Baron Forester
Encyclopedia
Baron Forester, of Willey Park in the County
of Shropshire
, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. It was created in 1821 for Cecil Weld-Forester
, who had previously represented Wenlock in the House of Commons
. Born Cecil Forester, he assumed the additional surname of Weld by Royal license in 1811. His son, the second Baron, also represented Wenlock from 1790 in Parliament and later served in the Tory administration
of Sir Robert Peel as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
(Government Chief Whip
in the House of Lords
) from 1841 to 1846.
He was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Baron. He sat as a Conservative
Member of Parliament
for Wenlock for 46 years, and was Father of the House of Commons from 1873 to 1874. His nephew, the fifth Baron, also represented Wenlock in Parliament as a Conservative
. Both his son, the sixth Baron, and grandson, the seventh Baron, served as Mayor of Wenlock
. , the title is held by the latter's grandson, the ninth Baron, who succeeded his father in 2004.
The family were anciently hereditary foresters
of Wellington
Hay in Mount Gilbert Forest, and lived at Wellington or at Watling Street Hall (later Old hall), where they had a half virgate
of land held by keeping the Hay. John Forester (died c.1521) leased Wellington Hay from perhaps 1512, and another John Forester bought its freehold in 1555. The family became gentry and several of the family became a Member of Parliament
for Wenlock
.
The heir presumptive
is the present holder's second cousin once removed, Wolstan William Weld-Forester (b. 1941). He is the grandson of Hon. Charles Cecil Orlando Weld-Forester, second son of the fifth Baron.
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. It was created in 1821 for Cecil Weld-Forester
Cecil Weld-Forester, 1st Baron Forester
Cecil Weld-Forester, 1st Baron Forester was a British Member of Parliament.Born Cecil Forester, he assumed the additional surname of Weld by Royal licence in 1811, upon inheriting Willey Park from his cousin George Forester. He was elected to the House of Commons for Wenlock in 1790, a seat he...
, who had previously represented Wenlock in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. Born Cecil Forester, he assumed the additional surname of Weld by Royal license in 1811. His son, the second Baron, also represented Wenlock from 1790 in Parliament and later served in the Tory administration
Conservative Government 1841-1846
Sir Robert Peel's second government came to power in 1841 after the Conservative victory in the General Election caused the Whig government of Lord Melbourne to resign. Henry Goulburn was Chancellor of the Exchequer, the future Prime Minister Lord Aberdeen Foreign Secretary and Sir James Graham...
of Sir Robert Peel as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms
The Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms is a UK government post since 1945 held by the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords. Prior to 17 March 1834, the Gentlemen-at-Arms were known as the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners....
(Government Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
) from 1841 to 1846.
He was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Baron. He sat as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Wenlock for 46 years, and was Father of the House of Commons from 1873 to 1874. His nephew, the fifth Baron, also represented Wenlock in Parliament as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. Both his son, the sixth Baron, and grandson, the seventh Baron, served as Mayor of Wenlock
Wenlock
Wenlock may refer to:Places* Little Wenlock, Shropshire, England* Wenlock Edge, limestone escarpment near Much Wenlock* Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England** Wenlock ** Much Wenlock and Severn Junction railway...
. , the title is held by the latter's grandson, the ninth Baron, who succeeded his father in 2004.
The family were anciently hereditary foresters
Royal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
of Wellington
Wellington, Shropshire
Wellington is a town in the unitary authority of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England and now forms part of the new town of Telford. The population of the parish of Wellington was recorded as 20,430 in the 2001 census, making it the third largest town in Shropshire if...
Hay in Mount Gilbert Forest, and lived at Wellington or at Watling Street Hall (later Old hall), where they had a half virgate
Virgate
The virgate or yardland was a unit of land area measurement used in medieval England, typically outside the Danelaw, and was held to be the amount of land that a team of two oxen could plough in a single annual season. It was equivalent to a quarter of a hide, so was nominally thirty acres...
of land held by keeping the Hay. John Forester (died c.1521) leased Wellington Hay from perhaps 1512, and another John Forester bought its freehold in 1555. The family became gentry and several of the family became a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Wenlock
(Much) Wenlock (UK Parliament constituency)
Wenlock was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was founded in 1468 as borough constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800,...
.
Predecessors
- Francis Forester (b. 1623) was High Sheriff of ShropshireHigh Sheriff of ShropshireThe High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
in 1652. - Sir William ForesterSir William ForesterSir William Forester , of Dothill in Wellington, Shropshire, was the son of Francis Forester of Dothill. He was Member of Parliament for the borough constituency of Wenlock from 1679 until his death . He was made a Knight of the Bath.He married Mary daughter of James Cecil, 3rd Earl of Salisbury...
(1655–1718), his son, inherited Dothill from his half-brother, Richard Steventon (died 1659), in about 1675, and beceme a Member of Parliament in 1678. - William ForesterWilliam ForesterWilliam Forester , of Dothill in Wellington, Shropshire, was the son of Sir William Forester of Dothill. Like his father William Forester (1690 – 12 November 1758), of Dothill in Wellington, Shropshire, was the son of Sir William Forester of Dothill. Like his father William Forester (1690 – 12...
(1690–1758), his son, served as MP for Wenlock (with substantial gaps) from 1715 until his death - Brooke ForesterBrooke ForesterBrooke Forester was the long-serving Member of Parliament for the borough constituency of Wenlock from 1739 and 1768....
(1717–1774), his eldest son was its member continuously from 1734 to 1761. He married the heiress of George Weld of Willey Park and inherited that estate. - George ForesterGeorge ForesterGeorge Forester was Member of Parliament for the borough constituency of Wenlock on several occasions between 1758 and 1785....
(1735–1811) sat for Wenlock (with gaps) from 1758 to 1790, when he was replaced by his cousin and heir, Cecil, later 1st Baron Forester. - Cecil Forester, the younger brother of Brooke Forester, held the same seat from 1761 to 1768, during a gap in George's representation of it, and was the father of the 1st Lord Forester.
Barons Forester (1821)
- Cecil Weld-Forester, 1st Baron ForesterCecil Weld-Forester, 1st Baron ForesterCecil Weld-Forester, 1st Baron Forester was a British Member of Parliament.Born Cecil Forester, he assumed the additional surname of Weld by Royal licence in 1811, upon inheriting Willey Park from his cousin George Forester. He was elected to the House of Commons for Wenlock in 1790, a seat he...
(1767–1828) - John George Weld Weld-Forester, 2nd Baron ForesterJohn Weld-Forester, 2nd Baron ForesterJohn George Weld Weld-Forester, 2nd Baron Forester PC , was a British Tory politician. He served as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms under Sir Robert Peel from 1841 to 1846.-Background:...
(1801–1874) - George Cecil Weld Weld-Forester, 3rd Baron ForesterGeorge Weld-Forester, 3rd Baron ForesterGeorge Cecil Weld-Forester, 3rd Baron Forester PC , styled The Honourable George Weld-Forester between 1821 and 1874, was a British Conservative politician. He notably served as Comptroller of the Household in 1852 and from 1858 to 1859...
(1807–1886) - Orlando Watkin Weld Weld-Forester, 4th Baron ForesterOrlando Weld-Forester, 4th Baron ForesterReverend Orlando Watkin Weld Weld-Forester, 4th Baron Forester , known until 1886 as the Honourable Orlando Weld-Forester, was a British peer and clergyman....
(1813–1894) - Cecil Theodore Weld-Forester, 5th Baron ForesterCecil Weld-Forester, 5th Baron ForesterCecil Theodore Weld-Forester, 5th Baron Forester , was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament, styled The Honourable from 1886 to 1894....
(1842–1917) - George Cecil Beaumont Weld-Forester, 6th Baron Forester (1867–1932)
- Cecil George Wilfred Weld-Forester, 7th Baron Forester (1899–1977)
- George Cecil Brooke Weld-Forester, 8th Baron Forester (1938–2004)
- Charles Richard George Weld-Forester, 9th Baron Forester (b. 1975)
The heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
is the present holder's second cousin once removed, Wolstan William Weld-Forester (b. 1941). He is the grandson of Hon. Charles Cecil Orlando Weld-Forester, second son of the fifth Baron.