Robert Alec Snow Irving of Bonshaw, Chief of the Name and Arms of Irving of Bonshaw [1930-2021]

 _. Capt Robert Alec Snow Irving of Bonshaw, RN, Chief of the Name and Arms of Irving of Bonshaw, died 17 February, 2021. He was an Arabic linguist.

He was a son of Commander George Robert Irving Irving, RN [1895-1970], who inherited the Bonshaw estate, Kirtlebridge, near Gretna Green, in 1954, on the death of his kinsman, Capt Sir R.B. Irving, KB, OBE [1877-1954], who had a long and distinguished naval career, and had seen action at the Battle of Jutland [with the future King George VI], was chief officer on the Lusitania, and was later captain of the Queen Mary.

Capt Robert Alec Snow Irving married in 1956, Elisabeth Schubart [born 26 Nov, 1932], daughter of Hans Albrecht Schubart [died 7 July, 1968], and his wife the former Betty Dorothea Wingfield Verner [1904-84], scion of the Verner baronets, by whom he had issue, three sons, Rupert [born 1958], Alexander [born 1961], and Mark [born in 1965].

By Interlocutor dated 25 August, 2014 the Lord Lyon King of Arms recognised Robert Alec Snow Irving of Bonshaw, as Chief of the Name and Arms of Irving of Bonshaw, an independent branch of the Clan Irvine, long established in the Borders at Bonshaw.

Bonshaw Tower, the family estate has now passed from Robert Irving's branch of the Irving Clan to a distant kinsman. The Irving of Bonshaw is succeeded by his eldest son.

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