| BARONETAGE | ||||||
| Last updated 08/10/2023 | ||||||
| Names of baronets shown in blue | ||||||
| have not yet proved succession and, as a | ||||||
| result, their name has not yet been placed on | ||||||
| the Official Roll of the Baronetage. | ||||||
| Date | Type | Order | Name | Born | Died | Age |
| Dates in italics in the "Born" column indicate that the baronet was | ||||||
| baptised on that date; dates in italics in the "Died" column indicate | ||||||
| that the baronet was buried on that date | ||||||
| CONROY of Llanbrynmair,Montgomery | ||||||
| 7 Jul 1837 | UK | 1 | John Conroy | 21 Oct 1786 | 2 Mar 1854 | 67 |
| For further information of this baronet, see the | ||||||
| note at the foot of this page. | ||||||
| 2 Mar 1854 | 2 | Edward Conroy | 6 Dec 1809 | 3 Nov 1869 | 59 | |
| 3 Nov 1869 | 3 | John Conroy | 16 Aug 1845 | 15 Dec 1900 | 55 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 15 Dec 1900 | ||||||
| CONSTABLE of Flamborough,Yorks | ||||||
| 29 Jun 1611 | E | 1 | William Constable | c 1580 | 15 Jun 1655 | |
| to | MP for Yorkshire 1626, Scarborough 1628- | |||||
| 15 Jun 1655 | 1629 and Knaresborough 1641-1653 | |||||
| Extinct on his death | ||||||
| CONSTABLE of Boynton,Yorks | ||||||
| 30 Jul 1641 | E | See "Strickland-Constable" | ||||
| CONSTABLE of Everingham,Yorks | ||||||
| 20 Jul 1642 | E | 1 | Philip Constable | c 1595 | 25 Feb 1664 | |
| 25 Feb 1664 | 2 | Marmaduke Constable | 22 Apr 1619 | c 1680 | ||
| c 1680 | 3 | Philip Mark Constable | 25 Apr 1651 | c 1710 | ||
| c 1710 | 4 | Marmaduke Constable | 7 Aug 1682 | Jul 1746 | 63 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| Jul 1746 | ||||||
| CONSTABLE of Tixall,Staffs | ||||||
| 22 May 1815 | UK | See "Clifford-Constable" | ||||
| CONWAY of Bodrythan,Flint | ||||||
| 25 Jul 1660 | E | 1 | Henry Conway | 22 Feb 1635 | 4 Jun 1669 | 34 |
| MP for Flintshire 1661-1669 | ||||||
| 4 Jun 1669 | 2 | John Conway | c 1663 | 27 Apr 1721 | ||
| to | MP for Flintshire 1685-1687, 1695-1701, | |||||
| 27 Apr 1721 | 1705-1708 and 1713-1715 and Flint 1702, | |||||
| 1708-1713 and 1715-1721 | ||||||
| Extinct on his death | ||||||
| CONYERS of Horden,Durham | ||||||
| 14 Jul 1628 | E | 1 | John Conyers | 6 Dec 1664 | ||
| Dec 1664 | 2 | Christopher Conyers | 28 Mar 1621 | Oct 1693 | 72 | |
| Oct 1693 | 3 | John Conyers | c 1649 | 14 Sep 1719 | ||
| 14 Sep 1719 | 4 | Baldwin Conyers | c 1681 | 17 Apr 1731 | ||
| 17 Apr 1731 | 5 | Ralph Conyers | 20 Jun 1697 | 22 Nov 1767 | 70 | |
| 22 Nov 1767 | 6 | Blakiston Conyers | Oct 1791 | |||
| Oct 1791 | 7 | Nicholas Conyers | 27 Jul 1729 | 1796 | 66 | |
| 1796 | 8 | George Conyers | c 1800 | |||
| c 1800 | 9 | Thomas Conyers | 12 Sep 1731 | 15 Apr 1810 | 78 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 15 Apr 1810 | ||||||
| COOK of Brome Hall,Norfolk | ||||||
| 29 Jun 1663 | E | 1 | William Cook | c 1600 | 1681 | |
| 1681 | 2 | William Cook | c 1630 | Jan 1708 | ||
| to | MP for Great Yarmouth 1685-1687 and | |||||
| Jan 1708 | Norfolk 1689-1695 and 1698-1701 | |||||
| Extinct on his death | ||||||
| COOK of Doughty House,Surrey | ||||||
| 10 Mar 1886 | UK | 1 | Francis Cook | 23 Jan 1817 | 17 Feb 1901 | 84 |
| 17 Feb 1901 | 2 | Frederick Lucas Cook | 21 Nov 1844 | 21 May 1920 | 75 | |
| MP for Kennington 1895-1906 | ||||||
| 21 May 1920 | 3 | Herbert Frederick Cook | 18 Nov 1868 | 4 May 1939 | 70 | |
| 4 May 1939 | 4 | Francis Ferdinand Maurice Cook | 21 Dec 1907 | 12 Sep 1978 | 70 | |
| For further information of this baronet, see the | ||||||
| note at the foot of this page. | ||||||
| 12 Sep 1978 | 5 | Christopher Wymondham Rayner Herbert | ||||
| Cook | 24 Mar 1938 | |||||
| COOKE of Wheatley,Yorks | ||||||
| 10 May 1661 | E | 1 | George Cooke | 8 Jul 1628 | 16 Oct 1683 | 55 |
| 16 Oct 1683 | 2 | Henry Cooke | 29 Oct 1633 | 16 Dec 1689 | 55 | |
| Dec 1689 | 3 | George Cooke | 16 May 1662 | 18 Oct 1732 | 70 | |
| MP for Aldborough 1698-1700 | ||||||
| Oct 1732 | 4 | Bryan Cooke | 17 Dec 1684 | 25 Oct 1734 | 49 | |
| MP for East Retford 1711-1713 | ||||||
| 25 Oct 1734 | 5 | George Cooke | 14 Mar 1714 | 16 Aug 1756 | 42 | |
| 16 Aug 1756 | 6 | Bryan Cooke | 11 Aug 1717 | 4 Mar 1766 | 48 | |
| 4 Mar 1766 | 7 | George Cooke | c 1745 | 2 Jun 1823 | ||
| 2 Jun 1823 | 8 | William Bryan Cooke | 3 Mar 1782 | 24 Dec 1851 | 69 | |
| 24 Dec 1851 | 9 | William Ridley Charles Cooke | 5 Oct 1827 | 27 Sep 1894 | 66 | |
| 27 Sep 1894 | 10 | William Henry Charles Wemyss Cooke | 21 Jun 1872 | 11 Jun 1964 | 91 | |
| 11 Jun 1964 | 11 | Charles Arthur John Cooke | 12 Nov 1905 | 5 Jul 1978 | 72 | |
| 5 Jul 1978 | 12 | David William Perceval Cooke | 28 Apr 1935 | 13 May 2017 | 82 | |
| 13 May 2017 | 13 | Anthony Edmund Cooke-Yarborough | 6 Aug 1956 | |||
| COOKE of Dublin | ||||||
| 28 Dec 1741 | I | 1 | Samuel Cooke | after 1690 | 9 Feb 1758 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 10 Feb 1758 | ||||||
| COOKE of Brighthelmstone,Sussex | ||||||
| 1 Mar 1926 | UK | See "Kinloch-Cooke" | ||||
| COOKES of Norgrove,Worcs | ||||||
| 24 Dec 1664 | E | 1 | William Cookes | c 1618 | c 1672 | |
| c 1672 | 2 | Thomas Cookes | c 1649 | 8 Jun 1701 | ||
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 8 Jun 1701 | ||||||
| COOPER of Rockbourne,Hants | ||||||
| 4 Jul 1622 | E | 1 | John Cooper | 23 Mar 1631 | ||
| MP for Poole 1625 and 1628-1629 | ||||||
| 23 Mar 1631 | 2 | Anthony Ashley Cooper | 22 Jul 1621 | 21 Jan 1683 | 61 | |
| He was subsequently created Earl of | ||||||
| Shaftesbury (qv) in 1672 with which title | ||||||
| the baronetcy remains merged | ||||||
| COOPER of Dublin | ||||||
| 3 Oct 1758 | I | 1 | William Cooper | 1689 | 8 Aug 1761 | 72 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 8 Aug 1761 | ||||||
| COOPER of Gadebridge,Herts | ||||||
| 31 Aug 1821 | UK | 1 | Astley Paston Cooper | 23 Aug 1768 | 12 Feb 1841 | 72 |
| For details of the special remainder included | ||||||
| in the creation of this baronetcy,see the note | ||||||
| at the foot of this page | ||||||
| For further information on this baronet,see the | ||||||
| note at the foot of this page | ||||||
| 12 Feb 1841 | 2 | Astley Paston Cooper | 13 Jan 1798 | 6 Jan 1866 | 67 | |
| 6 Jan 1866 | 3 | Astley Paston Cooper (Paston-Cooper | ||||
| from 1884) | 23 Feb 1824 | 19 Oct 1904 | 80 | |||
| 19 Oct 1904 | 4 | Charles Naunton Paston Paston-Cooper | 27 Sep 1867 | 4 Dec 1941 | 74 | |
| 4 Dec 1941 | 5 | Henry Lovick Cooper | 2 Apr 1875 | 25 Aug 1959 | 84 | |
| 25 Aug 1959 | 6 | Patrick Graham Astley Cooper | 4 Aug 1918 | 15 Jun 2002 | 83 | |
| 15 Jun 2002 | 7 | Alexander Paston Astley Cooper | 1 Feb 1943 | |||
| COOPER of Walcot,Somerset | ||||||
| 19 Feb 1828 | UK | 1 | John Hutton Cooper | 7 Dec 1765 | 24 Dec 1828 | 63 |
| to | MP for Dartmouth 1825-1828 | |||||
| 24 Dec 1828 | Extinct on his death | |||||
| COOPER of Woollahra,Australia | ||||||
| 26 Jan 1863 | UK | 1 | Sir Daniel Cooper | 1 Jul 1821 | 5 Jun 1902 | 80 |
| 5 Jun 1902 | 2 | Daniel Cooper | 15 Nov 1848 | 13 Jun 1909 | 60 | |
| 13 Jun 1909 | 3 | William Charles Cooper | 22 Oct 1851 | 2 Sep 1925 | 73 | |
| 2 Sep 1925 | 4 | William George Daniel Cooper | 14 Dec 1877 | 27 Dec 1954 | 77 | |
| 27 Dec 1954 | 5 | Charles Eric Daniel Cooper | 5 Oct 1906 | 14 May 1984 | 77 | |
| 14 May 1984 | 6 | William Daniel Charles Cooper | 5 Mar 1955 | |||
| COOPER of Hursley,Hants | ||||||
| 26 Jul 1905 | UK | 1 | George Alexander Cooper | 20 Feb 1856 | 1 Mar 1940 | 84 |
| 1 Mar 1940 | 2 | George James Robertson Cooper | 22 Jul 1890 | 5 Jan 1961 | 70 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 5 Jan 1961 | ||||||
| COOPER of Shenstone Court,Staffs | ||||||
| 20 Dec 1905 | UK | 1 | Richard Powell Cooper | 21 Sep 1847 | 30 Jul 1913 | 65 |
| 30 Jul 1913 | 2 | Richard Ashmole Cooper | 11 Aug 1874 | 5 Mar 1946 | 71 | |
| MP for Walsall 1910-1922 | ||||||
| 5 Mar 1946 | 3 | William Herbert Cooper | 7 Mar 1901 | 8 Jun 1970 | 69 | |
| 8 Jun 1970 | 4 | Francis Ashmole Cooper | 9 Aug 1905 | 17 Jun 1987 | 81 | |
| 17 Jun 1987 | 5 | Richard Powell Cooper | 13 Apr 1934 | 5 Mar 2006 | 71 | |
| 5 Mar 2006 | 6 | Richard Adrian Cooper | 21 Aug 1960 | |||
| COOPER of Berrydown Court,Hants | ||||||
| 19 Oct 1920 | UK | 1 | Sir Edward Ernest Cooper | 5 Feb 1848 | 12 Feb 1922 | 74 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 12 Feb 1922 | ||||||
| COOPER of Singleton,Sussex | ||||||
| 1 Jul 1941 | UK | 1 | Francis D'Arcy Cooper | Nov 1882 | 18 Dec 1941 | 59 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 18 Dec 1941 | ||||||
| COOTE of Castle Cuffe,Queen's Co. | ||||||
| 2 Apr 1621 | I | 1 | Charles Coote | 7 May 1642 | ||
| 7 May 1642 | 2 | Charles Coote,later [1660] 1st Earl of Mountrath | c 1610 | 18 Dec 1661 | ||
| 18 Dec 1661 | 3 | Charles Coote,2nd Earl of Mountrath | c 1630 | 30 Aug 1672 | ||
| 30 Aug 1672 | 4 | Charles Coote,3rd Earl of Mountrath | c 1635 | 29 May 1709 | ||
| 29 May 1709 | 5 | Charles Coote,4th Earl of Mountrath | c 1680 | 14 Sep 1715 | 73 | |
| 14 Sep 1715 | 6 | Henry Coote,5th Earl of Mountrath | 4 Jan 1684 | 27 Mar 1720 | 36 | |
| 27 Mar 1720 | 7 | Algernon Coote,6th Earl of Mountrath | 6 Jun 1689 | 27 Aug 1744 | 55 | |
| 27 Aug 1744 | 8 | Charles Henry Coote,7th Earl of Mountrath | c 1725 | 1 Mar 1802 | ||
| 1 Mar 1802 | 9 | Charles Henry Coote | 2 Jan 1792 | 8 Oct 1864 | 72 | |
| MP for Queens County 1821-1847 and | ||||||
| 1852-1859 | ||||||
| 8 Oct 1864 | 10 | Charles Henry Coote | Sep 1815 | 15 Nov 1895 | 80 | |
| For further information on this baronet,see the | ||||||
| note at the foot of this page | ||||||
| 15 Nov 1895 | 11 | Algernon Coote | 29 Sep 1817 | 21 Nov 1899 | 82 | |
| 21 Nov 1899 | 12 | Algernon Charles Plumptre Coote | 14 Dec 1847 | 22 Oct 1920 | 72 | |
| Lord Lieutenant Queens County 1900-1920 | ||||||
| 22 Oct 1920 | 13 | Ralph Algernon Coote | 22 Sep 1874 | 2 Jul 1941 | 66 | |
| 2 Jul 1941 | 14 | John Ralph Coote | 10 Jan 1905 | 23 Jan 1978 | 73 | |
| 23 Jan 1978 | 15 | Christopher John Coote | 22 Sep 1928 | 29 Nov 2016 | 88 | |
| 29 Nov 2016 | 16 | Nicholas Patrick Coote | 28 Jul 1953 | |||
| COOTE of Donnybrooke,Dublin | ||||||
| 18 May 1774 | I | 1 | Charles Coote,1st Earl of Bellamont | 12 Apr 1738 | 20 Oct 1800 | 62 |
| For details of the special remainder included | ||||||
| in this creation, see the note at the foot of | ||||||
| this page | ||||||
| 20 Oct 1800 | 2 | Charles Coote | 1765 | 25 May 1857 | 91 | |
| 25 May 1857 | 3 | Charles Coote | 1798 | 5 Nov 1861 | 63 | |
| 5 Nov 1861 | 4 | Charles Algernon Coote | 1847 | 1 Feb 1920 | 72 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 1 Feb 1920 | ||||||
| COPE of Hanwell,Oxon | ||||||
| 29 Jun 1611 | E | 1 | Anthony Cope | 19 Mar 1550 | 23 Jul 1615 | 65 |
| MP for Banbury 1571-1584 and 1586-1601 | ||||||
| and Oxfordshire 1604-1611 and 1614 | ||||||
| Jul 1615 | 2 | William Cope | c 1577 | 2 Aug 1637 | ||
| MP for Banbury 1604-1611,1614,1621-1622 | ||||||
| and 1625 and Oxfordshire 1624-1625 | ||||||
| 2 Aug 1637 | 3 | John Cope | 28 Aug 1608 | 25 Oct 1638 | 50 | |
| Oct 1638 | 4 | Anthony Cope | 16 Nov 1632 | 11 Jun 1675 | 42 | |
| MP for Banbury 1660 and Oxfordshire | ||||||
| 1661-1675 | ||||||
| 11 Jun 1675 | 5 | John Cope | 19 Nov 1634 | 11 Jan 1721 | 86 | |
| MP for Oxfordshire 1679-1681 and 1689-1690 | ||||||
| and Banbury 1699-1700 | ||||||
| 11 Jan 1721 | 6 | John Cope | 1 Dec 1673 | 8 Dec 1749 | 76 | |
| MP for Plympton Erle 1705-1708, Tavistock | ||||||
| 1708-1727, Hampshire 1727-1734 and | ||||||
| Lymington 1734-1741 | ||||||
| 8 Dec 1749 | 7 | Monoux Cope | c 1696 | 29 Jun 1763 | ||
| MP for Banbury 1722-1727 and Newport IOW | ||||||
| 1741-1747 | ||||||
| 29 Jun 1763 | 8 | John Mordaunt Cope | c 1731 | 7 Mar 1779 | ||
| 7 Mar 1779 | 9 | Richard Cope | 6 Nov 1806 | |||
| 6 Nov 1806 | 10 | Denzil Cope | 18 Jun 1766 | 30 Dec 1812 | 46 | |
| 30 Dec 1812 | 11 | John Cope | 22 Jul 1768 | 18 Nov 1851 | 83 | |
| 18 Nov 1851 | 12 | William Henry Cope | 27 Feb 1811 | 7 Jan 1892 | 80 | |
| 7 Jan 1892 | 13 | Anthony Cope | 9 Mar 1842 | 3 Nov 1932 | 90 | |
| 3 Nov 1932 | 14 | Denzil Cope | 18 Sep 1873 | 3 Jun 1940 | 66 | |
| 3 Jun 1940 | 15 | Anthony Mohun Leckonby Cope | 15 Jul 1927 | 13 May 1966 | 38 | |
| For information on the death of this baronet, | ||||||
| see the note at the foot of this page | ||||||
| 13 May 1966 | 16 | Mordaunt Leckonby Cope | 12 Feb 1878 | 7 Nov 1972 | 94 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 7 Nov 1972 | ||||||
| COPE of Brewern,Oxon | ||||||
| 1 Mar 1714 | GB | 1 | Jonathan Cope | c 1692 | 28 Mar 1765 | |
| MP for Banbury 1713-1722 | ||||||
| 28 Mar 1765 | 2 | Charles Cope | c 1743 | 14 Jun 1781 | ||
| 14 Jun 1781 | 3 | Charles Cope | c 1770 | 25 Dec 1781 | ||
| 25 Dec 1781 | 4 | Jonathan Cope | c 1758 | 30 Dec 1821 | ||
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 30 Dec 1821 | ||||||
| COPE of Osbaston Hall,Leics | ||||||
| 6 Feb 1918 | UK | 1 | Thomas Cope | 22 Aug 1840 | 17 Oct 1924 | 84 |
| 17 Oct 1924 | 2 | Thomas George Cope | 10 Feb 1884 | 23 Aug 1966 | 82 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 23 Aug 1966 | ||||||
| COPE of St Mellons,Monmouth | ||||||
| 28 Jun 1928 | UK | 1 | William Cope | 18 Aug 1870 | 15 Jul 1946 | 75 |
| He was subsequently created Baron Cope | ||||||
| (qv) in 1945 with which title the | ||||||
| baronetcy then merged until its extinction | ||||||
| in 1946 | ||||||
| COPLEY of Sprotborough,Yorks | ||||||
| 17 Jun 1661 | E | 1 | Godfrey Copley | 21 Feb 1623 | 17 Feb 1678 | 55 |
| 17 Feb 1678 | 2 | Godfrey Copley | c 1653 | 9 Apr 1709 | ||
| to | MP for Aldborough 1679-1685 and Thirsk | |||||
| 9 Apr 1709 | 1695-1709 | |||||
| Extinct on his death | ||||||
| COPLEY of Sprotborough,Yorks | ||||||
| 28 Aug 1778 | GB | 1 | Joseph Copley | 11 Apr 1781 | ||
| 11 Apr 1781 | 2 | Lionel Copley | c 1767 | 4 Mar 1806 | ||
| MP for Tregony 1796-1802 | ||||||
| For information on this baronet's death,see | ||||||
| the note at the foot of this page | ||||||
| 4 Mar 1806 | 3 | Joseph Copley | c 1769 | 21 May 1838 | ||
| 21 May 1838 | 4 | Joseph William Copley | 27 Jul 1804 | 4 Jan 1883 | 78 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 4 Jan 1883 | ||||||
| CORBET of Sprowston,Norfolk | ||||||
| 4 Jul 1623 | E | 1 | John Corbet | c 1591 | 19 Jan 1628 | |
| MP for Norfolk 1624-1625 and Yarmouth | ||||||
| 1625 and 1626 | ||||||
| 19 Jan 1628 | 2 | John Corbet | by 1649 | |||
| by 1649 | 3 | Thomas Corbet | 1661 | |||
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 1661 | ||||||
| CORBET of Stoke,Salop | ||||||
| 19 Sep 1627 | E | 1 | John Corbet | 20 May 1594 | Jul 1662 | 68 |
| MP for Shropshire 1640-1648 | ||||||
| Jul 1662 | 2 | John Corbet | c 1620 | 24 Feb 1665 | ||
| Feb 1665 | 3 | John Corbet | c 1645 | 1695 | ||
| 1695 | 4 | Robert Corbet | c 1670 | 3 Oct 1740 | ||
| MP for Shropshire 1705-1710 and 1715-1722 | ||||||
| 3 Oct 1740 | 5 | William Corbet | 1702 | 15 Sep 1748 | 46 | |
| MP for Montgomery 1727-1741 and | ||||||
| Ludlow 1741-1748 | ||||||
| 15 Sep 1748 | 6 | Henry Corbet | 7 May 1750 | |||
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 7 May 1750 | ||||||
| CORBET of Moreton Corbet,Salop | ||||||
| 29 Jan 1642 | E | 1 | Vincent Corbet | 13 Jun 1617 | 28 Dec 1656 | 39 |
| MP for Shropshire 1640 | ||||||
| 28 Dec 1656 | 2 | Vincent Corbet | c 1642 | 4 Feb 1681 | ||
| MP for Shropshire 1679-1680 | ||||||
| 4 Feb 1681 | 3 | Vincent Corbet | 22 May 1670 | 6 Aug 1688 | 18 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 6 Aug 1688 | ||||||
| CORBET of Leighton,Montgomery | ||||||
| 20 Jun 1642 | E | 1 | Edward Corbett | c 1655 | ||
| c 1655 | 2 | Richard Corbett | 2 Sep 1640 | 1 Aug 1683 | 42 | |
| MP for Shrewsbury 1677-1681 | ||||||
| 1 Aug 1683 | 3 | Uvedale Corbett | c 1668 | 15 Oct 1701 | ||
| 15 Oct 1701 | 4 | Richard Corbett | 21 May 1696 | 25 Sep 1774 | 78 | |
| to | MP for Shrewsbury 1723-1727 and 1734-1754 | |||||
| 25 Sep 1774 | On his death the baronetcy probably became | |||||
| extinct | ||||||
| CORBET of Stoke-upon-Tern and of | ||||||
| Adderley, Salop | ||||||
| 27 Jun 1786 | GB | 1 | Corbet Corbet | 6 Feb 1752 | 31 Mar 1823 | 71 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 31 Mar 1823 | ||||||
| CORBET of Moreton Corbet,Salop | ||||||
| and of Linsdale, Bucks | ||||||
| 3 Oct 1808 | UK | 1 | Andrew Corbet | 17 Dec 1766 | 6 Jun 1835 | 68 |
| 6 Jun 1835 | 2 | Andrew Vincent Corbet | 15 Jun 1800 | 13 Sep 1855 | 55 | |
| 13 Sep 1855 | 3 | Vincent Rowland Corbet | 11 Aug 1821 | 22 May 1891 | 69 | |
| 22 May 1891 | 4 | Walter Orlando Corbet | 11 Jul 1856 | 21 Dec 1910 | 54 | |
| 21 Dec 1910 | 5 | Roland James Corbet | 19 Aug 1892 | 15 Apr 1915 | 22 | |
| 15 Apr 1915 | 6 | Gerald Vincent Corbet | 29 Oct 1868 | 4 Mar 1955 | 86 | |
| 4 Mar 1955 | 7 | John Vincent Corbet | 27 Feb 1911 | 20 Mar 1996 | 85 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 20 Mar 1996 | ||||||
| CORBETT of Everley,Wilts | ||||||
| 15 Aug 1821 | UK | See "Astley-Corbett" | ||||
| CORDELL of Long Melford,Suffolk | ||||||
| 22 Jun 1660 | E | 1 | Robert Cordell | c 1616 | 3 Jan 1680 | |
| MP Sudbury 1662-1679 | ||||||
| Jan 1680 | 2 | John Cordell | 10 Nov 1646 | 9 Sep 1690 | 43 | |
| MP for Sudbury 1685-1687 and Suffolk | ||||||
| 1689-1690 | ||||||
| Sep 1690 | 3 | John Cordell | 11 Nov 1677 | 8 May 1704 | 26 | |
| to | MP for Sudbury 1701 | |||||
| 8 May 1704 | Extinct on his death | |||||
| CORNEWALL of London | ||||||
| 9 Aug 1764 | GB | 1 | George Amyand | 26 Sep 1720 | 16 Aug 1766 | 45 |
| MP for Barnstaple 1754-1766 | ||||||
| 16 Aug 1766 | 2 | George Amyand (Cornewall from 1771) | 8 Nov 1748 | 26 Sep 1819 | 70 | |
| MP for Herefordshire 1774-1796 and | ||||||
| 1802-1807 | ||||||
| 26 Sep 1819 | 3 | George Cornewall | 16 Jan 1774 | 27 Dec 1835 | 61 | |
| 27 Dec 1835 | 4 | Velters Cornewall | 20 Feb 1824 | 14 Oct 1868 | 44 | |
| 14 Oct 1868 | 5 | George Henry Cornewall | 13 Aug 1833 | 25 Sep 1908 | 75 | |
| 25 Sep 1908 | 6 | Geoffrey Cornewall | 7 May 1869 | 21 Jan 1951 | 81 | |
| 21 Jan 1951 | 7 | William Francis Cornewall | 16 Nov 1871 | 18 May 1962 | 90 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 18 May 1962 | ||||||
| CORNISH of Sharnbrook,Berks | ||||||
| 1 Feb 1766 | GB | 1 | Samuel Cornish | c 1715 | 30 Oct 1770 | |
| to | MP for New Shoreham 1765-1770 | |||||
| 30 Oct 1770 | Extinct on his death | |||||
| CORNWALL of Holcombe Burnell,Devon | ||||||
| 22 Jun 1918 | UK | 1 | Sir Edwin Andrew Cornwall | 30 Jun 1863 | 27 Feb 1953 | 89 |
| MP for Bethnal Green NE 1906-1922. PC 1921 | ||||||
| 27 Feb 1953 | 2 | Reginald Edwin Cornwall | 31 May 1887 | 29 Aug 1962 | 75 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 29 Aug 1962 | ||||||
| CORNWALLIS of Brome,Suffolk | ||||||
| 4 May 1627 | E | 1 | Frederick Cornwallis | 14 Mar 1611 | 7 Jan 1662 | 50 |
| He was subsequently created Baron | ||||||
| Cornwallis (qv) in 1661 with which title | ||||||
| the baronetcy then merged until its | ||||||
| extinction in 1852 | ||||||
| CORRIGAN of Cappagh and Innescorig, co. | ||||||
| Dublin and Merrion Square, City of Dublin | ||||||
| 5 Feb 1866 | UK | 1 | Dominick John Corrigan | 2 Dec 1802 | 1 Feb 1880 | 77 |
| MP for Dublin 1870-1874 | ||||||
| 1 Feb 1880 | 2 | John Joseph Corrigan | 28 Dec 1859 | 23 Oct 1883 | 23 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 23 Oct 1883 | ||||||
| CORRY of Dunraven,co.Antrim | ||||||
| 15 Sep 1885 | UK | 1 | James Porter Corry | 8 Sep 1826 | 28 Nov 1891 | 65 |
| MP for Belfast 1874-1885 and Armagh Mid | ||||||
| 1886-1891 | ||||||
| 28 Nov 1891 | 2 | William Corry | 20 Mar 1859 | 9 Jun 1926 | 67 | |
| 9 Jun 1926 | 3 | James Perowne Ivo Myles Corry | 10 Jun 1892 | 17 Feb 1987 | 94 | |
| 17 Feb 1987 | 4 | William James Corry | 1 Aug 1924 | 2000 | 75 | |
| 2000 | 5 | James Michael Corry | 3 Oct 1946 | |||
| CORY of Llantarnam Abbey,Monmouth | ||||||
| 27 Nov 1907 | UK | 1 | Clifford John Cory | 10 Apr 1859 | 3 Feb 1941 | 81 |
| to | MP for St Ives 1906-1922 and 1923-1924 | |||||
| 3 Feb 1941 | Extinct on his death | |||||
| CORY of Coryton,Glamorgan | ||||||
| 13 May 1919 | UK | 1 | James Herbert Cory | 7 Feb 1857 | 7 Feb 1933 | 76 |
| MP for Cardiff 1915-1918 and Cardiff | ||||||
| South 1918-1923 | ||||||
| 7 Feb 1933 | 2 | Herbert George Donald Cory | 31 Dec 1879 | 7 May 1935 | 55 | |
| 7 May 1935 | 3 | Vyvyan Donald Cory | 2 Nov 1906 | 17 Mar 1941 | 34 | |
| 17 Mar 1941 | 4 | Clinton James Donald Cory | 1 Mar 1909 | 28 Aug 1991 | 82 | |
| 28 Aug 1991 | 5 | Clinton Charles Donald Cory | 13 Sep 1937 | 11 Oct 2022 | 85 | |
| 11 Oct 2022 | 6 | James Maurice Perkins Cory | ||||
| 10 May 1966 | ||||||
| CORY-WRIGHT of Caen Wood Towers, | ||||||
| London,and Hornsey,Middlesex | ||||||
| 28 Aug 1903 | UK | 1 | Cory Francis Cory-Wright | 11 Aug 1838 | 30 May 1909 | 70 |
| 30 May 1909 | 2 | Arthur Cory Cory-Wright | 18 Nov 1869 | 21 Apr 1951 | 81 | |
| 21 Apr 1951 | 3 | Geoffrey Cory-Wright | 26 Aug 1892 | 23 Mar 1969 | 76 | |
| 23 Mar 1969 | 4 | Richard Michael Cory-Wright | 17 Jan 1944 | |||
| CORYTON of Newton,Cornwall | ||||||
| 27 Feb 1662 | E | 1 | John Coryton | 29 Jul 1621 | 23 Aug 1680 | 59 |
| MP for Callington 1660-1661 and 1679, Cornwall | ||||||
| 1661-1679 and Launceston 1679-1680 | ||||||
| Aug 1680 | 2 | John Coryton | 21 Jan 1648 | 30 Jul 1690 | 42 | |
| MP for Newport 1679-1681 and Callington | ||||||
| 1685-1690 | ||||||
| Jul 1690 | 3 | William Coryton | 24 May 1650 | 6 Dec 1711 | 61 | |
| MP for Bossiney 1679, Newport 1679-1681, | ||||||
| Callington 1681, 1685-1687, 1695-1701 and | ||||||
| 1703-1712 and Mitchell 1689 | ||||||
| 6 Dec 1711 | 4 | John Coryton | 3 Feb 1690 | 22 May 1739 | 49 | |
| to | MP for Callington 1713-1722 and 1727-1734 | |||||
| 22 May 1739 | Extinct on his death | |||||
| COSIN-GERARD of Fiskerton,Lincs | ||||||
| 17 Nov 1666 | E | See "Gerard" | ||||
| COTTER of Rockforest,co.Cork | ||||||
| 11 Aug 1763 | I | 1 | James Cotter | 1714 | 9 Jun 1770 | 55 |
| 9 Jun 1770 | 2 | James Laurence Cotter | 1748 | 9 Feb 1829 | 80 | |
| 9 Feb 1829 | 3 | James Laurence Cotter | c 1787 | 31 Dec 1834 | ||
| MP for Mallow 1812-1818 | ||||||
| 31 Dec 1834 | 4 | James Laurence Cotter | 4 Apr 1828 | 10 Oct 1902 | 74 | |
| For information on his son,Ludlow Cotter,see | ||||||
| the note at the foot of this page | ||||||
| 10 Oct 1902 | 5 | James Laurence Cotter | 11 Jul 1887 | 22 Aug 1924 | 37 | |
| 22 Aug 1924 | 6 | Delaval James Alfred Cotter | 29 Apr 1911 | 2 Apr 2001 | 89 | |
| 2 Apr 2001 | 7 | Patrick Laurence Delaval Cotter | 21 Nov 1941 | 11 Jan 2023 | 81 | |
| 11 Jan 2023 | 8 | Julius Laurence George Cotter | 4 Jan 1968 | |||
| COTTERELL of Garnons,Hereford | ||||||
| 2 Nov 1805 | UK | 1 | John Geers Cotterell | 21 Sep 1757 | 26 Jan 1845 | 87 |
| MP for Herefordshire 1802-1803 and | ||||||
| 1806-1831 | ||||||
| 26 Jan 1845 | 2 | John Henry Cotterell | 20 Aug 1830 | 17 Feb 1847 | 16 | |
| 17 Feb 1847 | 3 | Geers Henry Cotterell | 22 Aug 1834 | 17 Mar 1900 | 65 | |
| MP for Herefordshire 1857-1859 | ||||||
| 17 Mar 1900 | 4 | John Richard Geers Cotterell | 13 Jul 1866 | 13 Nov 1937 | 71 | |
| Lord Lieutenant Hereford 1904-1933 | ||||||
| 13 Nov 1937 | 5 | Richard Charles Geers Cotterell | 1 Jun 1907 | 5 Dec 1978 | 71 | |
| Lord Lieutenant Hereford 1945-1957 | ||||||
| 5 Dec 1978 | 6 | John Henry Geers Cotterell | 8 May 1935 | 4 Dec 2017 | 82 | |
| 4 Dec 2017 | 7 | Henry Richard Geers Cotterell | 22 Aug 1961 | |||
| COTTINGTON of Hanworth,Middlesex | ||||||
| 16 Feb 1623 | E | 1 | Francis Cottington | c 1579 | 19 Jun 1652 | |
| He was subsequently created Baron | ||||||
| Cottington (qv) in 1631 with which title | ||||||
| the baronetcy then merged until its | ||||||
| extinction in 1652 | ||||||
| COTTON of Connington,Hants | ||||||
| 29 Jun 1611 | E | 1 | Robert Cotton | 22 Jan 1571 | 6 May 1631 | 60 |
| MP for Newtown 1601, Huntingdonshire | ||||||
| 1604-1611, Old Sarum 1624-1625, Thetford | ||||||
| 1625 Castle Rising 1628-1629 | ||||||
| 6 May 1631 | 2 | Thomas Cotton | 1594 | 13 May 1662 | 67 | |
| MP for Great Marlow 1624-1625, St.Germans | ||||||
| 1628-1629 and Huntingdonshire 1640 | ||||||
| 13 May 1662 | 3 | John Cotton | 9 Mar 1621 | 14 Sep 1702 | 81 | |
| MP for Huntingdon 1661-1679 and | ||||||
| Huntingdonshire 1685-1687 | ||||||
| 14 Sep 1702 | 4 | John Cotton | c 1680 | 5 Feb 1731 | ||
| MP for Huntingdon 1705-1706 and | ||||||
| Huntingdonshire 1710-1713 | ||||||
| 5 Feb 1731 | 5 | Robert Cotton | c 1669 | 12 Jul 1749 | ||
| 12 Jul 1749 | 6 | John Cotton | 27 Mar 1752 | |||
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 27 Mar 1752 | ||||||
| COTTON of Landwade,Cambs | ||||||
| 14 Jul 1641 | E | 1 | John Cotton | Sep 1615 | 25 Mar 1689 | 73 |
| 25 Mar 1689 | 2 | John Cotton | c 1648 | 15 Jan 1713 | ||
| MP for Cambridge 1689-1695,1696-1702 and | ||||||
| 1705-1708 | ||||||
| 15 Jan 1713 | 3 | John Hynde Cotton | 7 Apr 1686 | 4 Feb 1752 | 65 | |
| MP for Cambridge 1708-1722 and 1727-1741, | ||||||
| Cambridgeshire 1722-1727 and Marlborough | ||||||
| 1741-1752 | ||||||
| 4 Feb 1752 | 4 | John Hynde Cotton | c 1717 | 23 Jan 1795 | ||
| MP for St.Germans 1741-1747, Marlborough | ||||||
| 1752-1761 and Cambridgeshire 1764-1780 | ||||||
| 23 Jan 1795 | 5 | Charles Cotton | c 1758 | 24 Feb 1812 | ||
| 24 Feb 1812 | 6 | St.Vincent Cotton | 6 Oct 1801 | 25 Jan 1863 | 61 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 25 Jan 1863 | ||||||
| COTTON of Combermere,Cheshire | ||||||
| 29 Mar 1677 | E | 1 | Robert Cotton | c 1635 | 18 Dec 1712 | |
| MP for Cheshire 1679-1681 and 1689-1702 | ||||||
| 18 Dec 1712 | 2 | Thomas Cotton | c 1672 | 12 Jun 1715 | ||
| 12 Jun 1715 | 3 | Robert Salusbury Cotton | 2 Jan 1695 | 27 Aug 1748 | 53 | |
| MP for Cheshire 1727-1734 and Lostwithiel | ||||||
| 1741-1747. Lord Lieutenant Denbigh 1733-1748 | ||||||
| 27 Aug 1748 | 4 | Lynch Salusbury Cotton | c 1705 | 14 Aug 1775 | ||
| MP for Denbighshire 1749-1774 | ||||||
| 14 Aug 1775 | 5 | Robert Salusbury Cotton | c 1739 | 24 Aug 1809 | ||
| MP for Cheshire 1780-1796 | ||||||
| 24 Aug 1809 | 6 | Stapleton Cotton | 14 Nov 1773 | 21 Feb 1865 | 91 | |
| He was subsequently created Viscount | ||||||
| Combermere (qv) in 1827 with which title | ||||||
| the baronetcy remains merged | ||||||
| COTTON of Thornton Hall,Bucks | ||||||
| 29 Sep 1809 | UK | See "Sheppard" | ||||
| COTTS of Coldharbour Wood,Sussex | ||||||
| 15 Jun 1921 | UK | 1 | See "Mitchell Cotts" | |||
| COUPER of the Army | ||||||
| 23 Jun 1841 | UK | 1 | George Couper | 1788 | 28 Feb 1861 | 72 |
| 28 Feb 1861 | 2 | George Ebenezer Wilson Couper | 29 Apr 1824 | 5 Mar 1908 | 83 | |
| Governor of NW Provinces 1877-1882 | ||||||
| 5 Mar 1908 | 3 | Ramsay George Henry Couper | 1 Nov 1855 | 20 Mar 1949 | 93 | |
| 20 Mar 1949 | 4 | Guy Couper | 12 Mar 1889 | 30 Nov 1973 | 84 | |
| 30 Nov 1973 | 5 | George Robert Cecil Couper | 15 Oct 1898 | 26 May 1975 | 76 | |
| 26 May 1975 | 6 | Robert Nicholas Oliver Couper | 9 Oct 1945 | 9 May 2002 | 56 | |
| 9 May 2002 | 7 | James George Couper | 27 Oct 1977 | |||
| COURTAULD of Bocking, Essex | ||||||
| 5 Jul 1939 | UK | 1 | William Julien Courtauld | Jun 1870 | 18 May 1940 | 69 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 18 May 1940 | ||||||
| COURTEN of Aldington,Worcs | ||||||
| 18 May 1622 | E | 1 | Peter Courten | c 1598 | 1624 | |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 1624 | ||||||
| COURTENAY of Newcastle,Limerick | ||||||
| 20 Dec 1621 | I | 1 | George Courtenay | c 1583 | 5 Mar 1644 | |
| 5 Mar 1644 | 2 | William Courtenay | 1616 | 4 Feb 1652 | ||
| 4 Feb 1652 | 3 | Francis Courtenay | 1617 | 20 Mar 1660 | 42 | |
| 20 Mar 1660 | 4 | William Courtenay | c 1659 | c 1700 | ||
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| c 1700 | ||||||
| COURTENAY of Powderham Castle,Devon | ||||||
| Feb 1644 | E | 1 | William Courtenay, de jure 5th Earl of Devon | 7 Sep 1628 | 1 Aug 1702 | 73 |
| MP for Devon 1679-1685 | ||||||
| 1 Aug 1702 | 2 | William Courtenay | 11 Mar 1676 | 6 Oct 1735 | 59 | |
| MP for Devon 1701-1710 and 1712-1735 | ||||||
| Lord Lieutenant Devon 1714-1716 | ||||||
| 6 Oct 1735 | 3 | William Courtenay | 11 Feb 1710 | 16 May 1762 | 52 | |
| He was subsequently created Viscount | ||||||
| Courtenay (qv) in 1762 with which title | ||||||
| the baronetcy then merged. At present the | ||||||
| baronetcy remains merged with the | ||||||
| Earldom of Devon | ||||||
| COURTHOPE of Whiligh,Sussex | ||||||
| 30 Jun 1925 | UK | 1 | George Lloyd Courthope | 12 Jun 1877 | 2 Sep 1955 | 78 |
| He was subsequently created Baron | ||||||
| Courthope (qv) in 1945 with which title | ||||||
| the baronetcy then merged until its | ||||||
| extinction in 1955 | ||||||
| COVERT of Slaugham,Sussex | ||||||
| 2 Jul 1660 | E | 1 | John Covert | 6 Jun 1620 | 11 Mar 1679 | 58 |
| to | MP for Horsham 1661-1679 | |||||
| 11 Mar 1679 | Extinct on his death | |||||
| COWAN | ||||||
| 9 Nov 1837 | UK | 1 | John Cowan | 1774 | 22 Oct 1842 | 68 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 22 Oct 1842 | ||||||
| COWAN of Beeslack,Midlothian | ||||||
| 12 May 1894 | UK | 1 | John Cowan | 1814 | 26 Oct 1900 | 86 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 26 Oct 1900 | ||||||
| COWAN of the Baltic | ||||||
| 28 Jan 1921 | UK | 1 | Sir Walter Henry Cowan | 11 Jun 1871 | 14 Feb 1956 | 84 |
| to | Extinct on his death | |||||
| 14 Feb 1956 | ||||||
| COWELL-STEPNEY of Llanelly,Carmarthen | ||||||
| 22 Sep 1871 | UK | 1 | John Stepney Cowell-Stepney | 28 Feb 1791 | 15 May 1877 | 86 |
| MP for Carmarthen 1868-1874 | ||||||
| 15 May 1877 | 2 | Emile Algernon Arthur Keppell Cowell- | ||||
| to | Stepney | 26 Dec 1834 | 2 Jul 1909 | 74 | ||
| 2 Jul 1909 | MP for Carmarthen 1876-1878 and 1886-92 | |||||
| Extinct on his death | ||||||
| For further information on this baronet,see | ||||||
| the note at the foot of this page | ||||||
| COWPER of Ratlingcourt,Kent | ||||||
| 4 Mar 1642 | E | 1 | William Cowper | 7 Mar 1582 | 20 Dec 1664 | 82 |
| 20 Dec 1664 | 2 | William Cowper | 14 Dec 1639 | 26 Nov 1706 | 66 | |
| MP for Hertford 1679-1681 and 1689-1700 | ||||||
| 26 Nov 1706 | 3 | William Cowper | 24 Jun 1665 | 10 Oct 1723 | 58 | |
| He was subsequently created Earl Cowper | ||||||
| (qv) in 1718 with which title the | ||||||
| baronetcy then merged until its extinction | ||||||
| in 1905 | ||||||
| Sir John Conroy, 1st baronet | ||||||
| Conroy was an Irish army officer who was appointed as private secretary and later Comptroller | ||||||
| of the Household of the Duchess of Kent, mother of Queen Victoria. Perhaps due to Conroy's | ||||||
| influence, the relationship between the Duchess's household and King William IV soon soured. | ||||||
| The Duchess offended the King by restricting his access to his young niece and by appropriat- | ||||||
| ing rooms in Kensington Palace that William had reserved for himself. | ||||||
| Conroy had high hopes for the Duchess and himself; he foresaw that Victoria might succeed to | ||||||
| the throne before she was of age, thus necessitating a regency headed by her mother, the | ||||||
| Duchess, with Conroy being, literally, the power behind the throne. But William IV lived long | ||||||
| enough to enable Victoria to reach her majority. The Duchess attempted to pressure the | ||||||
| young Queen into signing a paper declaring Conroy her personal secretary, but she refused and | ||||||
| dismissed Conroy from the Royal Household. She could not, however, dismiss him from the | ||||||
| Queen Mother's Household. As a consolation, she granted him a baronetcy, although it is | ||||||
| reported that Conroy felt that he deserved an least an earldom. He had previously been | ||||||
| knighted in August 1827. | ||||||
| His relationship with the Duchess of Kent was the subject of much speculation. Queen Victoria | ||||||
| was reported to have discovered her mother and Conroy engaged in a situation which led her | ||||||
| to believe that the two were more than mistress and servant. There were even rumours that | ||||||
| Conroy was Victoria's father, but given that the Duchess and Conroy had never met until after | ||||||
| Victoria's conception, these rumours can be dismissed. | ||||||
| Sir Francis Ferdinand Maurice Cook, 4th baronet [UK 1886] | ||||||
| To the best of my knowledge, Sir Francis was the most-married baronet in history. His marital | ||||||
| saga began in February 1928 when, aged 20, he married Molly Violet Mappin. They divorced in | ||||||
| 1930. In February 1933, he married his second wife, Dorothea Alice Bennett, but they divorced | ||||||
| in 1935. His third wife, whom he married in June 1937, was Joan Loraine Case. This marriage | ||||||
| ended in divorce in 1942. His fourth marriage, in October 1942, to Barbara Frances Lang, also | ||||||
| ended in divorce in 1947, the same year in which he took his fifth wife, Juliet Berry Perkins. | ||||||
| Once again this marriage ended in divorce in 1951. Sir Francis did not remain single for long, | ||||||
| since he was married for the sixth time, in August 1951. His bride was Jane Audrey Nott, but | ||||||
| divorce was also to be the eventual outcome in 1956. Sir Francis's seventh, and final, wife | ||||||
| was Bridget Brenda Pollard, whom he married in December 1956. This time, the marriage lasted | ||||||
| for over 20 years, only coming to an end when Sir Francis died in September 1978. | ||||||
| In summary, seven marriages and six divorces. The only children of the numerous marriages | ||||||
| were the 5th and present baronet, whose mother was Sir Francis's third wife, and a daughter | ||||||
| by his sixth wife. | ||||||
| On the occasion of his seventh marriage, the "Daily Mail's" gossip columnist was in attendance | ||||||
| and reported [gushed?] in his column published on 4 December 1956:- | ||||||
| 'Sir Francis Ferdinand Maurice Cook, fourth baronet, who has grey hair, a ginger moustache, | ||||||
| and a fortune, also has a limitless faith in the future. | ||||||
| "This one," he told me yesterday, as he sipped his champagne from an antique glass, "is going | ||||||
| to last. I have had my final divorce." For yesterday Sir Francis Ferdinand Maurice Cook - in the | ||||||
| register office of St. Helier on the isle of Jersey - took unto himself his seventh wife, his six | ||||||
| other marriages having been dissolved by law. | ||||||
| 'Sir Francis, who wore a chalk-stripe suit, a blue and silver tie, and a red carnation, did not | ||||||
| falter when he said "I will." After all, he had had plenty of practice. | ||||||
| 'And after the ceremony, when their large hired limousine was caught in a traffic jam in one | ||||||
| of the narrow streets of St. Helier, the seventh Lady Cook waved gracefully to passers-by. | ||||||
| 'The seventh Lady Cook wore a navy-blue two piece costume - and a mink coat. She is 29. | ||||||
| Before her marriage she was Mrs. Bridget Pollard. She has been divorced only once. And as I, | ||||||
| too, sipped champagne from an antique glass, I said to the seventh Lady Cook: "How do you | ||||||
| intend to prevent this marriage going on the rocks?" The seventh Lady Cook looked at me | ||||||
| evenly. "To tell you," she said, "would be unfair to all the others." | ||||||
| On Sir Francis's death, the following obituary appeared in "The Times" on 15 September 1978:- | ||||||
| 'Sir Francis Cook, fourth baronet, who died on September 12 at the age of 70, was the son of | ||||||
| Sir Herbert Cook, for many years chairman of Cook and Co. (St.Paul's) Ltd., manufacturers | ||||||
| and warehousemen, but perhaps better known, particularly in the world of art, as the owner | ||||||
| of the magnificent Cook collection at Doughty House, Richmond, [and] as an organizer and | ||||||
| lender to exhibitions of old masters. Sir Herbert Cook, who died in 1939, was not to any great | ||||||
| extent himself a collector but what he inherited from his grandfather, Sir Francis Cook, first | ||||||
| baronet, was generally agreed to be one of the finest collections of old master paintings in | ||||||
| England. Among its treasures were "The Three Marys at the Sepulchre" by Van Eyck, "The | ||||||
| Adoration of the Magi" by Fra Filippo Lippi, Rembrandt's portrait of his son Titus and some | ||||||
| splendid Spanish works. | ||||||
| 'Sir Francis Cook, who has just died, thus had a rich inheritance; he also showed family taste | ||||||
| for art and was a generous lender of works from the family collection but over the years many | ||||||
| of the several hundred paintings which it comprised were dispersed, the family trust retaining | ||||||
| a nucleus. In March 1965 at Christie's the portrait of Titus by Rembrandt was sold for 760,000 | ||||||
| guineas to the Norton Simon Foundation. The picture was one of five paintings which together | ||||||
| fetched £1,052,000 then a record for a one-day sale in Britain. The other paintings to be sold | ||||||
| included a Velasquez, a conversation piece by Hogarth, and an early Turner landscape. | ||||||
| 'Sir Francis Cook was born on December 21, 1907, and educated at Bradfield College, and | ||||||
| privately. He painted and had exhibited at the Royal Academy, the R.B.A. [Royal Society of | ||||||
| British Artists] and the London Portrait Society; and his work is represented at several British | ||||||
| art galleries. He was interested in picture restoration and in music. | ||||||
| 'He was seven times married and is succeeded by his son, Mr Christopher Cook.' | ||||||
| The special remainder to the baronetcy of Cooper created in 1821 | ||||||
| From the "London Gazette" of 28 July 1821 (issue 17730, page 1555):- | ||||||
| 'His Majesty has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the | ||||||
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for granting the dignity of a Baronet of the said | ||||||
| United Kingdom to.....Astley Paston Cooper, of Gadesbridge, in the county of Hertford, Esq. | ||||||
| Surgeon to His Majesty's Person, with remainder, in default of male issue, to his nephew, Astley | ||||||
| Paston Cooper, Esq. and his heirs male.' | ||||||
| Sir Astley Paston Cooper, 1st baronet | ||||||
| Sir Astley Cooper was one of the leading lights of the medical profession during the first half of | ||||||
| the 19th century. The following biography is taken from the Australian monthly magazine | ||||||
| "Parade" in its issue for February 1971:- | ||||||
| 'In the 1830s when the elderly and ailing Sir Astley Cooper was sent for by a new patient, he | ||||||
| invariably ordered his valet to go on ahead and count the stairs leading to the invalid's bedroom. | ||||||
| If Cooper considered the climb too arduous he brusquely demanded that the patient be carried | ||||||
| downstairs before agreeing to attend him. Even then the doctor refused to be hurried. Before | ||||||
| leaving home he had to be freshly shaved, his hair dressed and his clothing inspected to ensure | ||||||
| that it was immaculate. One personal servant attended him in the sick room. Another, if | ||||||
| necessary, took over the kitchen and instructed the cook how to prepare the invalid's diet. | ||||||
| Kings, prime ministers and dukes down to the humblest individual sought his advice - Cooper | ||||||
| made not the slightest distinction between them. | ||||||
| 'Few doctors would have dared to treat their patients in such a high-handed manner, but Sir | ||||||
| Astley Cooper, baronet and royal physician, was unique. For 30 years in the early 19th century | ||||||
| he dominated the British medical profession as the most brilliant, most sought-after and by far | ||||||
| the wealthiest physician of his age. The firebrand young doctor who once loudly rejoiced in the | ||||||
| French Revolution eventually boasted an income of £20,000 a year - a figure unheard of in his | ||||||
| field for a half a century to come. However, Astley Cooper was much more than merely a | ||||||
| fashionable physician who often could look down on a queue of coroneted carriages lined up | ||||||
| outside his door. His treatment of heart and chest diseases, his lectures on anatomy and his | ||||||
| daring operating techniques set standards unsurpassed for generations after his death. | ||||||
| 'The son of a parson and scion of an old landowning family, Astley Paston Cooper was born at | ||||||
| Brooke Hall near Norwich on August 23, 1768. His destiny was decided on the day when an | ||||||
| uncle, a well-known London doctor, took him to witness an operation at Guys Hospital and | ||||||
| the boy was fascinated by the spectacle. On his 18th birthday he entered Guys as apprentice | ||||||
| to his uncle, but soon transferred to St. Thomas's to study under Henry Cline [1750-1827], | ||||||
| the most famous surgeon of the time. Impressed by Cooper's precocious skill, Cline took him | ||||||
| into his own household, allowed him to assist at operations and predicted that "the boy would | ||||||
| soon teach the master". | ||||||
| 'In 1789, before he was 21, Cooper was demonstrator in anatomy at St. Thomas's. Two years | ||||||
| later Cline appointed him joint lecturer with himself in surgery at the hospital. Cline's influence, | ||||||
| however, was not confined to medicine, for the surgeon's house was a meeting place for some | ||||||
| of the extreme radical politicians, journalists and artists of the day. The circle hailed with | ||||||
| jubilation the fall of the Bastille and the outbreak of the French Revolution and young Dr. Cooper | ||||||
| became one of their most ardent spokesmen. | ||||||
| 'When he married he insisted on demonstrating his republican enthusiasm by carrying his | ||||||
| reluctant bride off to France for their honeymoon. The couple arrived in Paris in the late summer | ||||||
| of 1792 just as the terror was reaching its height. King Louis and Marie Antoinette were | ||||||
| prisoners. Hundreds of aristocrats had been butchered as the mob swept through the gaols and | ||||||
| every day the tumbrels rattled over the cobbled roads to the guillotine. Unmoved by these | ||||||
| horrors, Cooper attended meetings of the revolutionary Convention, applauded Robespierre's | ||||||
| harangues and wrote back to Britain that henceforth, he was the dedicated enemy of kings | ||||||
| and tyrants. Disillusion soon followed when he was mistaken for a French aristocrat and | ||||||
| threatened with arrest. He fled as hastily as possible back to London. | ||||||
| 'When Cooper was appointed surgeon at Guys Hospital a few years later he was only too glad | ||||||
| to make a solemn declaration that he had abandoned forever his principles of atheism and | ||||||
| republicanism. Thereafter, Cooper kept his political beliefs discreetly to himself and the 'apostles | ||||||
| of liberty' who met in Henry Cline's house knew him no more. | ||||||
| 'By 1800 Cooper was not only the most renowned surgeon at Guys but his private practice was | ||||||
| increasing so fast that his working day extended from before dawn to after midnight. Often he | ||||||
| rose at 4 am to deliver his lectures while the shivering, sleepy-eyed students held candles to | ||||||
| illuminate the naked corpse laid out for dissection. The 'resurrection men' who plied the grisly | ||||||
| trade of digging up freshly buried bodies to sell to the doctors found him one of their most | ||||||
| profitable customers. And his rising wealth enabled him to pick and choose among the | ||||||
| countless "specimens" surreptitiously carted by night to the door of his dissecting room at Guys. | ||||||
| 'Once, giving evidence before a parliamentary enquiry into the traffic of body-snatching, Cooper | ||||||
| blandly declared: "There is no dead person, no matter what his station in life might have been, | ||||||
| whom I could not obtain if I were disposed to dissect him." The only effect of the law forbidding | ||||||
| the trade, said Cooper, was that it enhanced the price and made it difficult for poorer doctors | ||||||
| to get all the corpses they needed. The thought that not even the remains of statesmen, | ||||||
| nobility and gentry were safe from ending up in a sack destined for Cooper's dissecting table | ||||||
| filled the committee with horror. Cooper's revealing frankness was bitterly assailed by the | ||||||
| diehards of the College of Surgeons, but it made no difference to the clamour for his services | ||||||
| from the public. | ||||||
| 'By the time he had reached his 40s the stripling radical had developed into a tall, burly, | ||||||
| commanding figure with a ruddy face and an insatiable appetite for work. His dress and manners | ||||||
| were described as "splendid as any lord's", but beneath the courtesy was a domineering will- | ||||||
| power before which his grandest patients stood in awe. The fees he charged were staggering | ||||||
| by the standards of the time, though Cooper always asserted that he carefully regulated them | ||||||
| according to what the patient could pay. Once, when he was called to the bedside of a | ||||||
| notoriously rich and miserly West Indian planter, he bluntly demanded 1000 guineas before even | ||||||
| examining the patient. The invalid wailed that he could not possibly afford such a sum. Then, as | ||||||
| Cooper turned on his heel to go, he scribbled his signature on a note for the full amount, rolled | ||||||
| it in his night-cap and flung it at the doctor's head. | ||||||
| 'Eventually Astley Cooper's earnings were reputed to be at least £20,000 a year, by far the | ||||||
| greatest fortune ever reaped by a medical practitioner up to his time. And his private practice | ||||||
| was only one part of his work - the part that Cooper himself regarded as the least important of | ||||||
| his duties. Long before dawn he was busy at the dissecting table. "I believe I have lost a day | ||||||
| if I lay my head on the pillow at night without having cut something up that day," he once | ||||||
| declared. The early morning was devoted to poorer patients who began gathering at his door at | ||||||
| daybreak and were never turned away, no matter how humble or ragged. Then Cooper hurried | ||||||
| to the hospital to operate and lecture until the afternoon before returning for consultations and | ||||||
| visits to the rich and fashionable that usually lasted until midnight. | ||||||
| 'In 1804 he published at his own expense a monumental volume on the treatment of hernias - | ||||||
| losing 1000 guineas in the venture because he insisted on including hundreds of costly illust- | ||||||
| rative plates. However, the money meant little to him and this and other treatises in succeeding | ||||||
| years spread his reputation through every medical centre in Europe. Though many colleagues | ||||||
| envied his wealth and sneered at his passion for fine clothes, they were united in admiration for | ||||||
| his astonishing surgical skill. | ||||||
| 'In Cooper's day there were no anaesthetics or antiseptics. It was taken for granted that | ||||||
| probably one-third of the patients would die on the table from shock or from gangrene and | ||||||
| blood-poisoning afterwards. One of the secrets of success was speed, and Cooper operated | ||||||
| with a boldness and rapidity that no other surgeon in London dared to attempt. His outstanding | ||||||
| achievements were in operations on the heart and chest, especially in tying off the aortic | ||||||
| artery in cases of aneurism - previously regarded as condemning the sufferer to almost certain | ||||||
| death. | ||||||
| 'Among Cooper's host of eminent patients was Lord Liverpool, who became Prime Minister in | ||||||
| 1812 during the Napoleonic Wars. One day late in 1820, shortly after George IV had succeeded | ||||||
| to the throne, Liverpool summoned the doctor and asked him if he would undertake an operation | ||||||
| on His Majesty. Not being one of the royal surgeons and wary of affronting his colleagues, | ||||||
| Cooper hesitated until Liverpool told him that the King insisted on seeking his advice. The | ||||||
| problem was a small, infected cyst on top of the royal head. The surgeons were well aware of | ||||||
| the danger of operating so close to the brain and were only too glad to step aside in Cooper's | ||||||
| favour. The operation was a complete success and King George was spared to enjoy another 10 | ||||||
| years of woman-chasing, guzzling and drinking before he joined his ancestors. | ||||||
| 'His preserver became Sir Astley Cooper, baronet and royal physician, and the following decade | ||||||
| saw him at the pinnacle of his fame and fortune. Moving to a mansion near St. James's Park, he | ||||||
| at last gave up his arduous hospital lectures to concentrate on private practice and perfecting | ||||||
| his operating techniques. He bought an estate in Hertfordshire intending to spend his spare time | ||||||
| in rural seclusion but soon his restless mind turned it also into an extension of his medical work. | ||||||
| He began buying cheap, brokendown cattle and horses in London's Smithfield market and | ||||||
| experimented in rejuvenating them before trying the methods on his human patients. | ||||||
| 'By the 1830s, however, years of over-work and lack of sleep were taking their toll in recurrent | ||||||
| heart attacks and bouts of complete exhaustion. When friends urged him to retire he retorted | ||||||
| angrily: "A man who is not too old to study is not too old to be a physician." He refused | ||||||
| resolutely to give up his enormous practice, only making the concession that he would not climb | ||||||
| more than 20 stairs "to see the grandest man in the kingdom." Sir Astley Cooper was still in | ||||||
| harness when he died on February 12, 1841. At his own desire he was buried beneath the | ||||||
| chapel of Guys Hospital, the institution that had been the scene of many of his historic feats | ||||||
| of surgery.' | ||||||
| Sir Charles Henry Coote, 10th baronet [I 1621] | ||||||
| Sir Charles' temper appears to have gotten the better of him in February 1867, when he | ||||||
| appeared in the police courts, as shown in the following report which appeared in the | ||||||
| 'Glasgow Herald' of 1 March 1867:- | ||||||
| 'Sir Charles Coote, Bart., of Connaught Place, Bayswater, and Ada Eliza Glover, of Norfolk | ||||||
| Square, were brought before Sir Thomas Henry, at Bow Street, yesterday, under the | ||||||
| following circumstances: - Mr. Richardson, the station-master at the South-Eastern Railway | ||||||
| Terminus, Charing Cross, stated that a little before six on the previous evening his attention | ||||||
| was called to the female prisoner, who had already been several times put out of the station, | ||||||
| and persisted in coming back. She was the worse for liquor. He told her he could not allow | ||||||
| her to remain, and asked her where she wanted to go, and if he could do anything for her. | ||||||
| 'At first she would give no reply, but at last she said she was waiting for a friend. At this point | ||||||
| the male defendant came into the station, and she ran up to him, threw her arms around his | ||||||
| neck, and told him that witness had insulted her. The male prisoner asked him what he meant | ||||||
| by insulting the lady. Witness replied that he had not done so. The prisoner called him a liar | ||||||
| and a scoundrel, and added - "Do you know who I am? I am Sir Charles Coote. Who are you?" | ||||||
| Witness said he was the station-master, and if the defendant would come into witness's office | ||||||
| he would give him every explanation. He refused to do so, and again accused him of insulting | ||||||
| the lady, and swore at him. Witness again denied having insulted the lady, upon which Sir | ||||||
| Charles struck him on the chest. Witness then gave him in charge to Inspector Parker. | ||||||
| 'Mr. Parker, Inspector of the South-Eastern Railway Police, stated that his attention was first | ||||||
| called to the female prisoner, about an hour previously. She was then the worse for liquor, | ||||||
| and was disputing with a cabman who had brought her to the station. He was demanding | ||||||
| payment of his fare, and also for two windows which she had broken. She gave the cabman a | ||||||
| sovereign, which he was unwilling to take, doubting whether it was a good one. Witness told | ||||||
| him it was an Australian sovereign, for which they would give him change at the Banking Office. | ||||||
| The cabman went for the change, and witness wanted to see him give it to the prisoner, | ||||||
| deducting what he was entitled to. She went away, but returned in about 10 minutes. Witness | ||||||
| advised her to go away quietly, and offered to call a cab. She then hailed a hansom cab, and | ||||||
| proceeded to throw her umbrella into it, missing the first time, but succeeding on a second | ||||||
| attempt. She did not get into the cab, but walked up and down the street in a very | ||||||
| unbecoming manner, staggering and throwing her dress about. The cabman was driving off | ||||||
| when witness stopped him, took the umbrella out of the cab, and deposited it in the cloak | ||||||
| room, as she was incapable of taking care of it. She then went away in another cab with a | ||||||
| woman dressed as a widow, and in about 10 minutes she returned, when witness called the | ||||||
| attention of the station-master to her. | ||||||
| 'Mr. Parker then went on to corroborate Mr. Richardson's evidence, and added that as he was | ||||||
| removing Sir Charles from the platform the woman struck him several times. He put them both | ||||||
| into a cab to remove them to the police station, and she again struck him from within the cab. | ||||||
| It appears that the woman who got into the cab with the female defendant was recognised | ||||||
| as a thief by the policeman on duty in the Strand, who hinted to her that he should watch | ||||||
| her, suspecting that she meant to rob the lady. Upon this she got out of the cab. The lady's | ||||||
| purse was afterwards found in the cab by a gentleman, an M.P., who hired it to go down to | ||||||
| the House, and who called at the King Street Station and left the purse there. It was | ||||||
| subsequently returned to the prisoner. | ||||||
| 'Sir Charles Coote admitted the assault, but he said he was provoked to it, believing that the | ||||||
| lady had been insulted. He did not think she was intoxicated, though she might have been a | ||||||
| little excited. She was a very sober woman. In fact, he had never seen her the worse for | ||||||
| liquor during the six years that had lived together in Paris. He had agreed to take her over to | ||||||
| Folkestone, and not having a Bradshaw [a book of railway timetables] they could not tell the | ||||||
| hour at which the train started. She thought it was four o'clock, and arriving at that time had | ||||||
| to wait till six. During the interval, no doubt, she had some refreshment, including some sherry, | ||||||
| which perhaps did not agree with her, as she was not accustomed to it, being only in the | ||||||
| habit of drinking light French wines. All this would not have happened if they had known the | ||||||
| correct time; and he must say it showed the danger of a lady going anywhere alone in London. | ||||||
| She might have waited two hours at any station in Paris without the least chance of being | ||||||
| insulted. | ||||||
| 'There were several other witnesses, but Sir Thomas Henry thought it unnecessary to call | ||||||
| them, being satisfied with the evidence of Mr. Richardson and Inspector Parker. It was quite | ||||||
| clear that the female prisoner was drunk, and that the station-master had acted with great | ||||||
| forbearance towards her. He thought Sir Charles had acted in a rash and hasty manner, and | ||||||
| had come to the conclusion that the woman had been insulted without sufficient grounds. At | ||||||
| all events, he was not justified in using such offensive language. He must pay £5 for the | ||||||
| assault, and £2 for the abusive language; and the female must pay £5 for the assault; or | ||||||
| three weeks' imprisonment each. The fines of course were paid.' | ||||||
| The special remainder to the baronetcy of Coote created in 1774 | ||||||
| From the "London Gazette" of 26 April 1774 (issue 11452, page 1):- | ||||||
| 'The King has been pleased to grant the Dignity of a Baronet of Great Britain unto Charles | ||||||
| Coote, Earl of Bellamont of the Kingdom of Ireland, and to the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully | ||||||
| begotten, and in Default of such Issue to Charles Coote, of Donybrook in the County of Dublin. | ||||||
| Esq; and to the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully begotten.' | ||||||
| Sir Anthony Mohun Leckonby Cope, 15th baronet [E 1611] | ||||||
| "The Guardian" of 14 May 1966:- | ||||||
| 'Sir Anthony Cope, of Doulting Manor, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, was killed yesterday when he | ||||||
| fell from a train at Longsight, Manchester. | ||||||
| 'The train, an express from Plymouth, was picking up speed near Slade Lane Junction after | ||||||
| leaving Stockport when Sir Anthony's companion saw him falling through a corridor door. The | ||||||
| friend was unable to reach him in time. | ||||||
| Sir Anthony, who was educated at Oxford, succeeded to the title in 1940. Her served in the | ||||||
| Rifle Brigade, and was married in 1956 to the daughter of a surgeon.' | ||||||
| "The Guardian" of 10 June 1966:- | ||||||
| 'Sir Anthony Cope, aged 38, of Doulting Manor, Shepton Mallet, committed suicide while his | ||||||
| mind was disturbed, a Manchester inquest jury decided yesterday. | ||||||
| 'Sir Anthony, a mental patient, was being transferred from a Bath hospital to Manchester when | ||||||
| he fell from the train.' | ||||||
| Sir Lionel Copley, 2nd baronet | ||||||
| Sir Lionel met with a particularly grisly death in March 1806. According to the 'Caledonian | ||||||
| Mercury' of 13 March 1806, "The melancholy event which occasioned the death of this | ||||||
| gentleman has not been correctly stated. He had ascended a library ladder, from which he fell, | ||||||
| and broke his leg in so deplorable a manner, that the bone stuck deeply in the floor. A fever | ||||||
| ensued, and terminated in the death of the unfortunate gentleman.' | ||||||
| Sir Ludlow Cotter, son of Sir James Laurence Cotter, 4th baronet | ||||||
| Ludlow Cotter was the last person who was allowed to enjoy a privilege which had been | ||||||
| granted to all baronetcies created before 1827. | ||||||
| When the Baronetage was first created in 1611, members of the order were granted a number | ||||||
| of privileges, one of which was the right of knighthood for the eldest sons of baronets. The | ||||||
| wording of the Letters Patent is as follows:_ | ||||||
| 'And further of Our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, We do hereby declare | ||||||
| and express our true intent and meaning to have been, and do hereby promise and grant for Us, | ||||||
| our heirs and successors, to and with such Gentlemen as now be, or at any time hereafter shall | ||||||
| be Baronets; That so soon as they or any of them shall attain the age of one-and-twenty | ||||||
| years. And likewise so soon as the eldest son and apparent heir male of the bodies of them, or | ||||||
| any of them, shall during the life of their Father or Grandfather attain to the age of one-and- | ||||||
| twenty years; and that the said baronets, or the said eldest sons or apparent heirs males, shall | ||||||
| be presented to Us by the Lord Chamberlain of our household, or Vice-Chamberlain for the time | ||||||
| being, or in their absence by any other officer attending upon the person of Us, our heirs or | ||||||
| successors to be made Knights that they and every of them shall from time to time be made | ||||||
| Knights by Us, our heirs and successors accordingly.' | ||||||
| As a result of the above, the Patent (i.e. the document which creates a baronetcy) of every | ||||||
| non-Scottish baronet created between 1611 and 1827 included a clause which ratified the | ||||||
| privilege that the eldest son of a baronet was entitled to apply to be knighted as soon as he | ||||||
| came of age. For a discussion on the situation as regards Scottish baronets, see under the | ||||||
| baronetcy of Broun of Colstoun. | ||||||
| This privilege was withdrawn by an Ordinance dated 19 December 1827. After describing the | ||||||
| promise made in the original Letters Patent in relation to the right to knighthood, the Ordinance | ||||||
| states that '......our heirs and successors Do revoke determine and make void the said promise | ||||||
| and grant in the said last mentioned Letters Patent contained with respect to all Letters Patent | ||||||
| for the creation of Baronets to be made and granted after these presents. And that the said | ||||||
| Letters Patent shall be made hereafter without such clause as hereinbefore mentioned without | ||||||
| prejudice nevertheless to any Letters Patents heretofore granted or to the rights and privileges | ||||||
| now by Law belonging to any Baronet and his heirs male.' | ||||||
| In other words, the right to knighthood was removed from all future creations of baronetcies, | ||||||
| but the right was retained for all existing baronetcies at that time. Even so, the privilege was | ||||||
| very rarely claimed between the period 1827 to 1874, but, when it was claimed, the privilege | ||||||
| appears to have been allowed as a matter of course. | ||||||
| Two such knighthoods were granted during the third quarter of the nineteenth century. Firstly, | ||||||
| on 21 February 1865, George Clendining O'Donnell, son of Sir Richard Annesley O'Donnell, 4th | ||||||
| baronet, was knighted by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Sir George succeeded his father in the | ||||||
| baronetcy in 1878, and died in 1889, when the baronetcy became extinct. The last occasion | ||||||
| when such a knighthood was granted occurred on 12 December 1874, when Ludlow Cotter, | ||||||
| eldest son of Sir James Laurence Cotter, was knighted at Windsor, shortly after his 21st | ||||||
| birthday. He died in the lifetime of his father on 23 November 1882, aged only 29. | ||||||
| No successful applications have been made since 1874. When, in May 1895, Claude Champion | ||||||
| de Crespigny, eldest son of Sir Claude Champion de Crespigny, 4th baronet, claimed the honour | ||||||
| of knighthood soon after reaching the age of 21, his application was rejected. I have no | ||||||
| information other than the application was considered to be 'not valid,' but it seems to me that | ||||||
| there was no reason for the claim not being valid - the baronetcy, having been created in 1805, | ||||||
| pre-dated the 1827 revocation of the privilege. Even the authorities at the College of Arms had | ||||||
| previously disagreed with the rejection of such applications; as quoted in 'A History of the | ||||||
| Baronetage' by Francis Pixley (Duckworth & Co, London 1900), Sir William Betham, Ulster King of | ||||||
| Arms 1820-1853, said, "I am surprised to hear such a doubt stated by the Law Officers of the | ||||||
| Crown, as that the Sovereign has not a right to bind his successors to confer the honour of | ||||||
| Knighthood on the Eldest Sons of Baronets; for it was part and parcel of the Constitution at the | ||||||
| foundation of the Order, and consequently part of its essence, and therefore inseparable from | ||||||
| it." | ||||||
| Claude Champion de Crespigny, whose application had been rejected, was found dead in the | ||||||
| morning of 18 May 1910, a revolver in his hand. He was 36. | ||||||
| Sir Emile Algernon Arthur Keppell Cowell-Stepney, 2nd baronet | ||||||
| Cowell-Stepney was always known by his christian name of Arthur. He was a keen amateur | ||||||
| coleopterist, a hobby which indirectly led to his death from heatstroke in Yuma, Arizona, in | ||||||
| July 1909, during a journey to study the local beetles. | ||||||
| The following edited report appeared in the 'Los Angeles Times' on 3 Jul 1909:- | ||||||
| 'Sir Arthur Cowell Stepney, an English baronet with large estates and a scientist of distinction, | ||||||
| was found dead today in the train conductors' room of the Southern Pacific station [in Yuma, | ||||||
| Arizona]. Among his papers was found a deposit slip for $13,000 in a Los Angeles bank. | ||||||
| 'Until a search of the dead man's belongings had been made his identity was a mystery, as he | ||||||
| had registered at the hotel as Mr. W.C. Stepney of Seattle. His presence here is a mystery. | ||||||
| 'The address of a firm of London solicitors, evidently his representatives, was found amongst | ||||||
| his papers and they have been cabled for instructions. | ||||||
| 'Stepney had ordered a carriage for a drive, but when it came [he] could not be found about | ||||||
| the hotel, and only an extended search revealed his resting place in the station. Life was | ||||||
| extinct when a physician, who had been hastily summoned, reached him. | ||||||
| 'Gold and notes to the amount of several hundred dollars were found upon the dead man, and | ||||||
| receipts and bank books among his effects showed him to be a person of large means. He | ||||||
| carried a quantity of baggage and had apparently recently landed from a sea voyage. | ||||||
| 'Sir Arthur Cowell Stepney was the only instance of a wealthy English baronet publicly | ||||||
| renouncing, and adjuring, so to speak, an inherited honor of this kind, although many other | ||||||
| titled Englishmen have dropped the prefixes to their names on coming to America. | ||||||
| 'The divorce suit of Stepney's wife, which was heard in London in May, 1903, was one of the | ||||||
| strangest ever recorded in the English courts. The charge was desertion. | ||||||
| The marriage took place in 1875. There were during the first few months certain eccentricities | ||||||
| on the part of the respondent to which Lady Cowell did not pay much attention. On the birth | ||||||
| of their daughter, in September, 1876, he showed the greatest delight. On October 6, 1876, he | ||||||
| left his home and had never since lived with his wife. | ||||||
| 'Certain allegations, which Cowell Stepney made at the time against his wife, were investigated, | ||||||
| and were found to be baseless. They were the result of mental delusion, for which he was | ||||||
| treated by Sir William Gull and Dr. Maudsley, which resulted in his being sent abroad with a | ||||||
| doctor in 1877. In 1882 husband and wife met, and he showed then, as at all times, great | ||||||
| affection for his daughter. | ||||||
| 'In 1890 he fell under the strange delusion that certain pictures of an impure kind were being | ||||||
| made of his daughter, and he wrote to Lady Stepney to the effect that such portraiture would | ||||||
| be damaging to the future welfare of their child. Lady Stepney said that the charges were the | ||||||
| result of a mental delusion, and said she had never allowed anything to which Sir Arthur might | ||||||
| object to be brought before the court of chancery with regard to the custody of the child.' | ||||||
| Copyright © 2020 Maltagenealogy.com | ||||||