Rory Thomas Malise Morshead (born 2015)

._ Louise Alexandra Patricia Morshead (nee Nicolson) b 1984, wife of Charles Christopher Thomas Morshead (b 1981),  gave birth to a son, Rory Thomas Malise, 27 May, 2015.

Charles is the elder son of Mr Samuel R. Morshead, of St Fillans, Perthshire and Mrs Annabelle C.E. Morshead (nee Bates), of Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland, and Louise, scion of the Lords Saltoun (Peerage of Scotland, cr 1445), is the elder daughter of Capt Mark Malise Nicolson, of Cairbulg Castle, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, by his wife the Hon Katharine Ingrid Mary Isabel FRASER, Mistress of Saltoun (b 11 Oct, 1957).

Mrs Morshead is a granddaughter of the Lady Saltoun (a peeress in her own right), and the late Capt Alexander Arthur Alfonso David Maule Ramsay of Mar, and a great-granddaughter of HRH Princess Patricia of Connaught (afterwards Lady Patricia Ramsay), and a great-great granddaughter of HRH The Duke of Connaught, son of HM Queen Victoria, &c.

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Obituary: Lady Ricketts

Obituary: Lord Graves

3rd Baron Brassey of Apethorpe, OBE, JP, DL

_. The 3rd Baron Brassey of Apethorpe, OBE, JP, DL (Peerage of the UK, cr 1938), has died at the age of 82. 

David Henry Brassey was born 16 Sept, 1932, son of the 2nd Baron Brassey of Apethorpe (1905-67), by his 1st wife the former Crystal Gloria Gore (who d 1962), and succeeded to the peerage on his father's death, 28 June, 1967. He married 1stly, 15 Oct, 1958 Myra Elizabeth Baskervyle-Glegg (d Nov 1974), only dau of Lt-Col John Baskervyle-Glegg, and married 2ndly, 1978, Caroline, dau of Lt-Col Godfrey Ariel Evill and of the Dowager Lady Duntze. From his first marriage he leavesv a son, and from his second marriage he leaves 2 daughters, Zara and Chloe. The son, Edward, born 9 March, 1964, succeeds as 4th Baron Brassey of Apethorpe.

A Thanksgiving Service takes place in the garden at Apethorpe, near Peterborough, Friday 22 May, 2015.

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Birgitte Countess of Stockton [d 2015]

_. Birgitte Countess of Stockton, who died 8 May, 2015, was the first wife of the 2nd Earl of Stockton (Peerage of the UK, cr 1984), grandson of the prime minister, Harold Macmillan.

She was the former Birgitte Hamilton, daughter of Alan Douglas Christie Hamilton, of Stable Green, Mitford, co Northumberland, and married the then Alexander Daniel Alan Macmillan in 1970. They divorced in 1991.

The Earldom of Stockton was conferred upon the 90 year-old Harold Macmillan in 1984 ~ the last earldom given to a commoner ~ and Alexander Macmillan succeeded to his grandfather's honours, 29 Dec, 1986, his father, Maurice Macmillan, styled Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden, having predeceased the former PM, 10 Mar, 1984, just a month after the creation of the title, &c.

Birgitte Countess of Stockton is survived by a son, Daniel, Viscount Macmillan of Ovenden, and by two daughters, Lady Rebecca and Lady Louisa.

The funeral takes place at St Mary's Church, The Boltons, 21 May.

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Hon Nicholas Robert William Peel (born 2015)

_. Viscountess Clanfield (b. 1978), wife of Viscount Clanfield (b. 1976), son and heir of the 3rd Earl Peel by his first wife, gave birth to a son and heir, the Hon Nicholas Robert William (Nicko), 4 May, 2015, a brother for Isla, Willa and Florence.

Viscountess Clanfield is the former Matilda Rose Aykroyd (b. 1978), third daughter of David Peter Aykroyd (b. 1937), of Nun Monkton, York, scion of the Aykroyd Baronets, of Lightcliffe (created 1920), by his wife, the former (Lydia) Huldine Beamish, younger daughter of Richard Pigott Beamish, of Castleyons, County Cork (of an Irish landed family).

The infant's father - Ashton Robert Gerard Peel, styled Viscount Clanfield (b. 16 September, 1976), is the only son of the 3rd Earl Peel, PC (b. 1947), of Masham, North Yorkshire, and his first wife, the former Veronica Naomi Livingston Timpson (b. 1950), descended from the Houstoun-Boswall Baronets (now Veronica Countess Peel, of San Martin de Tesorillo, Spain).

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Shirley-Beavan/Straker engagement

_. The engagement was announced 7 May 2015, between Charles Michael Shirley-Beavan (b 1984), eldest son of Mr Simon Shirley-Beavan, of Gatehousecote, Bonchester Bridge, racehorse trainer, by his wife the former Philippa Margaret Payne & Camilla Sophie Straker (born 1985), scion of the landed family of Straker of Stagshaw, eldest daughter of Reuben Thomas Coppin Straker, of Stonecroft, Hexham, Northumberland, by his wife the former Hon Sophie Henrietta Kimball (b 1960), second daughter of the late Baron Kimball, life peer (cr 1985), by his wife the former June Mary Fenwick, descended from the Dukes of Manchester, &c.

The bride~to~be is one of the godchildren of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Her mother, Sophie, was a schoolfriend of the princess and sometime flat-mate.

Charlie Shirley-Beavan is descended from the Vestey baronets. His maternal grandmother, Margaret Payne, is a granddaughter of Sir Edmund Hoyle Vestey, 1st Baronet.

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Specker/Makim marriage

_. The marriage took place in May, 2015, in South Africa, between photographer Sacha Specker and Miss Ayesha Makim (born 1986), daughter of William Alex Makim by his former wife the former Jane Louise Ferguson (born 1957), scion of the Ferguson of Dummer landed family, and descended from the Viscounts Hampden and the Fellowes of Shottesham landed family, &c.

The bride is a niece of Sarah Duchess of York, former wife of the Queen's second son.

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7th Earl of Leicester, CBE, DL 1936-2015

_. The 7th Earl of Leicester (Peerage of the UK, cr 1837), of Holkham Hall, Norfolk, died 25 April, 2015. He was 78.

Edward Douglas Coke was born 6 May, 1936, son of the 6th Earl of Leicester (1909-94), by his first wife the former Moyra Joan Crossley, and succeeded to the peerages on the demise of his father, 19 June, 1994.

He was twice married ~ firstly, 28 Apr, 1962 (div 1985), Valeria Phyllis, daughter of Leonard Potter; married 2ndly, 16 Jan 1988, Mrs Sarah de Chair, former wife of Colin Graham Ramsay de Chair, scion of that landed family, and daughter of Noel Henry Boys Forde.

Lord Leicester leaves issue from his first marriage, Thomas, Viscount Coke, the Hon Rupert Coke, and Lady Laura Paul.

The elder son, who was born 6 July, 1965, succeeds as 8th Earl of Leicester. He is a former Page of Honour to the Queen and sometime equerry to Field Marshal HRH The Duke of Kent, &c.

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Margaret Evelyn (Margo) Jardine Paterson (d 2015)

_. Margaret Evelyn (Margo) Jardine Paterson, who died 28 April, 2015, was the widow of David Jardine Paterson (b 1914 d ), scion of a Scots landed family (and kin of the Earls of Annandale & Hartfell). She was the former Margaret Crawford-Boyd. Mrs Jardine Paterson leaves a son, Michael, and a daughter, Joanna. Her grandson JJ Jardine Paterson is a former boyfriend of Pippa Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge. Another grandson, David Jardine Paterson is married to Emilia D'Erlanger (see Visc Exmouth), a former squeeze of the Duke of Cambridge, and godmother to Prince George of Cambridge, &c.

The funeral is at Applegarth Church, Wed 6 May, 2015.

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