Baron St John of Bletso
Encyclopedia
Baron St John of Bletso, in the County of Bedford, is a title in the Peerage of England
. It was created in 1582 for Oliver St John
.
For a period, the title Baron St John was subsumed within the title Earl of Bolingbroke which was granted to the fourth Baron. The Earldom died out with the third Earl, but the Barony continued via another branch which had since become the baronet line. The eldest son of the 1st Earl was advanced to the barony by Writ of acceleration
under King Charles I to become the 5th Baron. However he died in the civil war without becoming Earl, This resulted in the existence of an additional baron in the sequence but this was not taken into account by the family when the barony was continued.
Hence there is a discrepancy between the complete numbered series used by Burke and Debrett, and the numbering series in use by the family, particularly in the 18th and 19th century. Hence the numbers on family graves of this time are one less than the numbers used in the principal peerage registers that form the basis for this article.
from 1363 to 1379. Since then that title had not been assumed although Oliver St John was considered to be the line of heir. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baron. He was one of the peers who sat during the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots. He died without male heirs and the claim to the barony of Beauchamp of Bletshoe passed to his daughter Anne, the wife of William Howard, Lord Howard Effingham, eldest son and heir of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
.
He was succeeded in the barony of St John of Bletsoe by his younger brother, the third Baron. The latter's son, the fourth Baron, was created Earl of Bolingbroke in 1624. His eldest son and heir apparent, Oliver St John, was in 1641 summoned to the House of Lords
through a writ of acceleration
in his father's junior title of Baron St John of Bletsoe. However, he predeceased his father (killed at the Battle of Edgehill
in 1642) but due to the writ of acceleration issued he is known as the fifth Baron St John of Bletsoe. The Earl was succeeded by his grandson, the second Earl. He was the son of Sir Paulet St John, younger son of the first Earl. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl, who represented Bedford
in the House of Commons
. He never married and on his death in 1711 the earldom became extinct.
The barony was inherited by his second cousin once removed, Sir Paulet St Andrew St John, 5th Baronet, who became the eighth Baron. He was the great-great-grandson of the Hon. Sir Rowland St John
, fourth son of the third Baron (see below for more information on the baronetcy). His cousin's son, the fourteenth Baron, sat as a Member of Parliament
for Bedfordshire
. His grandson, the seventeenth Baron, served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
from 1905 to 1912. the titles are held by the latter's great-grandson, the twenty-second Baron, who succeeded his father in 1978. He is one of the ninety elected hereditary peer
s that remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
, and sits as a cross-bencher.
The St John Baronetcy, of Northwood in the County of Northampton, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1660 for Oliver St John. He was the son of the Hon. Sir Rowland St John
, fourth son of the third Baron St John of Bletsoe. His son, the second Baronet, represented Northamptonshire
in the House of Commons. The latter's grandson, the fifth Baronet, succeeded as eighth Baron St John of Bletsoe in 1711 (see above for later history of the titles).
Oliver St John (d. c. 1497), younger brother of the aforementioned Sir John St John (d. c. 1482), was the ancestor of the Viscounts Grandison
and the Viscounts Bolingbroke and St John.
see above for further holders
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
. It was created in 1582 for Oliver St John
Oliver St John, 1st Baron St John of Bletso
Oliver St John of Bletsoe, 1st Baron St John of Bletso was an English peer.St John was the son of Sir John St John of Bletsoe and Spelsbury and his wife Margaret . His paternal great-great-great-grandfather Sir Oliver St John of Bletsoe, Spelsbury and Lydiard Tregoze Oliver St John of Bletsoe,...
.
For a period, the title Baron St John was subsumed within the title Earl of Bolingbroke which was granted to the fourth Baron. The Earldom died out with the third Earl, but the Barony continued via another branch which had since become the baronet line. The eldest son of the 1st Earl was advanced to the barony by Writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
under King Charles I to become the 5th Baron. However he died in the civil war without becoming Earl, This resulted in the existence of an additional baron in the sequence but this was not taken into account by the family when the barony was continued.
Hence there is a discrepancy between the complete numbered series used by Burke and Debrett, and the numbering series in use by the family, particularly in the 18th and 19th century. Hence the numbers on family graves of this time are one less than the numbers used in the principal peerage registers that form the basis for this article.
History
Oliver St John, the 1st Baron was the great-great-grandson of Sir John St John (d. c. 1482) , eldest son of Sir John Oliver St John of Bletso (d. 1437), the husband of Margaret, great-great-granddaughter of Roger de Beauchamp (d. 1380), who was summoned to Parliament as Baron Beauchamp of BletsoBaron Beauchamp of Bletso
Baron Beauchamp of Bletso was a title in the Peerage of England, created by writ when Roger de Beauchamp , son of Giles de Beauchamp and Catherine de Bures, was summoned to Parliament as the 1st Baron Beauchamp of Bletso from 1363 to 1379.His son by his first marriage to Sybil de Patshull, another...
from 1363 to 1379. Since then that title had not been assumed although Oliver St John was considered to be the line of heir. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baron. He was one of the peers who sat during the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots. He died without male heirs and the claim to the barony of Beauchamp of Bletshoe passed to his daughter Anne, the wife of William Howard, Lord Howard Effingham, eldest son and heir of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham , known as Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I...
.
He was succeeded in the barony of St John of Bletsoe by his younger brother, the third Baron. The latter's son, the fourth Baron, was created Earl of Bolingbroke in 1624. His eldest son and heir apparent, Oliver St John, was in 1641 summoned to 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....
through a writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
in his father's junior title of Baron St John of Bletsoe. However, he predeceased his father (killed at the Battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
in 1642) but due to the writ of acceleration issued he is known as the fifth Baron St John of Bletsoe. The Earl was succeeded by his grandson, the second Earl. He was the son of Sir Paulet St John, younger son of the first Earl. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl, who represented Bedford
Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)
Bedford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The seat was established in its current form in 1997, restoring a centuries old name. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election...
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...
. He never married and on his death in 1711 the earldom became extinct.
The barony was inherited by his second cousin once removed, Sir Paulet St Andrew St John, 5th Baronet, who became the eighth Baron. He was the great-great-grandson of the Hon. Sir Rowland St John
Rowland St John
Rowland St John was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1614 and 1625.St John was a son of Oliver St John, 3rd Baron St John of Bletso and his wife Dorothy Reid, daughter of Sir John Rede or Reid, of Odington, Gloucestershire. In 1614, St John was elected Member of...
, fourth son of the third Baron (see below for more information on the baronetcy). His cousin's son, the fourteenth Baron, sat as 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 Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Bedfordshire was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency, which elected two Members of Parliament from 1295 until 1885, when it was divided into two constituencies under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.-History:...
. His grandson, the seventeenth Baron, served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire. Since 1711, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Bedfordshire.*William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton 1549–1551...
from 1905 to 1912. the titles are held by the latter's great-grandson, the twenty-second Baron, who succeeded his father in 1978. He is one of the ninety elected 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...
s that remain in the House of Lords after 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;...
, and sits as a cross-bencher.
The St John Baronetcy, of Northwood in the County of Northampton, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1660 for Oliver St John. He was the son of the Hon. Sir Rowland St John
Rowland St John
Rowland St John was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1614 and 1625.St John was a son of Oliver St John, 3rd Baron St John of Bletso and his wife Dorothy Reid, daughter of Sir John Rede or Reid, of Odington, Gloucestershire. In 1614, St John was elected Member of...
, fourth son of the third Baron St John of Bletsoe. His son, the second Baronet, represented Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
The county constituency of Northamptonshire, in the East Midlands of England was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832 and was represented in...
in the House of Commons. The latter's grandson, the fifth Baronet, succeeded as eighth Baron St John of Bletsoe in 1711 (see above for later history of the titles).
Oliver St John (d. c. 1497), younger brother of the aforementioned Sir John St John (d. c. 1482), was the ancestor of the Viscounts Grandison
Viscount Grandison
Viscount Grandison of Limerick, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1620 for Sir Oliver St John, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, with special remainder to the male issue of his niece Barbara, wife of Sir Edward Villiers, elder half-brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham,...
and the Viscounts Bolingbroke and St John.
Barons St John of Bletso (1559)
- Oliver St John, 1st Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John, 1st Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John of Bletsoe, 1st Baron St John of Bletso was an English peer.St John was the son of Sir John St John of Bletsoe and Spelsbury and his wife Margaret . His paternal great-great-great-grandfather Sir Oliver St John of Bletsoe, Spelsbury and Lydiard Tregoze Oliver St John of Bletsoe,...
(d. 1582) - John St John, 2nd Baron St John of BletsoJohn St John, 2nd Baron St John of BletsoJohn St John, 2nd Baron St John of Bletso was an English peer. The son of Oliver St John, 1st Baron St John of Bletso, and Agnes Fisher, he succeeded to the barony upon his father's death in 1582....
(d. 1596) - Oliver St John, 3rd Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John, 3rd Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John, 3rd Baron St John of Bletso was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1588 until 1596 when he inherited the peerage as Baron St John of Bletso....
(c. 1540–1618) - Oliver St John, 4th Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John, 1st Earl of BolingbrokeOliver St John, 1st Earl of Bolingbroke , known from 1618 until 1624 as 4th Baron St John of Bletso, was an English nobleman and politician.-Life:...
(d. 1646) (created Earl of Bolingbroke in 1624)
Earls of Bolingbroke (1624)
- Oliver St John, 1st Earl of Bolingbroke, 4th Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John, 1st Earl of BolingbrokeOliver St John, 1st Earl of Bolingbroke , known from 1618 until 1624 as 4th Baron St John of Bletso, was an English nobleman and politician.-Life:...
(d. 1646) - Oliver St John, 5th Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John, 5th Baron St John of BletsoOliver St John, 5th Baron St John of Bletso was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1624 to 1629 and in the House of Lords from 1639. He died fighting in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War....
(d. 1642) (writ of accelerationWrit of accelerationA writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
) - Oliver St John, 2nd Earl of Bolingbroke, 6th Baron St John of Bletso (d. 1688)
- Paulet St John, 3rd Earl of Bolingbroke, 7th Baron St John of BletsoPaulet St John, 3rd Earl of BolingbrokePaulet St John, 3rd Earl of Bolingbroke , known as Paulet St John until 1688, was an English peer and politician....
(d. 1711)
Barons St John of Bletso (1559; Continued)
- Note: some sources do not count the 5th baron above as of this creation, as Debrett's and the Complete Peerage do. He was summoned to Parliament in his father's lifetime in the lesser title, but did not survive to inherit from him. In such sources the barons are numbered one less.
- Paulet St Andrew St John, 8th Baron St John of Bletso (d. 1714)
- William St John, 9th Baron St John of Bletso (d. 1720)
- Rowland St John, 10th Baron St John of Bletso (d. 1722)
- John St John, 11th Baron St John of BletsoJohn St John, 11th Baron St John of BletsoJohn St John of Northwood, 12th Baron St John of Bletso was a British peer.St John was the eldest son of John St John, 11th Baron St John of Bletso and his wife Elizabeth Crowley, daughter of Sir Ambrose Crowley of Greenwich. He was educated at Winchester College and at New College, Oxford...
(d. 1757) - John St John, 12th Baron St John of Bletso (1725–1767)
- Henry Beauchamp St John, 13th Baron St John of Bletso (1758–1805)
- St Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of BletsoSt Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of BletsoSt Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of Bletso PC FRS was an English politician who sat in the British House of Commons from 1780 until 1806 when he inherited a peerage....
(1759–1817) - St Andrew Beauchamp St John, 15th Baron St John of BletsoSt Andrew Beauchamp St John, 15th Baron St John of BletsoSt Andrew St John, 15th Baron St John of Bletso was an English peer.St John was born at Wimpole Street the eldest son of St Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of Bletso, and his wife, Louisa Boughton, daughter of Sir Charles William Rouse-Boughton, 9th Baronet. He succeeded his father in 1817 to...
(1811–1874) - St Andrew St John, 16th Baron St John of BletsoSt Andrew St John, 16th Baron St John of BletsoSt Andrew St John, 16th Baron St John of Bletso was an English peer.St John was the eldest son of St Andrew Beauchamp St John, 15th Baron St John and his wife Eleanor Hussey. He succeeded his father to become the 16th Lord St John, in 1874 and lived at Melchbourne...
(1840–1887) - Beauchamp Mowbray St John, 17th Baron St John of BletsoBeauchamp Mowbray St John, 17th Baron St John of BletsoBeauchamp Moubray St John, 17th Baron St John of Bletso was an English peer.St John was born at Melchbourne, the second son of St Andrew St John, 15th Baron St John of Bletso and his wife Eleanor Hussey. He served in the Highland Light Infantry until 1867...
(1844–1912) - Henry Beauchamp Oliver St John, 18th Baron St John of BletsoHenry St John, 18th Baron St John of BletsoHenry Beauchamp Oliver St John, 18th Baron St John of Bletso DL was an English peer.He was the eldest son of Beauchamp St John, 17th Baron St John of Bletso, and his wife Helen Thornton. He was educated at Wellington College and Magdalene College, Cambridge. On 26 July 1901, he was made a Deputy...
(1876–1920) - Moubray St Andrew Thornton St John, 19th Baron St John of Bletso (1877–1934)
- John Mowbray Russell St John, 20th Baron St John of BletsoJohn Mowbray Russell St John, 20th Baron St John of BletsoJohn Moubray Russell St John, 20th Baron St John of Bletso TD was an English peer.The only son of Moubray St John, 19th Baron St John of Bletso and his wife Evelyn, John St John became the 20th Baron Lord St John of Bletso on the death of his father in 1934...
(1917–1976) - Andrew Beauchamp St John, 21st Baron St John of BletsoAndrew Beauchamp St John, 21st Baron St John of BletsoLieutenant Colonel Andrew Beauchamp St John, 21st Baron St John of Bletso TD was an English peer.He was the third son of Rowland St John and Katherine Lockwood. He was educated at Wellington and joined the Bank of England in 1937...
(1918–1978) - Anthony Tudor St John, 22nd Baron St John of BletsoAnthony St John, 22nd Baron St John of BletsoAnthony Tudor St John, 22nd Baron St John of Bletso is a British peer, businessman and solicitor. He is one of the ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the House of Lords Act 1999, coming second in the ballot of his colleagues as to who among them should remain in...
(b. 1957)
St John Baronets, of Northwood (1660)
- Sir Oliver St John, 1st Baronet (c. 1624–1662) (fourth son of 3rd Baron, above)
- Sir St Andrew St John, 2nd Baronet (1658–1709)
- Sir Oliver St John, 3rd Baronet (c. 1683–c. 1710)
- Sir St Andrew St John, 4th Baronet (c. 1685–1711; brother)
- Sir Paulet St Andrew St John, 5th Baronet (1711-1714) (posthumous son; succeeded at birth as Baronet and as Baron St John of Bletso)
see above for further holders
See also
- Baron Beauchamp of Bletsoe
- Viscount GrandisonViscount GrandisonViscount Grandison of Limerick, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1620 for Sir Oliver St John, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, with special remainder to the male issue of his niece Barbara, wife of Sir Edward Villiers, elder half-brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham,...
- Viscount Bolingbroke and St John