Days of Yore

Here I am, about 1960, with darling mother, probably on or close to Spence's Mountain in the glorious and legendary mountains of Mourne, County Down.

First published in April, 2014.

The Stewart Baronets

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.

MURDOCH, 2nd Duke of Albany (1362-1425), succeeded his father, Robert, as Regent of the Kingdom, but was beheaded with his two eldest sons, 1425.

His third son, JAMES MOR STEWART, called James the Fat, fled to Ulster, and was father of

ANDREW STEWART, 1st Lord Avondale (c1420-88), who died without issue; and of WALTER, whose son,

ANDREW (c1505-48), succeeding to the titles and estates of his uncle, became 2nd Lord Avondale, and "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.

His lordship 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 (1590-1629), who had been previously created a baronet.

*****

ARTHUR PATRICK AVONDALE, 8TH EARL CASTLE STEWART is the 15th and present Stewart Baronet.

Seat ~ Stuart Hall, Stewartstown, County Tyrone.

First published in April, 2011.

New Tyrone DL

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LIEUTENANT

Mr Robert Scott OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, has been pleased to appoint:-

Mr Christopher Leonard Kerr QFSM 

Cookstown 

County Tyrone 

To be a Deputy Lieutenant of the County his Commission bearing date the TENTH day of NOVEMBER 2020 

Signed:  RWL Scott

Lord-Lieutenant of the County

7th Earl's Havoc

Patrick Marnham wrote a book entitled Trail Of Havoc.

This is a favourite of mine, telling the tale of the 7th Earl of Lucan, missing since 1974.

"Missing" is a misnomer, since many believe him to be long dead, his remains attached to a rope and stone, many fathoms under the English Channel.

The 7th Earl was officially declared dead by a court of law in 1999 and, though no proof exists of his decease, a death certificate was issued in 2016.

His son George has now succeeded to the earldom as 8th Earl and has an heir, styled Lord Bingham, born in 2020.

7th  Earl of Lucan

Despite it being a true story, Trail of Havoc reads like a terrific "whodunit".

Lucan Arms courtesy of European Heritage.  First published in December, 2011.

High Flyer

I was thirteen years old when this picture was taken.

Believe it or not, I won the senior 100 yards, long jump, triple jump and, I think, the 220 yards; and went on to win the Victor Ludorum.

The occasion was the annual Brackenber House School sports day, which took place at North of Ireland Cricket Club grounds, Ormeau Road, Belfast, in 1973.

The gentleman wearing the hat was Mr Bull, the PE teacher; Mike Bull's father.

First published in January, 2013.

Hold your tongue, Ross!

A Caricature of Richard Dowse, by Ape,
published in Vanity Fair in 1871

An extract from Chapter XVI of The Years of my Pilgrimage, by the Rt Hon Sir John Ross Bt, last Lord Chancellor of Ireland:-

"It was several years before I learned the first duty of a Judge, and that is, to hold his tongue on the Bench.

There is a great temptation to be facetious in the presence of a most appreciative audience, but in the case of the ordinary Judge, it is well to resist the temptation.

The parties interested in the matter look upon the hearing as  very serious affair; their whole future and the future of their families may depend on the result; their minds have been obsessed by it night and day for many months.

To find the presiding Judge treating it all as a subject for jesting, disturbs them and weakens their confidence in the administration of the law.

On the other hand, where you have Judges like the late Baron Dowse, or Lord Darling, with such an intense sense of humour, the case is different.

The jests pour out naturally and spontaneously; the Judge would not be himself at all, if he were compelled to refrain.

The litigants soon get to understand in such cases, and do not resent it."

Prince Edward in NI

THE EARL OF WESSEX has arrived in Northern Ireland for a series of engagements.

His Royal Highness was greeted at Belfast City Airport by Mr Adrian Donaldson MBE DL.

HRH, Royal Colonel, The Rifles, visited the 2nd Battalion at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, County Antrim.

Prince Edward afterwards visited Lisburn City Church Community Trust, and was received by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of County Antrim, Mr David McCorkell.

During the afternoon The Earl of Wessex visited Unicorn Group, Lisburn.

His Royal Highness later visited Denroy Plastics, Bangor, County Down, and was received by the Lord-Lieutenant of County Down, Mr David Lindsay.