Peerage News (original) (raw)

Jancis Primrose Hayes-Newington 1935-2024

Jancis Primrose Hayes-Newington, who died 30 October, 2024, aged 89, was a descendant of the Dukes of Grafton.

She was born Jancis Primrose Evatt, 7 August, 1935, the second daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Beckwith Evatt (1904-1942), and his wife the former Barbara Wilson (1910-1997); and married 23 October, 1965, Maj Anthony Lyle Hayes-Newington, OBE (1929-2017), of Breamore, Hampshire, son of Lieutenant-Colonel Bertram Yorke Hayes-Newington, DL, by whom she had four sons, Edward, Oliver, Mark & Adam.

The 7th Duke of Grafton, KG > Rev Lord Charles FitzRoy > Lady Violet FitzRoy > Barbara Wilson > Jancis Evatt (who d 2024)

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Coaker/Brown engagement

The engagement was announced 8 November, 2024, between Thomas James Curzon Coaker (born 12 February, 1987), second son of Charles Henry Curzon Coaker, of Little Everdon, Northamptonshire, and his wife the former Caroline Philippa Floyd (born 18 July, 1953), & Olivia L. Brown, daughter of Mr & Mrs Simon Brown, of Iping, West Sussex.

Thomas Coaker is descended from the Floyd baronets:-

Sie Henry Floyd, 2nd Baronet > Lt-Col Arthur Floyd > John Anthony Floyd > Caroline Floyd > Thomas Coaker

Sir John William Frederic Nott KCB, PC 1932-2024

Sir John William Frederic Nott, KCB, PC, who died 6 November, 2024, aged 92, was a National Liberal and Conservative politician who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 1981 to 1983, during the Falklands War.

He was born 1 February, 1932, to Richard Nott and his wife the former Phyllis Francis, and was educated at Bradfield College and in 1952 was commissioned as a regular officer in the 2nd Gurkha Rifles. He served in the Malayan Emergency after a period of service with the Royal Scots. In 1956 he left the army to study law and economics at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was President of the Cambridge Union Society. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1959.

In 1966 Nott was elected as a National Liberal and Conservative MP for the Cornwall constituency of St Ives, the last person elected under the National Liberal label. The party was formally absorbed into the Conservatives in 1968, after which Nott sat as a Conservative MP. He was the last surviving former National Liberal MP. Nott served in the government of Edward Heath as Minister of State at the Treasury. After a brief spell working as a City of London consultant and focusing on managing his Cornish estate, where he grew flowers commercially, he joined the Shadow Cabinet in 1976. He was made Secretary of State for Trade after Margaret Thatcher won the 1979 general election and became a Privy Councillor. In the January 1981 reshuffle Nott became Secretary of State for Defence. Nott offered his resignation to Thatcher following the Argentinian invasion of the Falklands in 1982. Unlike the Foreign Secretary, Lord Carrington, however, his resignation was not accepted. Nott remained as Defence Secretary throughout the four-month conflict. He was eventually replaced in January 1983 by Michael Heseltine after he decided not to seek re-election at the 1983 general election. On retirement he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

From 1985 to 1989 Nott was chairman and chief executive of Lazard Brothers. He also served as chairman of Hillsdown Holdings, a multinational food company, and of the Canadian firm Maple Leaf Foods, and was deputy chairman of Royal Insurance. In addition, he was an adviser to APAX Partners and Freshfields.

Nott married in 1959, Miloska Sekol (born 1935), whom he met at the University of Cambridge. They had two sons (including the film composer Julian Nott) and a daughter, (Alexandra)Sasha Nott, who married in 1996, the life peer, Hugo Swire, Baron Swire, KCMG, PC (born 30 Nov, 1959), who was Tory MP for East Devon, 2001-2019.

Nott spent much of his retirement restoring his 200-acre farm in Cornwall.

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O'Leary/Puxley engagement

The engagement was announced 7 November, 2024, between Jake T. O'Leary, son of Mr Sean O'Leary, of Tidmarsh, Berkshire, and Ms Janet Waterston, of Lower Shiplake, Oxfordshire, and Felicia Margaret L. Puxley (born circa Jan 1996), daughter of James Henry Lavallin Puxley, CVO (born 1948), head of that landed gentry family, a High Sheriff of Berkshire, and sometime Lord Lieutenant of the county, of the Welford Park estate, Berkshire, by his wife the former Deborah Anne Ferguson.

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Matilda Bertie (born 2024)

Jemma Louise Bertie, wife of the Hon Willoughby Henry Constantine St Maur Bertie (born 15 January, 1996), scion of the Earls of Lindsey & Abingdon, gave birth to a daughter, Matilda, 21 October, 2024, at St Bernard's Hospital, Gibraltar.

Willoughby is the elder son and heir of the Hon Henry Mark Willoughby Bertie, styled Lord Norreys (born 6 Jun 1958), and his wife the former Lucinda Sol Moorsom, 2nd daughter of Christopher Stewart Moorsom, by his 1st wife Maria del Pilar Sanchez y Betancourt. Willoughby'a father is the elder son and heir of the Earl of Lindsey & Abingdon (born 28 June, 1931).

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Sir Henry Neville Lindley Keswick 1938-2024

Sir Henry Keswick, head of Jardine Matheson and owner of The Spectator during a golden era, died 5 November, 2024. He was 86.

Keswick was a youthful taipan of Jardine Matheson, his family’s Far Eastern trading house, and later, for four decades, its presiding spirit from London. He was also a benevolent proprietor of The Spectator magazine, though the political career that he hoped might follow did not transpire.

He joined Jardines in 1961 and was assigned to the firm's offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. He was made a director in 1967, senior managing director in 1970 and chairman in 1972. He retired as senior managing director and chairman in 1975. He returned to London and is the current chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings.

Henry Neville Lindley Keswick, William Jardine's great-grandson, was born in Shanghai, 29 September, 1938. He was the eldest of three sons of Sir William “Tony” Keswick (1903-90), who combined his role as a resident director of Jardines with the chairmanship of the Municipal Council of Shanghai’s International Settlement, and was later a director of the Bank of England. Henry's mother was Mary Etheldreda Lindley (1911-2009), a great-granddaughter of Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat (1828-87).

Henry had a sister, Teresa, and two brothers, Sir John Chippendale "Chips" Keswick (1940-2024), who was not associated with Jardine Matheson but instead with the London merchant bank, Hambros. He was the chairman of Arsenal football club, who died in April, and a brother Simon (born 1942), also a managing director of Jardine Matheson.

It was his cousin Hon. Annabel Thérèse (Tessa) Fraser (1942-2022) – then married to the 14th Lord Reay (1937-2013), but who became Henry Keswick’s wife in 1985 – who first suggested that he should buy The Spectator. He called on the magazine’s then owner, Harry Creighton, and agreed to buy it for £75,000.

Henry Keswick’s country home was Oare House, a Georgian mansion near Marlborough in Wiltshire, where he and his wife commissioned a contemporary pavilion by the Chinese-American architect IM Pei. In the Keswick homeland of Dumfriesshire, Henry enjoyed the sporting life at Glenkiln, a wild domain inherited from his father with its collection of sculptures by Moore and Epstein in moorland settings; Henry Moore’s Standing Figure, valued at £3 million, was stolen from the estate in 2015.

He also owned and greatly improved an 18,000-acre grouse moor at Hunthill in Angus. For recreation in London, Keswick was a keen bridge player at the Portland Club.

He was appointed Knight Bachelor in 2009.

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Piers David Christopher Eley 1941-2024

Piers David Christopher Eley, who died 18 October, 2024, aged 83, was a scion of that landed gentry family.

He was born 20 May, 1941, the elder son of Sir Geoffrey Cecil Ryves Eley, CBE (1904-1990), businessman and sometime director of the Bank of England, by his wife the former Penelope Hughes Wake-Walker (1917-2003); and married 1 April, 1967, Sarah Cloudesley Long-Price (born 1943), daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel David Edward Long-Price (1914-1992), and his wife the former Barbara Mary Tuffs (1912-1979), by whom he had issue, a son, Damian (born 24 Jan, 1970), and a daughter, Thalia (born 9 Sept, 1971).

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Chloë Blackburn (died 2024)

Chloë Blackburn, who has died aged 93, was the first wife of Sir Crispin Tickell, GCMG, KCVO, the environmentalist and diplomat. She was a talented sculptress.

Sir Crispin was a great-great grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley, the biologist and anthropologist, scion of that landed gentry family.

She was born Chloë Gunn, daughter of the portrait painter Sir James Gunn, RA (1893-1964), and his first wife the former Gwendoline Thorne; and married 1954 (div 1976), as his first wife, Crispin Charles Cervantes Tickell (who was born 25 August, 1930), son of Jerrard Tickell and his wife the former Renee Haynes. Her husband served in the Coldstream Guards 1952-54; HM Diplomatic Servive, 1954; Foreign Office 1954-55; The Hague 1955-58; Mexico 1958-61; Foreign Office (Planning Staff) 1961-64; Paris 1964-70; Private secretary to successive ministers responsible for Britain's entry into the European Community 1970-72; Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1972-75; Fellow, Center for International Affairs, Harvard University 1975-76; Chef de Cabinet to the Commissioner of the European Community, 1977-81; Visiting Fellow, All Souls College Oxford 1981; Ambassador to Mexico 1981-83; Deputy Under Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1983-84; Perm Secretary, ODA, 1984-87; British Perm Rep to the United Nations, 1987-90; Warden, Green College, Oxford, 1990-97, appointed Chancellor of University of Kent, 1996 &c. He was appointed MVO [1958], KCVO [1983], and GCMG [1989]. He died 25 January, 2022. He was 91.

Chloë Tickell married secondly, in 1985, Bill Blackburn (died 2002), a lawyer. She leaves three children, Oliver, Oriana and James Tickell.

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Victoria, Baroness Oaksey 1938-2024

Victoria, Baroness Oaksey, who died 19 October, 2024, aged 86, was the first wife of John Geoffrey Tristram Lawrence, 4th Baron Trevethin (Peerage of the UK, cr 1921) & 2nd Baron Oaksey (Peerage of the UK, cr 1947).

Her husband, 'John Oaksey', was the jockey, journalist, broadcaster and author was founded of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

She was the former Victoria Mary Dennistoun, born 1938, daughter of Major John Dennistoun, by his wife the former Nancy Mary Court (1909-90); and married 21 May, 1959 (div 1987), the then Hon John Lawrence (born 21 March, 1929), son of Geoffrey Lawrence, judge, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, who was created the 1st Baron Oaksey in 1947 and who succeeded as 3rd Baron Trevethin on the death of his elder brother in 1959, and his wife the former Marjorie Frances Alice Robinson (who died 1984). Her husband succeeded his father in the baronies, 28 Aug, 1971, and died 5 September, 2012.

Lady Oaksey leaves a son, the present baron (born 29 June, 1960), and a daughter, Sara (born 26 July, 1961).

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The Baron Renwick of Clifton, KCMG 1937-2024

The Baron Renwick of Clifton, KCMG, who died 4 November, 2024, aged 86, was a diplomat, sometime ambassador to Washington and to South Africa.

He served in Dakar, Senegal, 1963–64; Foreign Office, 1964–66; New Delhi, 1966–70; Private Secretary to Minister of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 1970–72; First Secretary, Paris, 1972–76; Counsellor, Cabinet Office, 1976–78; Head of Rhodesia Department, FCO, 1978–80; Political Adviser to Governor of Rhodesia, 1980; Head of Chancery, Washington, 1981–84; Assistant Under-Secretary of State for European affairs, FCO, 1984–87. Helped to negotiate the 1984 UK rebate, a two-thirds reduction in the British financial contribution to the European Communities; Ambassador to: South Africa, 1987–91; involved in the release of Nelson Mandela; United States, 1991–95.

Robin William Renwick was born 13 December, 1937, son of Richard Renwick, of Edinburgh, and his wife the former Clarice Henderson; and married in 1965, Annie Colette Giudicelli, by whom he had issue.

He was a former diplomat and a former member of the House of Lords. He was originally appointed by Prime Minister Blair as a Labour Peer in 1997 but moved to the crossbenches in 2007. He retired from the House in 2018.

Renwick was appointed CMG in the 1980 New Year Honours and was promoted to KCMG in the 1989 New Year Honours. On his elevation to the Lords he took the title Baron Renwick of Clifton, of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

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Lord Benyon appointed Lord Chamberlain

The Lord Parker of Minsmere had an audience of the King, 4 November, 2024, and delivered up his Wand and Insignia of Office as Lord Chamberlain and took leave upon relinquishing his appointment as Lord Chamberlain. Lord Benyon had an audience of the King, kissed hands upon his appointment as Lord Chamberlain and received from His Majesty the Wand and Insignia of Office when the King invested his with the Insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

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Charles Anthony Fry 1940-2024

Charles Anthony Fry who died 27 October, 2024, aged 84, was sometime president and chairman of Marylebone Cricket Club, and scion of landed gentry families.

He was born 14 January, 1940, the third son of the cricketer Stephen Hope Fry (1900-1979), and his wife the former Gladys Yvonne Blunt (1905-2001), and was grandson of the great sportsman C.B. Fry (1872-1956), and his wife the former Beatrice Holme-Sumner (1862-1946), of that landed family, descended from the Kingscote landed gentry family, and Lieutenant-General the 1st Baron Bloomfield, GCB, GCH, PC (1768-1846).

Charles Fry, while studying at Oxford, played first-class cricket for Oxford University Cricket Club, making his debut for the club against Yorkshire at Oxford in 1959.

He married Jane Vigors, by whom he had three children, Benjamin, James and Annabelle.

The 1st Baron Bloomfield > Hon Harriott Bloomfield (1806-1901) > Georgina Kingscote (1835-1912) > Beatrice Holme-Sumner (1862-1946) > Stephen Hope Fry (1900-79) > Charles Fry (1940-2024)

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Kapetanov/Brudenell marriage

The marriage has taken place between Bret Kapetanov (born circa 1994), and Maddison May Brudenell (born 16 May, 1994), a descendant of the Royal House.

Maddison, a descendant of Queen Victoria, announced her engagement to Bret in June, 2023. Mr Kapetanov, a millwright, hails from Windsor, Ontario, and she gave birth a son Michael Adam, 6 August, 2024. The baby is named in honour of Maddison's paternal grandfather, the late John Michael Brudenell (1925-2015), the royal obstetrician.

Maddison is a daughter of the actor Jeremy Alexander Rothwell Brudenell (born 2 April, 1960) and his wife the former Edwina Victoria Louise Hicks (born 24 December, 1961), elder daughter of the late David Nightingale Hicks (1929-1998), by his wife the former Lady Pamela Carmen Louise Mountbatten (born 19 April, 1929), younger daughter of Admiral of the Fleet the late 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (1900-79).

In 2015 Maddison married Olaoluwa Olamide Modupe-Ojo, a musician under the name "Jazz Purple". The marriage ended in divorce. Maddison has issue from her first marriage, two daughters, Daphne (born 26 Nov, 2016), and Phoebe (born 15 Dec, 2018), and a son, Moses (b 2020).

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Lindsay/Strunck marriage

The marriage has taken place between the Hon James Antony Lindsay (born 10 November, 1992), second son of the 30th Earl of Crawford & Balcarres (born 24 November, 1958), of Balcarres, Fife, and the Countess of Crawford & Balcarres (nee Nicola Ann Bicket, born 1960), & Clara Rose C.R. (Coco) Strunck (born 9 April, 1993), youngest daughter of Ronald A.A.M. Strunck (born Nov, 1943), of London, and his wife the former Camilla Mary Elizabeth Romsey Dobson (born Feb, 1958).

The bride is a granddaughter maternally of Sir Denis Dobson, KCB, OBE, QC (1908-1995). She is a freelance writer and journalist. She has experience writing news, features and interviews for magazines and national newspapers, including The Sunday Times Style, Tatler, ES Magazine, The Evening Standard, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, The Telegraph and Vogue Scandinavia, among others. She has also worked on refreshing brand editorial for companies such as Cartier and Bicester Village.

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Hamish Angus Peter Ramsay (born 2024)

Catherine Kidd, wife of Major James Ivor Iain Ramsay [born 1990], The Royal Regiment of Scotland, gave birth to a son, Hamish Angus Peter, 24 October, 2024.

The parents announced their engagement in August, 2021, and planned to marry 21 May, 2022.

Major Ramsay is a son of Major-General Angus Iain Ramsay, CBE, DSO, of Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire, and his wife the former Victoria Clare Lanyon [born 14 Oct, 1956].

Catherine is a daughter of Mr & Mrs David Kidd, of Bosham Hoe, West Sussex.

The infant is descended from the Barons Amherst of Hackney [and via them from the 3rd Marquess of Exeter], and the Barons Cornwallis.

William, 3rd Marquess of Exeter [1825-95] > Lord William Cecil [1854-1943] > Cdr Henry Cecil [1893-1962] > Rachel Cecil [1924-2010] > Victoria Lanyon [b 1956] > Maj James Ramsay [b 1990] > Hamish Ramsay (b 2024)

Fiennes, 1st Baron Cornwallis [1864-1935] > Hon Yvonne Cornwallis [1896-1983] > Rachel Mary Cecil [1924-2010 - see above]

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William Louis Cowper-Coles (born 2024)

Georgia Sophie Frances Cowper-Coles (born 1991, nee Rawlinson), wife of Myles Philip Cowper-Coles (born 21 March, 1990), scion of the Coles landed gentry family, gave birth to a son, William Louis, 22 October, 2024.

Georgia is a daughter of John Rawlinson, by his late wife the former Penelope Angela J. Letts (1957-2017). Myles is a son of Sir Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles, KCMG, LVO (born 8 January, 1955), by his first wife the former Bridget Mary Elliott (born 1953).

Sir Sherard is a British former diplomat. He was the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2009–2010.

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Simon Anthony Sherbrooke 1947-2024

Simon Anthony Sherbrooke, who died 20 October, 2024, was a scion of the Lords Herries of Terregles.

He was born in 1947, the eldest son of John Penn Sherbrooke (who died in 2001), and his wife the former Madeline Mary Josephine Maxwell-Stuart (1918-2002), a great-granddaughter of the 10th Lord Herries of Terregles (1804-1876); and married in 1977, Miranda McCrea, daughter of Michael McCrea, of Tweedbank, Kelso, by whom he had issue, five children, Archie (born 1980), Rosanna (born 1982), Benedict (born 1984), Luke (born 1986), and Edmund (born 1993, deceased).

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Corfield/Adams engagement

The engagement was announced 2 November, 2024, between (Richard) Kai C. Corfield, scion of that landed gentry family, son of Richard Conyngham Corfield (born 1955), of Edgeworth, Gloucestershire, and his wife the former Emma Catharine Ramsay Willis, & Isabella Denia Adams (born 1992), daughter of Hugh H.C. Adams, of Hunts Green, Berkshire, and his wife the Hon Annabella Jane Palumbo (born 1961), daughter of the life peer the Baron Palumbo (born 20 July, 1935).

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Rex Anthony Bovill 1948-2024

Rex Anthony Bovill died 28 October, 2024, aged 76.

He was a grandson maternally of Sir John Leigh, 1st Baronet (1884-1959), a mill-owner, who used his fortune to buy a newspaper and launch his career as a Conservative politician. Leigh, whose family resided for generations at Pennington was descended from a cadet branch of the Barons Leigh (of the first creation). Sir John made his fortune in the Lancashire cotton industry. In February 1918, he was created a baronet of Altrincham in Cheshire, and around 1921 he purchased the Pall Mall Gazette.

Rex Bovill was born 12 February, 1948, the third son of Major William Frederick Bovill, OBE (1905-1982), and his wife the former Marjorie Joan Leigh (1910-1985); and married in 1973, Julia Bell, by whom he had a son, Benjamin (born 1983), and a daughter, Fenella (born 1977).

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The Viscountess Brentford, OBE 1942-2024

The Viscountess Brentford, OBE, who died 28 October, 2024, aged 81, was wife of the 4th Viscount.

The peeress was a British evangelical Anglican and activist. She served as the Third Church Estates Commissioner, one of the most senior lay people in the Church of England, from 1999 to 2005. She was also President of the Church Mission Society (CMS) between 1998 and 2007. She served as High Sheriff of East Sussex, 1998-99, and was appointed OBE in 1996.

She was born Gillian Evelyn Schluter, 22 November, 1942, daughter of Gerard Edward Schluter, OBE (1917-1979), of Nairobi, Kenya, and his wife the former Evelyn Rosie Galton-Fenzi (1920-2017), scion of the Galton landed gentry family; and married 21 March, 1964, the then Hon Crispin William Joynson-Hicks (born 7 Apr, 1933), son and heir of the 3rd Viscount Brentford (1902-1983), and his wife the former Phyllis Allfrey (died 1979), scion of that landed gentry family. Her husband succeeeded his father, 25 February, 1983, as fourth viscount (Peerage of the UK, cr 1929), and in the two baronetcies (cr UK 1919, and UK, 1956).

Viscountess Brentford is survived by her husband and a son, the Hon Paul William Joynson-Hicks (born 18 Apr, 1971), and three daughters, Emma, Rowena, and Amy.

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Ewen Alan Macpherson of Attadale (died 2024)

Ewen Alan Macpherson of Attadale, who died 25 October, 2024, at Lochcarron, was laird of the 32,000-acre Attadale estate in the North West Highlands of Scotland, which stretches from the south shore of Loch Carron to Loch Monar, 15 miles away to the east.

The Attadale estate was historically part of the Clan Matheson lands that extended west to the Kyle peninsula. Most of the estate consists of bare hillside with around 200 acres of flat ground covering the floor of the Attadale glen. Attadale House was built in 1755 by Donald Matheson whose father, John, was the factor for the Seaforth estates in Kintail, Lochalsh and Lochcarron. The love stone above the middle first floor window shows their initials DM and E MK and a heart. The estate was bought in 1952 by Mr Macpherson's father, Ian, whose family had left the island of Skye in the early years of the 19th century.

Mr Macpherson was predeceased by his wife, the former Nicolette Van der Bijl (who died 17 October, 2018).

Ewen's branch of the Macpherson clan came from Sleat and Orbost in Skye. Great great grandfather Dr Hugh Macpherson acquired the island of Eigg in the nineteenth century. He was Vice Principal of King’s College, Aberdeen.

Ewen Macpherson's wife Nicolette, always Nicky, was born in South Africa, a van der Bijl, whose family moved to the Cape from near Rotterdam in the mid-seventeenth century and become anglicised when the British defeated the Dutch in 1805. Nicky trained as a painter in London and was greatly influenced by childhood memories of gardens such as Kirstenbosch and Vergelegen at the Cape.

Ewen Macpherson is survived by a son, Nicholas and a daughter Joanna, and predeceased by a daughter Sophie. The daughter Joanna featured in a BBC One documentary 'Lady Lairds' in 2016. Joanna left her marketing job in London to take over the running of Attadale Estate from her father Ewen.

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Gabrielle Genista Fraser (nee Holt-Wilson) 1933-2024

Gabriella Genista 'Gay' Fraser, died 19 October, 2024, aged 91.

She was born in 1933, daughter of Brigadier-General Sir Eric Edward Boketon Holt-Wilson, CMG, DSO (1875 – 1950) , the Army officer who left the army to join the nascent British Security Service (MI5), which developed in time to deal with espionage during World War I. He became the Service's deputy to Sir Vernon Kell, serving through to the beginning of World War II. Her mother was the former Audrey Stirling (1910-1994).

Gay Fraser was a great-granddaughter of Edward Greene (1815-1891), a brewer and Conservative MP who founded Greene King brewery, and was father of Sir Edward Greene, 1st Baronet (1842-1920).

Gay married in 1963, Colin G. Fraser, by whom she had issue, a son Andrew, and a daughter, Fiona.

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John Ernest Pretyman 1929-2024

John Ernest Pretyman, who died 28 October, 2024, aged 95, was a scion of that landed gentry family and a grandson of the 4th Earl of Normanton.

He was born 28 September, 1929, son of Lt-Cdr Herbert Ernest Pretyman, RN (1900-1987), and his wife Lady Mary Karen Agar (1901-1975), daughter of the 4th Earl of Normanton (1865-1933.

His father was a first cousin of the late Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (1901-2004).

John Pretyman was a grandson of the Rt Hon Ernest George Pretyman, MP, PC (1859-1931), who served as Member of Parliament for Woodbridge, Suffolk from 1895 to 1906 and for Chelmsford from 1908 to 1923. He defeated the Liberal MP Robert Lacey Everett in 1895 and lost his seat to Everett in 1906. He was Civil Lord of the Admiralty from 1900 to 1903, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty from 1903 to 1906, Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade from 1915 to 1916 and Civil Lord of the Admiralty again from 1916 to 1919. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1917.

John's paternal grandmother was Lady Beatrice Bridgeman (1870-1952), daughter of the 4th Earl of Bradford (1845-1915). Lady Beatrice's younger sister, Lady Margaret (1872-1954), was wife of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry (1864-1935), parents of Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, who married King George V's third son.

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David Edward Wyndham Tennant 1930-2024

David Edward Wyndham Tennant, who died 19 October, 2024, aged 94, was a scion of the Barons Glenconner and a son of the actress Hermione Baddeley.

He was born 10 May, 1930, the son of the Hon David Francis Tennant (1902-68), and his first wife the former Hermione Youlanda Ruby Clinton-Baddeley (1906-86). His mother was the great English actress Hermione Baddeley, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Room at the Top (1959) and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore in 1963. She portrayed Mrs Cratchit in the 1951 film Scrooge and Ellen the maid in the 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins. She voiced Madame Adelaide Bonfamille in the 1970 Disney animated film, The Aristocats.

David Tennant's aunt was Angela Baddeley, CBE (1904-76), the stage and television actress, best-remembered for her role as household cook Mrs. Bridges in the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs.

David Tennant was a grandson paternally of the 1st Baron Glenconner (1859-1920).

The Old Etonian was a member of the London Stock Exchange. He married firstly, 3 Dec, 1964 (div 1973), Margaret Rachel Scott (born 23 Nov, 1943), scion of the Earls of Eldon, daughter of the Hon Sir Ernest Stowell Scott, KCMG, MVO (1872-1953), diplomat, by his wife the former Winifred Kathleen Brodrick, by whom he had issue; he married 2ndly, in 2004, as her 3rd husband, Frances Jane Fairey (1937-2017), daughter of Sir Charles Richard Fairey, MBE (1887-1956), the aircraft manufacturer, by his wife the former Esther Sarah Whitmey (1906-78).

David Tennant leaves issue from his first marriage, two sons, Aubone (born 7 May, 1969), and Ivan (born 1970), and a daughter, Laura (born 9 Feb, 1967).

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