Choosing A Title Problems of New Peers

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 288, 25 February 1928, Page 24

Choosing A Title Problems of New Peers

New peerages are continually being created in England and the following article, written by a geneologist for .the “Daily Mail ” describes some of the problems which confront netu peers xvhen choosing titles. MPART from the many rules governing the choice of titles, there are a number of general principles which govern the new peer’s choice. One is that the name of a county shall never be used as the designation of a peerage below that of an earldom. There are several counties vacant, but even for a new earl there are reasons against the selection of any except Flint, Merioneth, Banff, Clackmannan, Dumbarton, Kirkcudbright, Monaghan, or Roscommon. But as none of the three new peers is an earl the counties will be left alone. Another decree is that when a certain title has once been used for a peerage, even if that peerage has long been extinct, the designation will not be renewed for a peerage of lower degree. A case in point is that of the title of Liverpool. After the extinction of the original earldom by the failure of male issue a descendant in the female line was created a baron and desired to become Baron Liverpool. This choice was, however, negatived; and it was not until Lord cooking, and then I’d be right.” Miss Gwyneth Graham, who plays opposite Mr. Leon Gordon, also has many ways in which she could earn her living. “I can’t imagine myself not being able to get a stage job, but still, even if I couldn’t, there are many other things I could do. I could make dresses and hats and sell them, be a manicurist, or I could write, take out somebody’s children in the afternoon and talk French to them while walking, read to the blind, and—oh! there are lots of other things. You see, I have been up against it, and that’s why I know of all these things.” “Now, isn’t it strange how you never think of these things!” said Miss Elsie Prince, who is starring in “Archie.” “I certainly wouldn’t starve. I’d like to set up a hairdressing establishment, but that would cost money, and I can’t have any, can I?” “Yes, certainly, I’d wash up dishes —in any restaurant, white or Chinese.” “Oh! That’s easy,” said Miss Anne Croft, J. C. Williamson’s new English star at Her Majesty’s. “I’d go down to the beaches on a Sunday afternoon and sing to the crowd.”

Hawkesbury was raised to an earldom that the title of Liverpool was revived in 1905. Another ruling is that where a former peerage is in abeyance or under attainder, its title shall not be chosen for a new creation save by the heir; this because there is always the chance that the attainder may be reversed or the abeyance determined. It was an infraction of that rule that produced the concurrent existence of a Marquis of Stafford (a courtesy title) and a Lord Stafford, a baron. If a new peer desires to make his surname as his peerage title he js permitted to do so, regardless of the fact that there may be other peerages of the same name in existence. For instance, there is now an Earl Russell and a Lord Russell of Liverpool; a Duke of Hamilton, a Marquis of Hamilton (a courtesy title), and Lord Hamilton of Dalzell (pronounced Deeell) ; a Viscount Hardinge and a Lord Hardinge of Penshurst; also a Lord Dalzell (pronounced as above) and a Lord Dalziel of Wooler. If a territorial designation is chosen then some reason must be shown for its selection. Ownership cl the place is sufficient if it be not the name of

a manor, in which case the ownership of the manor itself is required. The fact that the manor of Thetford belonged to Mr. W. D. Mackenzie, who made the necessary protest, prevented the late Lord Fisher becoming Lord Thetford, as he at first much desired.