Baron Oranmore and Browne
Encyclopedia
Baron Oranmore and Browne, of Carrabrowne Castle in the County of Galway and of Castle Macgarrett in the County of Mayo, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland
. It was created in 1836 for Dominick Browne
, who had earlier represented County Mayo
in the House of Commons
. His son, the second Baron, sat in the House of Lords
as an Irish Representative Peer
from 1869 to 1900. Lord Oranmore and Browne assumed the surname of Guthrie on his marriage in 1859 to Christina Guthrie. He was succeeded by his son, the third Baron. He was an Irish Representative Peer from 1902 to 1926 and a member of the short-lived Senate of Southern Ireland. In 1926 he was created Baron Mereworth, of Mereworth Castle
in the County of Kent, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. This title gave the barons an automatic seat in the House of Lords until the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
. On his death in 1927 the title passed to his son, the fourth Baron. He married, as his third wife, the actress Sally Gray
. Lord Oranmore and Browne died in August 2002, aged 100 years and 291 days. He is thereby the third oldest hereditary peer
ever. He was succeeded by his son, Dominick, from his first marriage, the fifth and present holder of the titles.
In May 2011, Mereworth went to court to attempt to force the House of Lords to issue him a Writ of Summons
allowing him to sit and vote in the House by virtue of the Letters Patent
issued in the creation of the Baronetcy. The case (Baron Mereworth v Ministry of Justice) was dismissed on the grounds that the High Court did not have jurisdiction on how the House of Lords conducted its business. Furthermore, even if the court did have jurisdiction, the House of Lords act of 1999 clearly withdrew the right of holders of Letters Patent to be issued a Writ of Summons purely "by virtue" of those Letters. Mereworth was also ordered to pay £8,800 in costs. This case was referenced as precedent in the official rebuttal of a claim by Viscount Monckton that he was entitled to claim membership of the House of Lords.
The heir presumptive
is the present holder's brother the Hon. Martin Michael Dominick Browne (b. 1931).
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
. It was created in 1836 for Dominick Browne
Dominick Browne, 1st Baron Oranmore and Browne
Dominick Browne, 1st Baron Oranmore and Browne PC , was an Irish politician.Browne was the son of Dominick Geoffrey Browne and his wife Margaret. She was the daughter of the Hon. George Browne, 4th son of John, 1st Earl of Altamont...
, who had earlier represented County Mayo
Mayo (UK Parliament constituency)
Mayo was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.-History :...
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...
. His son, the second Baron, sat 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....
as an Irish Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
from 1869 to 1900. Lord Oranmore and Browne assumed the surname of Guthrie on his marriage in 1859 to Christina Guthrie. He was succeeded by his son, the third Baron. He was an Irish Representative Peer from 1902 to 1926 and a member of the short-lived Senate of Southern Ireland. In 1926 he was created Baron Mereworth, of Mereworth Castle
Mereworth Castle
Mereworth Castle is a grade I listed Palladian country house in Mereworth, Kent, England.Originally the site of a fortified manor licensed in 1332, the present building is not actually a castle, but was built in the 1720s as an almost exact copy of Palladio's Villa Rotunda. It was designed in 1723...
in the County of Kent, 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...
. This title gave the barons an automatic seat in the House of Lords until the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
. On his death in 1927 the title passed to his son, the fourth Baron. He married, as his third wife, the actress Sally Gray
Sally Gray
Constance Vera Browne, Baroness Oranmore and Browne , commonly known as Sally Gray, was an English movie actress of the 1930s and 1940s....
. Lord Oranmore and Browne died in August 2002, aged 100 years and 291 days. He is thereby the third oldest hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
ever. He was succeeded by his son, Dominick, from his first marriage, the fifth and present holder of the titles.
In May 2011, Mereworth went to court to attempt to force the House of Lords to issue him a Writ of Summons
Writ of summons
A Writ of Summons may be* Writ of Summons, a writ that enables a peer to sit in Parliament* A Writ of summons is a document instituting legal proceedings, see Summons....
allowing him to sit and vote in the House by virtue of the Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
issued in the creation of the Baronetcy. The case (Baron Mereworth v Ministry of Justice) was dismissed on the grounds that the High Court did not have jurisdiction on how the House of Lords conducted its business. Furthermore, even if the court did have jurisdiction, the House of Lords act of 1999 clearly withdrew the right of holders of Letters Patent to be issued a Writ of Summons purely "by virtue" of those Letters. Mereworth was also ordered to pay £8,800 in costs. This case was referenced as precedent in the official rebuttal of a claim by Viscount Monckton that he was entitled to claim membership of the House of Lords.
Barons Oranmore and Browne (1836)
- Dominick Browne, 1st Baron Oranmore and BrowneDominick Browne, 1st Baron Oranmore and BrowneDominick Browne, 1st Baron Oranmore and Browne PC , was an Irish politician.Browne was the son of Dominick Geoffrey Browne and his wife Margaret. She was the daughter of the Hon. George Browne, 4th son of John, 1st Earl of Altamont...
(1787–1860) - Geoffrey Dominick Augustus Frederick Guthrie-Browne, 2nd Baron Oranmore and Browne (1819–1900)
- Geoffrey Henry Browne, 3rd Baron Oranmore and BrowneGeoffrey Browne, 3rd Baron Oranmore and BrowneGeoffrey Henry Browne, 3rd Baron Oranmore and Browne, 1st Baron Mereworth KP PC , born Geoffrey Henry Browne-Guthrie, was an Irish politician....
(1861–1927) - Dominick Geoffrey Edward Browne, 4th Baron Oranmore and BrowneDominick Browne, 4th Baron Oranmore and BrowneDominick Geoffrey Edward Browne, 4th Baron Oranmore and Browne, 2nd Baron Mereworth was the longest sitting British peer and legislator....
(1901–2002) - Dominick Geoffrey Thomas Browne, 5th Baron Oranmore and Browne (b. 1929)
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 brother the Hon. Martin Michael Dominick Browne (b. 1931).