Vesper Vivien Diana Coleman (born 21 Nov 2024)

 Lady Alexandra Penelope Coleman [nee Lindesay-Bethune, born 1988], wife of Jack Coleman, gave birth to a daughter, Vesper Vivien Diana, 21 November, 2024, a sister for Nicholas Tankerville Wallace, who was born 9 November, 2019, and for James Horatio Somerled, born 15 August, 2021.

Lady Alexandra is the second daughter of the 16th Earl of Lindsay [born 19 November, 1955], of Fife, Scotland, by his wife the Countess of Lindsay [nee Diana Mary Chamberlayne-Macdonald, born 12 September, 1961].

Jack Coleman is a son of Mr & Mrs Terry Coleman, of Clapham.

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Edmund Francis Townshend (born 22 Aug 2024)

 Alice Louisa Townshend [née Campbell-Lamerton, born 1988], wife of Henry Roscoe [Harry] Townshend [born 1984], gave birth to a son, Edmund Francis, 22 August, 2024, a brother for Florence Olivia, born 5 Feb, 2019, and for Jemima Sophia, who was born 25 September, 2020, and for Wilbur George, born 30 June, 2022.

Harry Townshend is a son of James Reginald Townshend [born 1954], by his 1st wife the former Olivia Mora Matthey [1957-2009], and Alice is a daughter of Jeremy Campbell-Lamerton, by his wife the former Mary Louise Thorneycroft [born 1961], descended maternally from the Poland of Bramshott landed gentry family, and the Barons Stafford.

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Sir (John) Richard Walter Reginald Carew Pole, 13th Baronet, OBE, DL 1938-2024

 Sir Richard Carew Pole, 13th Baronet, OBE, DL, died at his home in Cornwall, 1 December, 2024, aged 85.

Sir Richard, of Antony House, Torpoint, Cornwall, was a landowner and chartered surveyor. The Old Etonoan served as a lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards, 1958-63; Assistant Surveyor, Law & Fiennes Chartered Surveyors 1967-72; Director South West Venture Capital, 1985-87; Director, the Eden Project 1999-2001; Member of the Regional Board, West of England, subsequently Portman Building Society 1989-91; Chairman, Devon and Cornwall Police Authority 1985-87 (Member 1973-89); Member: South West Area Electricity Board 1981-90; National Trust Committee for Devon & Cornwall  1979-83; President: Surf Life Saving Assoc of GB 1976-86; President Royal Cornwall Agricultural Show 1981; Member of the Council of the RHS and then President, 2001; Trustee, National Heritage Memorial Fund, 1991-2000; Trustee, Countryside Commission 1991-96; Trustee, Tate Gallery 1993-2003; Chairman, Steering Committee, Combined Univs in Cornwall (2000); Governor: Seale Hayne Agricultural College 1979-89; Governor, Plymouth College 1985-96; Member of the Board of the Theatre Royal Plymouth 1985-97; Trustee of the Eden Trust 1996-; Trustee, Trusthouse Charitable Foundation 1999-; Trustee of the Pilgrim Trust; County Councillor, Cornwall 1973-93; High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1979; DL Cornwall, 1988; Liveryman, Fishmongers' Co 1960; &c.

He was born 2 December, 1938, son of Sir John Gawen Carew Pole, 12th Baronet (1902-1993), and his 1st wife the former Cynthia Mary Burns (died 1977), descended from the Dukes of Portland.

He succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father, 26 January, 1993.

He married firstly, 27September, 1966 (div. 1974) the Hon Victoria Marion Ann Lever (1945-2021), an Extra Lady in Waiting to HRH The Princess Anne, Mrs Mark Phillips from 1974, daughter of the 3rd and last Viscount Leverhulme, KG (1915-2000); and married 2ndly, in 1974, Mary Dawnay, DCVO (born 15 Apr, 1936), Lady in Waiting to HRH The Princess Anne, Princess Royal from 1970, scion of the Viscounts Downe, daughter of Lt-Col Ronald Dawnay (1908-90), and his wife Lady Elizabeth Katherine Grey (1908-41), daughter of the 5th Earl Grey.

From his second marriage Sir Richard leaves issue, two sons, Tremayne and John. The elder son, Tremayne John Carew Pole (born 22 February, 1974), succeeds as 14th baronet (created 1628).

The Baroness Wilkins 1946-2024

 Baroness Wilkins, who has died aged 78, was a Labour life peer, and member of the House of Lords from 1999 to 2015.

Rosalie Catherine Wilkins was born 6 May, 1946, daughter of Eric Frederick Wilkins and his wife Marjorie Phyllis Elizabeth Wilkins; and was educated at the University of Manchester (BA).

Career: PA to the Director, Central Council for the Disabled, 1971-74; Information Officer MIND (National Association for Mental Health) 1974-78; presenter/researcher , Link magazine programme and documentaries, ATV network and Central Television 1975-88; freelance video and documentary producer/presenter on disability issues 1988-96; Information Officer , National Centre for Independent Living 1997-99; awarded the Snowdon Award (for outstanding work for the benefit of disabled people), Action Research, 1983, &c.

She was created a life peer in 1999 and her peerage was gazetted in the name, style and title of Baroness Wilkins, of Chesham Bois in the County of Buckinghamshire. She retired from the Lords in 2015.

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Crichton-Stuart/Monro engagement

 The engagement was announced 3 December, 2024, between Hugh Bertram Crichton-Stuart (born 20 March, 1973),scion of the Marquesses of Bute, the second son of the late Lord James Charles Crichton-Stuart (1935-1982), and his second wife the former Anna-Rose Bramwell (born 1940, later Mrs Peter Knatchbull-Hugessen, of Ropley, Hampshire, wife of a scion of the Barons Brabourne, and now Mts George Barclay), & Christine Monro, only daughter of Mr George Melville Monro and Mrs Dawn Monro, of Cape Town, South Africa.

It will be Hugh Crichton-Stuart's second marriage. He married firstly, 11 Sept, 1999, Kerry Anne Reid, daughter of Leo Gavin Reid, by whom he has issue, two daughters, Philippa and Katherine.

His late father, Lord James Crichton-Stuart, third son of the 5th Marquess of Bute (1907-56), was married firstly to the former Sarah Croker Poole (b 28 January, 1940), who was later wife of His Highness The Aga Khan, and is now known as the Begum Salima Aga Khan.

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Hon (John) Nicholas Tollemache 1941-2024

 The Hon Nicholas Tollemache, who died 28 November, 2024, in Los Angeles, United States, aged 83, was a scion of the Barons Tollemache.

Nicholas Tollemache was educated at Eton and Cambridge, and he took part in the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race, and was a Blue in the Cambridge crew rowing at no. 7 in the race in April, 1962. Cambridge rowed to victory over their rivals winning by five lengths. 

John Nicholas Tollemache was born 13 June, 1941, the second son of the 4th Baron Tollemache, MC, DL (1910-1975), and his wife the former Dinah Susan Jamieson (1918-1998), daughter of Sir Archibald Auldjo Jamieson KBE MC, of The Drove House, Thornham, co. Norfolk, by his wife Doris Pearce, daughter of Capt Henry Pearce RN; and was a younger brother of the 5th Baron Tollemache, DL (born 13 Dec, 1939), of Helmingham Hall, Stowmarket, Suffolk.

He married firstly, 17 Sep 1971 (div. 1974) Heide Eva Wiedeck, daughter of Gunther Wiedeck, of Bonn, Germany, and married 2ndly, in 1982,  Dietlinde Hannelore Riegel, daughter of Hannelore Riegel, of Muncih, Germany. He had no issue from either marriage, and is survived by his three brothers.

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Sir Martyn Evan Evans-Bevan, 2nd Baronet 1932-2024

Sir Martyn Evan Evans-Bevan, 2nd Baronet, died 5 November, 2024, aged 92.

The baronet, educated at Uppingham, entered the family business Evan Evans Bevan and Evans Bevan Ltd in 1953; and was High Sheriff of Breconshire  in 1967; Liveryman, Worshipful Company of Farmers; Freeman of the City of London. His home was Spring Valley, Rue de Creux, Baillot St Ouen, Jersey, Channel Islands.

He was born 1 April, 1932, son of Sir David Martyn Evans-Bevan, 1st Baronet (1902-1973), created a baronet in 1958, by his wife the former Eira Winifred Glanley (who died 2001); and succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's death, 9 September, 1973.

He married 12 October, 1957, Jennifer Jane Marion Stevens, daughter of Robert Hugh Stevens, by whom he had four sons, David, Richard, Thomas and Huw. The eldest son, David Gawain Evans-Bevan (born 16 September, 1961), succeeds as third baronet.

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Pitman/Fenn engagement

 The engagement was announced 2 December, 2024, between Alexander James Pitman (born 15 February, 1992), scion of that landed gentry family, son of the late Lieutenant-Colonel (John) Hugh Pitman, OBE (1935-2023), and his second wife the former Helen Ruth Mary White (born 1957), of Leighterton, Gloucestershire & Lucy Elizabeth Fenn (born 1995), eldest daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Johhny Fenn, of Pokhara, Nepal, and his wife the former Mary L. Cave.

Alexander's aunt, Lavinia Pitman (born 18 Apr, 1941) married as her first husband, the 5th Baron Fermoy (1939-84), uncle of Diana, Princess of Wales. Alexander's late father was married firstly to Rosemary Dickinson (1940-2010), who was later wife of Brig Andrew Henry Parker Bowles, first husband of HM Queen Camilla.

Lucy's father has been long associated with the Gurkhas, and his duties took him to East Timor and Iraq, before being posted back to the UK as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Brigade of Gurkhas.

On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, Johnny Fenn was appointed British Military Advisor to ECOWAS in Nigeria, before completing his military service as the Field Director of The Gurkha Welfare Trust in Pokhara, Nepal.

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