Part of a series on |
Peerages in the United Kingdom |
---|
House of Lords |
Canadian peers and baronets (French : pairs et baronnets canadiens) exist in both the peerage of France recognized by the Monarch of Canada (the same as the Monarch of the United Kingdom) and the peerage of the United Kingdom.
In 1627, French Cardinal Richelieu introduced the seigneurial system of New France. Almost all of the early French Canadians who came as officers in the military or filled important official positions within the colony in New France came from the ranks of the French nobility. Under the Ancien Régime, several of these men were promoted to more senior ranks within the peerage of France. From the early 1700s, it became customary for the governors of New France to be given the title marquis . Except for the Marquis de Vaudreuil and the Marquis de Beauharnois, most were in Canada only for a few years before returning to France and are therefore not counted as Canadians.
The Baronetage of Nova Scotia (a British hereditary title, but not a peerage) had been devised by King James VI and I in 1624 as a means of settling Nova Scotia. Except for Sir Thomas Temple, almost none of them came to Nova Scotia, therefore they are counted as British, not Canadian.
Following the British Conquest of New France in 1763, the likes of The 1st Baron Amherst and The 1st Baron Dorchester were raised to the Peerage of Great Britain for their part in the taking of Canada and as Governors General of Canada, but they were not Canadians. As the colony grew under British rule both in terms of geography and economy, baronetcies began to be conferred upon various Canadian politicians, military commanders and businessmen.
In 1891, Lord Mount Stephen became the first Canadian to be elevated to the peerage of the United Kingdom. The significant losses of the First World War included many direct heirs to titles and some replacements were found in Canada, resulting in the acquisition of titles by Canadians.
After the controversial elevation of Lords Atholstan and Beaverbrook to the Peerage of the United Kingdom, the Nickle Resolution was presented to the House of Commons of Canada in 1917 requesting the Sovereign not to grant knighthoods, baronetcies or peerages to Canadians. This triggered the Canadian titles debate and led to a separate system of orders, decorations, and medals for Canada. Canadians who were granted peerages after that date had to hold or acquire British citizenship, such as The 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet. However, the 1946 Canadian Citizenship Act provided that Canadians who acquired another citizenship by any means other than marriage had renounced their Canadian citizenship. The 1977 Citizenship Act undid this provision.
A life peerage is not an hereditary title. The title lasts as long as the recipient of the honour is alive. The recipient's children can style themselves with the prefix 'honourable' but they cannot inherit the baronial title.
Although a baronet is not a peer, it is a British hereditary title and an honour that was conferred upon several Canadians.
Viscount Cobham is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created in 1718. Owing to its special remainder, the title has passed through several families. Since 1889, it has been held by members of the Lyttelton family.
The titles of Earl of Hertford and Marquess of Hertford have been created several times in the peerages of England and Great Britain.
Earl of Halifax is a title that has been created four times in British history—once in the Peerage of England, twice in the Peerage of Great Britain, and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The name of the peerage refers to Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Baron Stafford, referring to the town of Stafford, is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of England. In the 14th century, the barons of the first creation were made earls. Those of the fifth creation, in the 17th century, became first viscounts and then earls. Since 1913, the title has been held by the Fitzherbert family.
Earl of Lonsdale is a title that has been created twice in British history, firstly in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1784, and then in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1807, both times for members of the Lowther family.
Viscount Galway is a title that has been created four times in the Peerage of Ireland. The first creation came in 1628 in favour of Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. He was made Earl of St Albans in the Peerage of England at the same time.
Viscount Hawarden is a title in the Peerage of Ireland.
Viscount Ridley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1900 for the Conservative politician Sir Matthew White Ridley, 5th Baronet, Home Secretary from 1895 to 1900. He was made Baron Wensleydale, of Blagdon and Blyth in the County of Northumberland, at the same time, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The latter title was a revival of the barony held by his maternal grandfather James Parke, Baron Wensleydale, whose title became extinct upon his death since none of his sons survived him.
Viscount St Davids, of Lydstep Haven in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1918 for John Philipps, 1st Baron St Davids. The Philipps family descends from Sir John Philipps, who represented Pembrokeshire in the House of Commons. In 1621 he was created a Baronet, of Picton Castle in the County of Pembroke, in the Baronetage of England. His grandson, the third Baronet, also sat as Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Baronet. He represented Pembroke and Haverfordwest in Parliament. His son, the fifth Baronet, sat for Haverfordwest. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the sixth Baronet. He represented Carmarthen, Petersfield and Pembrokeshire in the House of Commons.
Baron Milford is a title that has been created three times, once in the Peerage of Ireland and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. All three creations have been for members of the same family. The first creation came in the Peerage of Ireland in 1776 when Sir Richard Philipps, 7th Baronet, of Picton Castle was made Baron Milford. However, this title became extinct on his death in 1823, while the baronetcy was passed on to a distant relative. The title was revived in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1847 when Sir Richard Philipps, 1st Baronet, of Picton Castle was created Baron Milford, of Picton Castle in the County of Pembroke. Born Richard Bulkeley Philipps Grant, he was the son of John Grant and Mary Philippa Artemisia, daughter of James Child and Mary Philippa Artemisia, daughter of Bulkeley Philipps, uncle of the first Baron of the first creation. He succeeded to the Philipps estates in 1823 and assumed the surname of Philipps the same year. In 1828 he was created a Baronet, of Picton Castle in the County of Pembroke, in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. However, Lord Milford was childless and the titles became extinct on his death in 1857. He devised his estates to his half-brother Reverend James Henry Alexander Gwyther, who assumed the surname of Philipps. James's daughter Mary Philippa married Charles Edward Gregg Fisher, who assumed the surname of Philipps and was created a Baronet, of Picton, in 1887.
Marquess of Ripon, in the County of York, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1871 for the Liberal politician George Robinson, 2nd Earl of Ripon.
Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil de Cavagnial, marquis de Vaudreuil was a Canadian-born colonial governor of French Canada in North America. He was governor of French Louisiana (1743–1753) and in 1755 became the last Governor-General of New France. In 1759 and 1760 the British conquered the colony in the Seven Years' War.
Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil was a French military officer who served as Governor General of New France from 1703 to 1725, throughout Queen Anne's War and Father Rale's War.
Michel-Eustache-Gaspard-Alain Chartier de Lotbinière, 2nd Marquis de Lotbinière, though to keep political favour with the British he never used the title. He was seigneur of Vaudreuil, Lotbinière and Rigaud. He was the Speaker of the House of Commons in Lower Canada who saw to it that the French language was recognised as equal to English in the Quebec Parliament, where a painting of him giving the speech still hangs above the Speaker's chair.
Robert Unwin Harwood was the last seigneur of Vaudreuil, commanding officer of the Vaudreuil Militia, and for thirty years a political figure in Lower Canada and Canada East.
There have been four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Temple, two in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.
Peers of the Realm have been associated with Australia since early in its history as a British settlement. Many peers served as governors of the Australian colonies, and in the days when the practice of appointing British governors-general was current, the great majority were peers.
There have been two baronetcies created for members of the Coote family. The first is Coote of Castle Cuffe, while the second is Coote of Donnybrooke, both in the Baronetage of Ireland. As of 2020, the first creation is still extant. The holders of the first creation also held the title of Earl of Mountrath between 1660 and 1802.
Michel-Alain Chartier de Lotbinière, 1st Marquis de Lotbinière, Seigneur of Vaudreuil, Lotbinière and Rigaud, Quebec etc. In 1757, on his advice at the Siege of Fort William Henry, the Marquis de Montcalm successfully attacked Fort William Henry. In 1758, Lotbinière again advised Montcalm to await rather than attack the British Army, at Fort Carillon, the fort that Lotbinière had built, which led to the French victory at the Battle of Carillon. In 1784, Louis XVI of France created Lotbinière a Marquis, the only Canadian by family and birth to have attained that rank, and the last such creation made by Louis XVI. He was the last private owner of Château Vaudreuil in Montreal.
Louis-Eustache Chartier de Lotbinière, Seigneur de Lotbinière; Member of the Sovereign Council of New France; Keeper of the Seals of New France; Vicar-General, Archdeacon and the first Canadian-born Dean of Notre-Dame Basilica-Cathedral, Quebec.