlow.

He married, in 1787, Harriette Dorothea, daughter of Francis Knox, of Rappa Castle, County Mayo, and had issue,

HENRY, his heir;
John, of Coolbawn;
Francis, of Coolbawn;
Maria; Margaret; Harriett.

The son and heir,

COLONEL HENRY BRUEN (1789-1852), of Oak Park, and Coolbawn, County Wexford, married, in 1822, Anne Wandesforde, daughter of Thomas Kavanagh MP, of Borris House, County Carlow, by Lady Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John, 17th Earl of Ormonde, and had issue,

HENRY, of Oak Park;

Elizabeth; Harriet; Anne.

Colonel Bruen was succeeded by his only son,

THE RT HON HENRY BRUEN JP DL (1828-1912), of Oak Park and Coolbawn, MP for Carlow, 1857-80, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1855, Privy Counsellor, who married, in 1854, Mary Margaret, third daughter of Colonel Edward M Conolly MP, of Castletown, County Kildare, and had issue,

HENRY, his heir;
Edward Francis, Captain RN;
John Richard;
Arthur Thomas;
Charles;
Katherine Anne; Mary Susan; Elizabeth; Eleanor; Helen; Grace.

Mr Bruen was succeeded by his eldest son,

HENRY BRUEN (1856-1927), of Oak Park, and Coolbawn, Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, High Sheriff of County Carlow, 1886, Wexford, 1909, who wedded, in 1886, Agnes Mary, youngest daughter of the Rt Hon Arthur M Kavanagh, of Borris, County Carlow, and had issue,

HENRY ARTHUR BRUEN (1887-1954), of Oak Park, Captain, 15th Hussars, who wedded, in 1913, Jane Catherine Gladys, daughter of Arthur George Florence McClintock, and had issue,

GLADYS PATRICIA BREUN (1914-), of Oak Park, who married, in 1939, Mervyn Anthony Arthur Rudyerd Boyse, son of Major Henry Thomas Arthur Shapland Hunt Boyse. They had four sons.

She lived in 1976 at Maryvale, Church Road, Ballybrack, County Dublin.

Coolbawn House (Image: the NLI)

COOLBAWN HOUSE, near Enniscorthy, County Wexford,was, according to Mark Bence-Jones, 

"An impressive Tudor-Revival pile faced in granite ashlar, built ca 1830s for Francis Bruen to the design of the younger Frederick Darley."

"Symmetrical front; alternate triangular and curvilinear gables; many finials; massive central porch tower, with mullioned window and carved tracery over doorway."

"Screen walls with curvilinear battlements prolonging the facade on either side, one of them with windows lighting a range behind it."

"Monolithic stone mullions in windows; grand staircase of stone in hall to right of entrance; extensive office court, with gables and finials, at right-hand side of house."    

Francis Bruen sold Coolbawn to James Richard Dier JP ca 1918.

Coolbawn (Image: the NLI)

Apparently Mr Dier had plans to sell it for use as a "sanatorium."

Coolbawn (Image: Ireland.com)

Coolbawn was razed to the ground by the IRA in 1923.

Today it is a ruinous shell surrounded by woodland.

The Downhill Acquisition

SELECTIVE ACQUISITIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

PROPERTY: Mussenden Temple, Downhill Demesne, County Londonderry

DATE: 1949

EXTENT: 0.59 acres

DONOR: Frederick Smyth

*****

PROPERTY: The Black Glen, Downhill Demesne

DATE: 1961

EXTENT: 17.7 acres

DONOR: Richard Morrison

*****

PROPERTY: Downhill Ruin and Mausoleum

DATE: 1980

EXTENT: 3.1 acres

DONOR: Messrs Robert O'Neill and James Reid

*****

PROPERTY: Downhill

DATE: 2004

EXTENT: 5.98 acres

DONOR: Coleraine Borough Council

First published in December, 2014.

Accession Day

HIS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY CHARLES THE THIRD,  BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, AND OF HIS OTHER REALMS AND TERRITORIES KING, HEAD OF THE COMMONWEALTH, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, Sovereign of the Orders of the Garter, Thistle, St Patrick, Bath, St Michael and St George, Royal Victorian Order, and the British Empire.

TODAY marks the fourth anniversary of His Majesty's accession to the Throne.

The new King makes a statement following Her Majesty's death

On the 7th September, 1952, His Royal Highness The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, learned that his dearly beloved mother, Our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth II, had died at Balmoral Castle, and that His Majesty had acceded to the Throne.

Gun Salute at Hillsborough Castle

Royal gun salutes are customarily fired throughout the United Kingdom on Accession Day, including Hillsborough Castle in County Down.

House of de Ros

THE LORD DE ROS IS PREMIER BARON OF ENGLAND

The ancestor of this family, PETER, having, in the reign of HENRY I, assumed his surname from the lordship of Ros, in Holderness, where he then resided, became

PETER DE ROS, or ROOS, a feudal baron, who married Adeline, one of the sisters and co-heirs of the famous Walter Espec, and was succeeded at his decease by his son,

ROBERT DE ROS, who, during the reign of HENRY II, paid a thousand marks of silver to His Majesty for livery of the lands inherited by his mother from her brother, Walter Espec.

This Robert was a munificent benefactor to the knights templars.

His son,  

EVERARD DE ROS, a minor, and in ward to Ranulf de Glanvill. He married Rose Trusbut, of Wartre, in Holderness, and had two sons.

This gentleman must have been a very considerable personage at the period in which he lived, for we find him, in 1176, paying the then very large sum of £526 as a fine for his lands; and in four years subsequently £100 more to have possession of those which the Earl of Albemarle held.

This Everard died about 1186, and was succeeded by his son, 

SIR ROBERT DE ROS, or de Roos, called Furfan, who, in the reign of RICHARD I, paid a thousand marks fine to the crown for livery of his lands.

In the reign of KING JOHN , that monarch gave him the whole barony of his great-grandmother’s father, Walter Espec, to enjoy in as large and ample a manner as long as he ever held it. Soon after which he was deputed, with the Bishop of Durham, and other great men, to escort the King of Scotland into England. 

About the fourteenth year of KING JOHN’s reign, Robert de Ros assumed the habit of a monk, whereupon the custody of all his lands, viz. Wark Castle, Northumberland, with his whole barony, was committed to Philip de Ulcote; but he did not remain long as a recluse. This feudal lord was the founder of  Helmsley Castle, otherwise Hamlake, in Yorkshire; and Wark Castle, in Northumberland.

He wedded Isabella, daughter of WILLIAM The Lion, King of Scotland, and had issue,

WILLIAM, of Helmsley, of whom presently;
Robert, of Wark;
Alexander;
Peter.

Having assumed the habit of the Knights Templars, Robert de Ros died in 1227, and was buried at London, at the Temple Church.

His eldest son's eldest son,

ROBERT DE ROS, taking an active part against the King, was one of the chief barons, who, after the battle of Lewes, in 1264, where HENRY III and his son Prince Edward became prisoners, was summoned to the parliament, which was called by the barons in the King's name, in 1264, as BARON DE ROS.

His lordship espoused Isabel, the great heiress of William d'Aubigny, Lord of Belvoir, in Leicestershire; and dying in 1285, was succeeded by his eldest son, 

WILLIAM, 1st Baron, who was an unsuccessful competitor for the crown of Scotland in 1292, through his grandmother Isabella, daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland.

In 1296, he obtained from EDWARD I a grant of Wark Castle, upon its forfeiture by the treason of his kinsman, Robert de Ros.

His lordship wedded Maud, daughter and co-heir of John de Vaux, and was succeeded, in 1316, by his elder son, 

WILLIAM, 2nd Baron, who married Margery, eldest sister and co-heir of Giles, Lord Badlesmere, of Leeds Castle, in Kent.

This nobleman was, during the reign of  EDWARD II, one of the commissioners appointed to negotiate peace with Robert Bruce, King of Scotland.

His lordship died in 1343, and was succeeded by his elder son,

WILLIAM, 3rd Baron, had the glory of leading the 2nd Division of the English army at the celebrated battle of Crécy.

He married Margaret, daughter of Ralph Neville; and dying in the Holy Land without an heir in 1352, the family honours devolved upon his brother, 

THOMAS, 4th Baron, who wedded Beatrice, widow of Maurice Fitzmaurice, Earl of Desmond, and daughter of Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford.

His lordship died in 1383, was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN, 5th Baron, KB, who was in the naval expedition during the reign of RICHARD II, under Richard, Earl of Arundel.

Dying, during pilgrimage to Jerusalem, at Paphos, Cyprus, and leaving no issue, he was succeeded by his brother,

WILLIAM, 6th Baron, KG; who was constituted, by HENRY IV, LORD TREASURER OF ENGLAND.

This nobleman wedded Margaret, daughter of John, 1st Baron Arundel; and dying in 1414 was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN, 7th Baron, who espoused Margery, daughter and heiress of Philip, 2nd Baron le Despencer, but had no issue.

He was killed in France, where he served under the Duke of Clarence, in 1421, and was succeeded by his brother,

THOMAS, 8th Baron, who married Eleanor, daughter of Richard, 13th Earl of Warwick; and dying in 1431, was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 9th Baron, was attainted in 1464 and died in the same year.

The barony of ROS lay under the attainder  till the complete triumph of the Lancastrians, by the accession of HENRY VII, when the elder son of the late lord,

EDMUND, 10th Baron, obtained an act of parliament, annulling and making entirely void, the act by which his father was attainted, and restoring to him all the estates and honours of the family.

His lordship died, in 1508, unmarried, when the barony of Ros fell into abeyance between his three sisters and co-heirs, which terminated in favour of

GEORGE MANNERS, as 11th Baron, the son and heir of Eleanor, the eldest sister, by her husband, Sir Robert Manners, knight (the two younger sisters having died without issue).

This nobleman was never summoned to parliament.

His lordship wedded Ann, only daughter and heir of Sir Thomas St Leger, knight, by Ann Plantagenet, sister of EDWARD IV.

He died in 1513, and was succeeded by his son,

THOMAS, 12th Baron, KG; who was summoned to parliament in 1515, and created EARL OF RUTLAND, in 1525, being also installed a Knight of the Garter.

His lordship died in 1543, and was succeeded by his son,

HENRY, 13th Baron and 2nd Earl of Rutland (1526-63), who was succeeded by his eldest son,

EDWARD, 14th Baron and 3rd Earl (1549-87), who died without male issue, when the earldom of Rutland reverted to his brother, and the barony of DE ROS descended to his only daughter and heir,

ELIZABETH MANNERS, 15th Baroness, who espoused William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter.

Her ladyship died in 1591, and the barony was confirmed to her son and heir,

WILLIAM CECIL, 16th Baron (1590-1618); who died, however, two years later, without male issue (his father, Lord Exeter, still living), when the barony reverted to his cousin,

FRANCIS MANNERS, 6th Earl of Rutland, as 17th Baron de Ros (1578-1632).

This nobleman had previously contested, as heir-general, and obtained on the same day as it was confirmed to his cousin, 1616, a patent, creating himself, and his heirs male, Baron Ros of Hamlake.

His lordship died, however, in 1632, without male issue, when the new barony expired, but the old one devolved upon his only daughter and heir,

KATHERINE, as 19th Baroness de Ros, who wedded George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham; and was succeeded in the barony by her eldest son,

GEORGE, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and 20th Baron de Ros (1628-87).

His Grace died without male issue, when the barony fell into abeyance between the heirs of Bridget, wife of Sir Robert Tyrwhitt Bt, and Frances, wife of Willia, Lord Willoughby, sisters of Francis, 6th Earl of Rutland.

Thus continued the line until terminated in favour of the only daughter and heir of the Hon Robert Boyle Walsingham, youngest son of Henry, 1st Earl of Shannon,

CHARLOTTE FITZGERALD (1769-1831), wife of Lord Henry FitzGerald, 4th son of James, 1st Duke of Leinster, as 21ST BARONESS DE ROS.

Her ladyship had issue (by Lord Henry, who died in 1829), her eldest son,

HENRY WILLIAM, 22nd Baron (1793-1839), of Boyle Farm, Surrey, MP for West Looe, 1816-18, who died unmarried, when the family honours devolved upon his brother,

WILLIAM LENNOX LASCELLES, 23rd Baron (1797-1874), of Old Court, Strangford, County Down, who married, in 1824, the Lady Georgiana Lennox, daughter of Charles, 4th Duke of Richmond, and had issue,

DUDLEY CHARLES, his successor;

Frances Charlotte; Blanche Arthur Georgina.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

DUDLEY CHARLES, 24th Baron (1827-1907), KP, KCVO, JP, DL, who wedded firstly, in 1853, the Lady Elizabeth Grey Egerton, daughter of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Wilton, and had issue,

MARY FRANCES, his successor.

He espoused secondly, in 1896, Mary Geraldine, daughter of Sir William Vesey Ross Mahon, 4th Baronet, without further issue.

His lordship was succeeded by his only child,

MARY FRANCES (1854-1939), 25th Baroness, who married, in 1878, Anthony Lucius, 3rd Earl of Dartrey, and had issue,

UNA MARY, her successor;

Maude Elizabeth; Eleanor Charlotte Augusta.

Her ladyship was succeeded by her eldest daughter,

UNA MARY (1879-1956), 26th Baroness, who wedded, in 1904, Arthur John, son of Charles J Ross, and had issue,

Peter;

Charles Dudley Anthony.

The elder son,

PETER ROSS (1906-40), Lieutenant-Commander, RN, espoused, in 1929, Angela Ierne Evelyn, daughter of Herbert, 1st Baron Glentoran, and had issue,

GEORGIANA ANGELA;

Rosemary.

Commander Ross was killed in action, and succeeded by his elder daughter,

GEORGIANA ANGELA, 27th Baroness (1933-83), of Old Court, who married, in 1954, Commander John David Maxwell RN, and had issue,

PETER TREVOR, her successor;

Diana Elizabeth.

Her ladyship was succeeded by her son,

PETER TREVOR, 28th Baron (1958-), of Old Court, who married, in 1987, Angela Sîan, daughter of Peter Campbell Ross, and has issue,

FINBAR JAMES, b 1988;

Katharine Georgiana; Jessye Maeve.

Seat ~ Old Court, Strangford, County Down

Former residence ~ Boyle Farm, Kent.

First published in February, 2012.   De Ros arms courtesy of European Heraldry.

The Hart Baronetcy

The family of HART is said to descend from Captain Van Hardt, who came from Holland with Prince William of Orange to the battle of the Boyne. The said captain was granted Kilmoriarty, an estate near Portadown, County Armagh, for services rendered.  

Stanley Bell has written about the Hart family.

HENRY HART (1806-75), of Portadown, County Armagh, married Anne, daughter of John Edgar, of Portadown, and was father of

SIR ROBERT HART, BARONET, GCMG (1835-1911), of Kilmoriarty, County Armagh, and Peking, China, Inspector-General, Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs and Posts, who wedded, in 1866, Hester Jane, eldest daughter of the Dr Alexander Bredon, of Portadown, County Armagh, and had issue,

EDGAR BRUCE, his successor;
Evelyn; Mabel.

Sir Robert, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG), was created a baronet in 1893, designated of Kilmoriarty, County Armagh.

Sir Robert's son and heir,

SIR (EDGAR) BRUCE HART, 2nd Baronet (1873-1963), married, in 1894, Caroline, only daughter of William Moore Gillson, of Barsby Lodge, Ryde, Isle of Wight, and had issue, an only child, ROBERT.

Sir Bruce, Commissioner in England of Chinese Customs, Blue Button (3rd rank), and Order of the Double Dragon of China, was succeeded by his son,

SIR ROBERT HART, 3rd Baronet (1918-70), educated at Eton, and University College, Oxford, who died unmarried.

Sir Robert Hart, 3rd Baronet (Image: the Queen's University of Belfast)

The baronetcy expired following the 3rd Baronet's decease in 1970. 

Former London residences ~ 30 Hyde Park Place, W2; 35 Draycott Place, SW3.

First published in August, 2012.