Viscountcy Stansgate | |
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Creation date | 20 January 1942 |
Created by | George VI |
Peerage | Peerage of the United Kingdom |
First holder | William Wedgwood Benn |
Present holder | Stephen Benn |
Heir apparent | Hon. Daniel Benn |
Remainder to | Heirs male of the first viscount's body, lawfully begotten |
Former seat(s) | Stansgate Abbey |
Motto | Deo Favente ("With God's favour") |
Viscount Stansgate, of Stansgate in the County of Essex, [2] is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1942 for the Labour politician, former Secretary of State for India and future Secretary of State for Air, William Wedgwood Benn. He was the second son of Sir John Benn, 1st Baronet, of The Old Knoll. Stansgate's eldest son and heir apparent, Michael Benn, was later killed in the Second World War. Consequently, he was succeeded in the title by his second son, the Labour politician Tony Benn, who disclaimed the peerage on 31 July 1963, the day the Peerage Act 1963 passed into law and made it possible for him to do so. [3] As of 2022 [update] , the title is held by Tony Benn's eldest son, Stephen Benn, 3rd Viscount Stansgate.
Stansgate is a hamlet near the village of Steeple, Essex, on the southern side of the River Blackwater estuary. The village has been home to several generations of the Benn family since about 1900. [4] They live in Stansgate Abbey, [5] described by Chris Mullin as "an ungainly, rambling 1920s house in a stunning location". [6]
The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon. Daniel John Wedgwood Benn (born 1991).
The heir apparent's heir presumptive is the present holder's brother, the Hon. Hilary James Wedgwood Benn (born 1953).
Earl of Sandwich is a noble title in the Peerage of England, held since its creation by the House of Montagu. It is nominally associated with Sandwich, Kent. It was created in 1660 for the prominent naval commander Admiral Sir Edward Montagu. He was made Baron Montagu of St Neots, of St Neots in the County of Huntingdon, and Viscount Hinchingbrooke, at the same time, also in the Peerage of England. The viscountcy is used as the courtesy title by the heir apparent to the earldom. A member of the prominent Montagu family, Lord Sandwich was the son of Sir Sidney Montagu, youngest brother of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester, and Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton.
The Peerage Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits women peeresses and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed.
William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate, was a British Liberal politician who later joined the Labour Party. A decorated Royal Air Force officer, he was Secretary of State for India between 1929 and 1931 and Secretary of State for Air between 1945 and 1946. He was the father of Tony Benn and the paternal grandfather of Hilary Benn.
Viscount Hailsham, of Hailsham in the County of Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1929 for the lawyer and Conservative politician Douglas Hogg, 1st Baron Hailsham, who twice served as Lord High Chancellor of the Great Britain. He had already been created Baron Hailsham, of Hailsham in the County of Sussex, in 1928, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Hogg was the son of the merchant and philanthropist Quintin Hogg, seventh son of Sir James Hogg, 1st Baronet, whose eldest son James McGarel-Hogg, 2nd Baronet was created Baron Magheramorne in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1887.
Earl Peel is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The Peel family descends from Robert Peel, eldest son of a wealthy cotton merchant. The family lands, known as Drayton Manor, in the County of Stafford would become more commonly known in modern-day as an amusement park. The family seat is Elmire House, near Ripon, North Yorkshire.
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.
Earl of Verulam is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for James Grimston, 4th Viscount Grimston. He was made Viscount Grimston at the same time. Verulam had previously represented St Albans in the House of Commons. In 1808 he had also succeeded his maternal cousin as tenth Lord Forrester. He was succeeded by his son, the second Earl.
Earl St Aldwyn, of Coln St Aldwyn in the County of Gloucester, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1915 for the prominent Conservative politician Michael Hicks Beach, 1st Viscount St Aldwyn, known from 1854 to 1907 as Sir Michael Hicks Beach, 9th Baronet, of Beverston. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1885 to 1886 and again from 1895 to 1902. Hicks Beach had already been created Viscount St Aldwyn, of Coln St Aldwyn in the County of Gloucester, in 1906, and was made Viscount Quenington, of Quenington in the County of Gloucester, at the same time he was given the earldom. Both titles are in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He was succeeded by his grandson, the second Earl, the son of Michael Hicks Beach, Viscount Quenington, Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury, who was killed in action in 1916. Lord St Aldwyn was also a Conservative politician and was Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms between 1958 and 1964 and 1970 and 1974. As of 2018 the titles are held by his eldest son, the third Earl, who succeeded in 1992.
Viscount Esher, of Esher in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 11 November 1897 for the prominent lawyer and judge William Brett, 1st Baron Esher, upon his retirement as Master of the Rolls. He had already been created Baron Esher, of Esher in the County of Surrey, on 24 July 1885, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the second Viscount, was a Liberal politician and historian. His grandson, the fourth Viscount, was a noted architect. As of 2010 the titles are held by the latter's son, the fifth Viscount, who succeeded in 2004.
Viscount Ullswater, of Campsea Ashe in the County of Suffolk, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1921 for James Lowther upon his retirement as Speaker of the House of Commons. He was the eldest son of the Hon. William Lowther, third son of the Hon. Henry Lowther, second son of William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale. The first Viscount lived to the age of 93, and was pre-deceased by both his eldest son the Hon. Christopher Lowther, a Conservative politician, and his eldest son's eldest son John Arthur Lowther (1910–1942), the title being inherited by his seven-year-old great-grandson, the second and current Viscount, in an extremely rare instance of a great-grandson succeeding his great-grandfather in a peerage. The second Viscount held office in the Conservative administrations of Margaret Thatcher and John Major and since 2003 he has been one of the ninety elected hereditary peers that remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999.
Viscount Portman, in the County of Somerset, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 28 March 1873, for the former Lord Lieutenant of Somerset and Liberal Member of Parliament Edward Portman, 1st Baron Portman. He had already been created Baron Portman, of Orchard Portman, on 27 January 1837, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the second Viscount, represented Shaftesbury and Dorset in the House of Commons as a Liberal. As of 2014, the titles have been held by one of the latter's great-great-grandsons, the tenth Viscount, since 1999.
Viscount Camrose, of Hackwood Park in the County of Hampshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 20 January 1941 for the prominent newspaper magnate William Berry, 1st Baron Camrose. He had previously received the award of Baronet, of Long Cross in the County of Surrey, in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom, on 4 July 1921, and was created Baron Camrose, of Long Cross in the County of Surrey, on 19 June 1929, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His second son, the third Viscount, disclaimed the peerages in 1995 on succeeding his elder brother. However, he had already been created a life peer as Baron Hartwell, of Peterborough Court in the City of London, on 19 January 1968. On his death in 2001 the life peerage became extinct while he was succeeded in the other titles by his eldest son, the fourth Viscount. The first three Viscounts all headed The Daily Telegraph at one point, the first having purchased it from Harry Levy-Lawson, 1st Viscount Burnham, but in the 1980s they lost control to Conrad Black.
Viscount Selby, of the City of Carlisle, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1905 for the Liberal politician Sir William Court Gully upon his retirement as Speaker of the House of Commons. He was the son of the physician James Manby Gully. The title of the viscountcy derived from the maiden name of Gully's wife, Elizabeth Selby, daughter of Thomas Selby. As of 2017 the title is held by the first Viscount's great-great-great-grandson, the sixth Viscount, who succeeded his father in 2001.
Baron Harmsworth, of Egham in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1939 for the Liberal politician Cecil Harmsworth, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs between 1919 and 1922. As of 2017 the title is held by his grandson, the third Baron, who succeeded his uncle in 1990.
Baron Wedgwood, of Barlaston in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1942 for the soldier and politician Josiah Wedgwood. He was the great-great-grandson of Josiah Wedgwood, the founder of the Wedgwood pottery dynasty. As of 2023, the title is held by the first Baron's great-grandson, the fifth Baron, who succeeded his cousin in 2014.
Baron Beaverbrook, of Beaverbrook in the Province of New Brunswick in the Dominion of Canada and of Cherkley in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1917 for the prominent media owner and politician Sir Max Aitken, 1st Baronet. He had already been created a baronet, of Cherkley in the County of Surrey, on 3 July 1916. When Aitken died, his son disclaimed the barony three days later, stating that "there shall only be one Lord Beaverbrook in my lifetime". Since 1985, the title has been held by the latter's son, the third Baron.
There have been three baronetcies created for people with the surname Benn, all in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. As of 2014 one creation is extant.
Stephen Michael Wedgwood Benn, 3rd Viscount Stansgate, is a British hereditary peer and Labour member of the House of Lords.
The Benn family is a British family that has been prominent in UK politics, government, public service, and business since the late nineteenth century.
Re Bristol South-East Parliamentary Election is a 1961 United Kingdom election court case brought about by an election petition by Malcolm St Clair against Anthony Wedgewood Benn, 2nd Viscount Stansgate, the winner of the 1961 Bristol South-East by-election where Benn had won the most votes but was disqualified from taking his seat in the House of Commons as he had inherited a hereditary peerage as 2nd Viscount Stansgate. Benn argued that as he had not applied for a writ of summons, he was not a member of the House of Lords and that the voters had the right to choose who they wanted to represent them.
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