Sir William Macpherson of Cluny, 27th Chief of the Clan Macpherson 1926-2021

 _. Sir William Macpherson of Cluny [and Blairgowrie]; Cluny Macpherson; 27th Chief of the Clan Macpherson, died 14 February, 2021, aged 94. His home was Newton Castle, Blairgowrie, Perthshire.

Sir William was a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division, 1983-1996. He was knighted in 1983.

He was born 1 April, 1926, son of Brigadier Alan David Macpherson, DSO, MC, RA [who died 1969] and Catharine Richardson Hill.

He married firstly, in 1962, Sheila McDonald Brodie [who died 30 Oct, 2003], by whom he had two sons, Jamie and Alan [who died in 2007], and one daughter, Annie.

He was educated at Wellington College, and Trinity College, Oxford.

Career: Called to the Bar at the Inner Temple, 1952, Bencher 1978; QC 1971; a Recorder of the Crown Court 1972-83; Presiding Judge, Northern Circuit, 1985-88; President of Interception of Communications Tribunal, 1990-2000; Member of the Bar Council and Senate, 1981-83; Hon Member, Northern Circuit, 1987. Served in the Scots Guards, 1944-47; Commanded [Lt-Col] 21st Special Air Service Regiment [TA] 1962-65, Hon Colonel 1983-91; Member of the Queen's Body Guard for Scotland, Royal Company of Archers from 1977, Brigadier 1989.

He is succeeded as Clan Chief by his son, James Brodie Macpherson, Yr of Cluny [born 5 June, 1972]. He married in 2002, the Hon Anne Alexandra Macpherson [b 18 May, 1977], daughter of the 2nd Baron Macpherson of Drumochter [1924-2008].

-=-

Commander Rupert Thomas Nicholas Best, DL, RN 1943-2021

 _. Commander Rupert Thomas Nicholas Best, DL, who died 3 February, 2021, aged 77, was a scion of the Barons Wynford.

Best was Britain's most highly decorated Midshipman. He was born 15 May, 1943, son of Rear-Admiral Thomas William Best, CB [1915-84], and his wife the former Brenda Joan Hallaby, and was a great-grandson of the 5th Baron Wynford [1838-1904].

He married in 1971, Margaret [Maggie] Murray, daughter of Maj. Alan Murray, by whom he had issue, two sons, Thomas Matthew, and William Rupert, and a daughter, Sarah.

-=-

Second baby for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

 _. It has been announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their second child.

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex (nee [Rachel] Meghan Markle, born 4 Aug, 1981), is the wife of HRH The Duke of Sussex, KCVO (born 15 Sept, 1984), younger son of HRH The Prince of Wales.

The Duchess of Sussex gave birth to their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, at the Portland Hospital, London, 6 May, 2019.

Archie, the fourth grandchild of the Prince of Wales, follows his grandfather, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and his father, in line of succession to the throne. 

The infant will be the eleventh great-grandchild of the Queen, and will not be born a prince or princess with the qualification of Royal Highness. . That rank is reserved only for the children and male line grandchildren of the Sovereign.

In a complete break with tradition and with the laws governing peerages, and the children of peers, it was announced in 2019 that Archie would not use a courtesy title associated with the Dukedom of Sussex.

It was expected that Archie would be styled as Earl of Dumbarton, which is Prince Harry's earldom, created with the Dukedom of Sussex and Barony of Kilkeel in May, 2018.

A Palace statement announced that no courtesy titles would be borne by the seventh in line to the throne, and that he will be known as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

The eldest son of a duke by custom uses one of his father's peerages as a 'courtesy' title, but like his younger brothers he is also 'Lord' [Christian name] Surname, and was born so, and will be recorded as such at the College of Arms. Harry and Meghan's second child will be born Lord or Lady [Christian name] Mountbatten-Windsor. This courtesy title will not be granted or bestowed by the Queen at birth as it is an automatic qualification. 

In cases where a person succeeds to a peerage from a cousin or relation other than a parent then the siblings of that new peer do not automatically assume courtesy titles, and apply to the Crown to be so granted. Claims are reviewed and when approved the Crown Office issues the following:

'Her Majesty has been graciously pleased by Warrant under her Royal Signet and Sign Manual bearing the date …. to ordain and declare that …..(name of person seeking courtesy title) .. shall henceforth have, hold and enjoy the same title, rank, place, pre-eminence and precedence as the children of a ….Duke/Marquess/Earl/Viscount/Baron... as would have been due to them had their father … (his name)… succeeded to the title and dignity of Duke of …….and to command that the said Royal Concession and Declaration be recorded in Her Majesty's College of Arms.'

Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, being born the son of Duke, was born Lord Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor as a legal entity. 

The Queen, Head of the Royal House of Windsor, declared by Letters Patent in 1960 that her male line descendants who were not Royal Highnesses or princes or princesses would have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, to complement her husband, Prince Philip, who had assumed the surname of Mountbatten when he was naturalized a British subject in 1947.

Harry and Meghan's children now share this surname with the children of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, who do not use the royal style and title of HRH.

The decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to deny their son a courtesy title is I think unique in the annals of the peerage.

Several peers, or relatives of peers with courtesy titles, do decide not to be so styled. And of course peerages can be disclaimed, within a time limit, under the terms of the Peerages Act 1963. Peers in the Peerage of Ireland and baronets cannot disclaim under the terms of the act.

But how many peers announce that their offspring will not enjoy the courtesy titles associated with their peerages?

Under the terms of the Letters Patent creating Harry's dukedom, on 19 May, 2018, the descent of the title is vested in his heirs male 'lawfully begotten'. Archie is destined, should he survive his father, to succeed as 2nd Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel.

If the second child of the Sussexes is a boy then he, like his brother, will be in remainder to the three peerages held by Prince Harry. A daughter cannot inherit the dukedom, earldom or barony.

-=-

Pamela Joan Crundall Thicknesse 1923-2021

_. Pamela Joan Crundall Thicknesse, died 4 February, 2021, aged 97.

She was born in 1923, a daughter of the Rev Canon Douglas Murray Salmon [1884-1970], of The Well House, Banstead, Surrey, and his wife the former Marjorie Joan Crundall Day [1885-1975]; and married 20 June, 1944, the Rev. Ralph Thicknesse, MA [b 11 Oct, 1921, d. 1985].

Her husband, vicar of Old Basing 1953-59, of Waresley and Abbotsley 1959-67, and Rector of Doddington, Cambridge, was head of the landed gentry family, of Thicknesse formerly of Beech Hill, son of the Very Rev Cuthbert Carroll Thicknesse [1887-1971], Dean of St Albans and Chaplain to HM King George V, by his wife Rhoda Oonah Marjorie Pratt [1893-1981].

 Mrs Thicknesse leaves a son, Ralph Thomas Thicknesse [who was born 7 July, 1965], and four daughters, Sarah [born 1945], Joanna [born 1946], Anne [born 1950], and Caroline [born 1954].

-=-

Philippa Margaret Fraser [nee Guise] 1926-2021

 __.Philippa Margaret Fraser, who died 30 January, 2021, aged 94, was a scion of the Guise baronets, and widow of Fraser of Lovat scion. Her home was Moniack Castle, Inverness.

She was born 10 June, 1926, daughter of Sir Anslem William Edward Guise, 6th Baronet [1888-1970], and his wife the former Nina Margaret Sophie Grant [died 1991], scion of the Grant baronets.

She married 1 July, 1950, Maj. Alastair Hugh Joseph Fraser [1919-86], scion of the Lords Lovat, son of Maj. the Hon Alastair Thomas Joseph Fraser [1877-1949], and his wife the Lady Sibyl Grimston [1887-1968], daughter of the 3rd Earl of Verulam [1852-1924], &c.

She had six children, of whom five survive. Her elder daughter, Arabella [1959-2011], was wife of the 7th Baron Huntingfield [born 10 Aug, 1954].

-=-

 

Vivian Mary Raymonde Sweeney 1928-2021

 _. Vivian Mary Raymonde Sweeney [nee Eyre], who died 25 January, 2021, aged 92, was descended from the Rose baronets.

She was born Vivian Mary Raymonde Eyre, 29 August, 1928, daughter of Wilfred Gerald Eyre, and his wife the former Marjorie Winifred Rose [1900-1994]; married in 1949, John Sweeney, of Denver, Colorado, by whom she had four sons and three daughters.

Rose Lineage:-

Sir Philip Rose, 2nd Bt [1843-1919]-->Philip Rose [1869-1917]-->Marjorie Rose [1900-94]-->Vivian Eyre [1928-2021]

-=-

Juno Zennor Boudicca Nott [born 2021]

_. Araminta Hermione M [Minty] Nott [née Nicholson, born 1990], wife of William Richard Keith Nott [born 1991], gave birth to a daughter, Juno Zennor Boudicca, 3 February, 2021.

Minty Nott is a daughter of Guy Nicholson, of Hackney, London, and his wife, nee Archer.

William Nott is a son of Julian Franklin Keith Nott [born 23 August, 1960], of St Erth, Cornwall, the film composer, and his wife the former Madeleine Hall. Julian Nott has composed music for animated films, including Wallace and Grommit and Pepa Pig. 

Baby Juno is a great-granddaughter for the Rt Hon Sir John Nott, KCB, PC [born 1 Feb, 1932], the former Conservative MP and Cabinet Minister who was Secretary of State for Defence in the Falklands War.

-=-

Ellen Winifred Houstoun [born 2021]

  Lauren Winifred Houstoun [nee Mutch], wife of Andrew James Houstoun [born 28 Oct, 1990], and descended from the Spencer-Nairn baronets, gave birth to a daughter, Ellen Winifred, 12 Feb, 2021, a sister for Alasdair Andrew, who was born 2 Nov, 2019.

Sir Douglas-Spencer-Nairn, 2nd Baronet > Elizabeth Spencer-Nairn > David Houstoun > Andrew Houstoun > Ellen Houstoun

-=-

Henrietta Lucy Harkness Ellis [born 2021]

 _. Alice Elizabeth Ellis [born 1986, nee Harkness] wife of Christopher Stephen Ferrari Ellis [born 1987], gave birth to a daughter, Henrietta Lucy Harkness, 29 January, 2021, a sister for Percy Livio Harkness, who was born 17 June, 2019.

Christopher Ellis is a son of Stephen J Ellis by his wife the former Caroline D.M. Ferrari.

Alice is a daughter of John Martin Harkness by his late wife the former Lucinda Lubbock [1948-99], scion of the Barons Avebury.

-=-

Charles Mark James Linnell [born 2021]

 _. Rebecca Mary Linnell [born 1991, nee Culverwell] wife of Harry Charles Francis Linnell [born 1990], gave birth to a son, Charles Mark James, 24 January, 2021.

Rebecca is a scion of the Culverwell landed gentry family, daughter of [Anthony] James Culverwell [born 5 Aug, 1956], and his wife, the former Catriona Andrew [born 1956].

-=-

David Thomas Wale Altham 1945-2021

 _. David Thomas Wale Altham, who died 8 February, 2021, aged 75, was a scion of that landed gentry family, of Timbercombe.

He was born in 1945, son of Group Capt John Barrett Altham [1909-2000], head of the landed family, and his wife the former Hon Elizabeth Oona McNair [1913-1992], daughter of the 1st Baron McNair [1885-1975].

-=-

Aeneas Ranald Euan MacDonell of Glengarry, 23rd Chief of Glengarry 1941-2021

 _.Aeneas Ranald Euan MacDonell of Glengarry, 23rd Chief of Glengarry, died 30 January, 2021. He was 79.

He was born 11 November, 1941, the elder son of of Air Commodore Aeneas Ranald Donald MacDonell of Glengarry, CB, DFC, 22nd Chief of Glengarry [1913-1999], and his first wife the former Diana Dorothy Keane [1915-80], scion of the Keane baronets.

He married in 1969 [div 1996], [Dorothy] Anne Hind, daughter of Stanley James Hind, of Guildford, Surrey, by whom he had two daughters, Fiona Jane [born 1971], and Victoria Ann [born 1972].

Clan MacDonell of Glengarry is a branch of Clan Donald taking its name from Glen Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles (25 km) north of Fort William. The principal families descended from the house of Glengarry were the McDonells of Barrisdale, in Knoydart, Greenfield, and Lundie.

The MacDonells of Glengarry claim descent from Donald, one of the five sons of Ranald (d.1386), chief of Clanranald. The parents of Ranald (d.1386) were John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald and Ami MacRuairi the heiress to the chiefship of Clanranald.

The two distant relatives, John of Islay and Amie MacRuairi both descend from Ranald (d.1207), son of King Somerled. They married and their son Ranald (d.1386) became chief of Clanranald. Ranald was also expected to succeed his father, John of Islay as chief of Clan Donald. However John of Islay later married Margaret Stewart, the daughter of Robert II of Scotland. They had a son called Donald who became the next chief of Clan Donald.

Ranald (d.1386) had five sons. One of these five, Alan (d.1430) succeeded him as chief. Another of the five sons, Donald (d.1420) became chief of the MacDonells of Glengarry.

-=-

Orlando Valentine Lowry Cole [born 2021]

 __.Laura Rose Cole [nee Bulwer-Long, born 1979], wife of Arthur Berkeley David Cole [born 1983], scion of the Earls of Enniskillen, gave birth to a son, Orlando Valentine Lowry, 2 February, 2021, a brother for Finbar Arthur Bulwer, who was born 6 August, 2017.

Laura is a daughter of Capt Timothy Hetherington Earle Bulwer-Long [born 1942], scion of that landed gentry family, and his wife the former Rosamond Aileen Coote, scion of the Coote baronets.

Arthur Cole, descended from the 4th Earl of Enniskillen, is a son of Richard Lowry Cole [born 1956], and his 1st wife the former Susan Elizabeth Allen.

-=-

Edoardo Hugh Italo Tersigni [born 2021]

 _. Emma Grace Tersigni [nee Edmeades, born 1989], wife of Danilo Tersigni, gave birth to a son, Edoardo Hugh Italo, 27 January, 2021.

Danilo is the eldest son of Signor and Signora Donato Tersigni, of Sora, Italy, and Emma, a scion of the Edmeades landed genty family, is the daughter of [Evelyn] Hugh Edmeades [born 1956], of Wandsworth, London, and his wife the former Deborah M. Palmer.

-=-

Caroline Arnott 1934-2021

 _. Caroline Arnott, who died 1 February, 2021, aged 86, was a scion of the Arnott baronets.

She was born 28 Apr, 1934, daughter of Maj. Thomas John Arnott [1899-1979], and his wife the former Lettice Mary Crompton-Roberts [1903-86], and was a granddaughter of Maj. Sir John Alexander Arnott, 2nd Baronet [1853-1940]. She was unm.

-=-

India Rose Farquhar Farrall [born 2021]

 _. Amelia K. Farrall [nee Farquhar], wife of Flight Lieutennt [Alexander] James Farrall [born 1985], gave birth to a daughter, India Rose Farquhar, 9 February, 2021, a sister for Huxley Arthur Farquhar, born 26 January, 2018.

James Farrall is the elder son of Mr Paul Farrall, of Tutshill, Gloucestershire, and his wife the former Bridget Gower.

Amelia Farrall is the youngest daughter of Mr & Mrs James Farquhar, of Inchaffray, Perthshire.

Amelia Farrall's elder sister, Alice, is the wife of Andrew Robert Richard Vernon (b 1979), scion of the Barons Lyveden (UK 1859). 

-=-

Simon James Wykeham Wickham 1969-2021

 _. Simon James Wykeham Wickham died from cancer, 9 February, 2021, aged 51. He was descended from the Barons Lawrence.

He was born in 1969, son of Robin Herbert Wickham [born 1943], and his wife the former Teresa Marie Byrne [born 1947]. His grandfather, Wing Commander Vincent George Byrne [who died in 1978], married 8 Feb, 1945, the Hon Nona Georgette Lawrence[1922-2012], daughter of the 3rd Baron Lawrence [1878-1947].

He married firstly, in 2000, [Mary] Arabella M. Monro [born 1974], descended from the Earls of Portsmouth, daughter of Capt James Michael Monro [born 1936], by his wife the former Anne Leicester [born 1941] whom he had issue, three children, Maximus [born 2000], Alexander [Sascha] [born 2002], and Lucia [born 2005]. 

He leaves a widow, Sharon, and two step-daughters.

Arabella Wickham's descent from the Earls of Portsmouth.

Newton, 4th Earl of Portsmouth-->Lady Henrietta Fellowes [d 1880]-->Maj Nugent Chichester [1827-1908]-->Edward Chichester [b 1866-]-->Mary Chichester [b 7 Apr 1910]-->Anne Leicester [b 1941-]-->Arabella Monro [b 1974]

-=-

Mary Elaine Tucker [nee Wigram] 1951-2021

 _. Mary Elaine Tucker [nee Wigram], who died 2 February, 2021, aged 69, was a scion of the Wigram baronets.

She was born 5 December, 1951, a daughter of Michael Lewis Wigram [1918-1983], by his wife the former Dorothea Mary Wood [died 1964]; married 1977, Anthony Laurence Tucker, by whom she had two sons, John and Mark, and a daughter, Sarah.

Sir Robert Wigram, 1st Bt-->Rev William Pitt Wigram-->Lewis Wigram-->Oswald Wigram-->Michael Wigram-->Mary Elaine Wigram [1951-2021].

-=-

Alice Violet Jane Digby [born 2021]

 _. The Hon Jessica Frances Digby [née Murray Smith], wife of the Hon Edward St Vincent Kenelm Digby [born 5 September, 1985], gave birth to a daughter, Alice Violet Jane, 3 February, 2021, in London, a sister for twins, Henry and Milo, born 17 March, 2018.

The Hon Edward Digby is the son and heir of the 13th Baron Digby [born 6 January, 1954], of Minterne, Dorchester, by his first wife the former Susan Watts.

Jessica Digby is a daughter of David Murray Smith, of Chiswick, and his wife the former Joanne Sargent.

-=-

Eugenie and Jack's son: could he be a York?

 _. Royal watchers are on tip toe with excitement over the choice of names that Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank has selected for their infant son. I have delved into the branches of Jack's family tree to find some clues.

The baby is the first child for the princess, 30, and husband Jack Brooksbank, 34, and a first grandchild for the Duke of York and for Sarah Duchess of York. The infant is the ninth great-grandchild of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

Master Brooksbank [he has no courtesy title] who weighed in at 8lb 1oz, was born at 8:55am,  9 February, 2021, London's Portland Hospital, where Eugenie was born in 1990, and where Archie Mountbatten-Windsor was born in 2019.

The baby is eleventh in line of succession to the throne, following his mother, who is in tenth place, and displacing the Earl of Wessex, who drops to 12th position.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank married at St George's Chapel, Windsor, 12 October, 2018. 

The most recent birth in the Brooksbank family was last summer, when Amy Brooksbank, wife of Jack's younger brother, Thomas George, gave birth to a son, named Wilfred Stamp Ewing Brooksbank. 

The family do tend to go for family surnames as christian names, and it's a tradition going back generations. 

One of Jack's middle names is Stamp. His late grandfather, Stamp Godfrey Brooksbank, who died four years ago was named Stamp in honour of an ancestor of that surname. Interestingly, Stamp Brooksbank was the son of an Edward York Brooksbank, a North Yorkshire landowner, who died as the result of a car accident in 1935. Edward York Brooksbank was named after his grandmother, Lucy Mary York, a member of a landed gentry family, seated at Wighill Park, North Yorkshire.

If Eugenie and Jack were to give their son the middle of name of York it would be a nod to both sides of the family. Eugenie, born Princess Eugenie of York, and her elder sister Beatrice cannot succeed to the title Duke of York as it can only descend to heirs male. The use of the name York would keep the name alive.

The trend for including what is usually a surname as a christian name is not common in the royal family. Prince Michael of Kent, born in 1942, has the name Franklin in honour of the wartime US president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and of course the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave Archie the middle name of Harrison, at his birth in 2019. It is not known why Harry and Meghan selected Harrison. 

Jack Christopher Stamp Brooksbank (born 3 May, 1986), scion of the Brooksbank baronets, is the elder son of Mr George Edward Hugh Brooksbank (b 8 Feb 1949), by his wife the former Nicola J Newton (b 1953).

HRH Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena of York (b 23 Mar, 1990), is the younger daughter of HRH The Duke of York, KG (born 19 Feb, 1960), by his former wife the former Sarah Margaret Ferguson [born 15 Oct, 1959], scion of the Fergusons of Dummer.

Jack's great-grandfather Major the Hon Sir John Spencer Coke [1880-1957]. I do not think for one minute that we are about to see a Spencer Brooksbank. That would be a slight to cousins William and Harry.

-=-