is a title in the Peerage of England
From creation to first abeyance (1455-1693)
The title was created in 1455 for Sir John Bourchier
, youngest son of William Bourchier, Count of Eu
, and younger brother of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
and William Bourcher, Baron FitzWarine (from whom the Earls of Bath
descended). He was the husband of Margery Berners, daughter of Sir Richard Berners. The barony was created by writ
, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. Lord Berners was succeeded by his grandson, the second Baron. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer
between 1516 and 1527.
He died without male heirs and was succeeded by his daughter Jane Knyvett, the de jure third holder. However, she never assumed the title. Jane was the wife of Edmund Knyvett. Their grandson, the de jure fourth Baron, obtained a certificate of his right to the title but died before obtaining the King's confirmation. His great-great-grandson Thomas Knyvett, the de jure seventh Baron, sat as a Member of Parliament for Dunwich and Eyre. On his death in 1693 the peerage technically fell into abeyance between his two sisters, Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Glenham, and Katherine, wife firstly of John Harris and secondly of Richard Bokenham.
From restoration to death of 14th Baron (1711-1950)
The title remained in abeyance until 1711, when, on the death of Thomas Glenham, only child of Elizabeth Glenham (see above), the barony devolved on the aforementioned Katherine Bokenham, who became the de jure
eighth holder. In 1720 her title was confirmed by the House of Lords
. However, on her death in 1743 the barony again fell into abeyance, this time between the heirs of the sisters Elizabeth Knyvett (wife of Henry Wilson) and Lucy Knyvett (wife firstly of Thomas Holt and secondly of John Field), both great-granddaughters of Thomas Knyvett, younger brother of the sixth Baron. This time the peerage remained in abeyance for 89 years, until the abeyance was terminated in 1832 in favour of Robert Wilson, who became the ninth Baron. He was the grandson of Elizabeth Knyvett. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the tenth Lord. When he died the title passed to his son, the eleventh Baron.
He died childless and was succeeded by his niece Harriet Tyrwhitt, the twelfth Baroness. She was the daughter of Hon. Robert Wilson, younger son of the tenth Baron, and wife of Sir Henry Thomas Tyrwhitt, 3rd Baronet (see below for earlier history of this title). She was succeeded by her son, the thirteenth Baron. In 1892 he assumed by Royal license the additional surname of Wilson and in 1894 he succeeded his father as fourth Baronet, of Stanley Hall. He never married and was succeeded by his nephew, the fourteenth Baron, who was a writer, painter and composer of classical music. He never married and on his death in 1950 the baronetcy became extinct.
Continuation of barony
However, he was succeeded in the barony of Berners by his first cousin Vera Ruby, the fifteenth Baroness. She was the daughter of Hon. Rupert Tyrwhitt, fifth son of the twelfth Baroness, and the wife of Harold Williams. On her death in 1992 the barony fell into abeyance between her daughters Hon. Pamela Vivien Kirkham, wife of Michael Joseph Sperry Kirkham, and Hon. Rosemary Tyrwhitt, wife of Kelvin Alexander Pollock. In 1995 the abeyance was terminated in favour of the elder sister, Pamela Vivien Kirkham, the sixteenth and (as of 2007) present holder of the title.
The Tyrwhitt Baronetcy
, of Stanley Hall in the County of Shropshire
, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
on 3 October 1808
for Thomas Tyrwhitt Jones
. He represented Weymouth
in the House of Commons
. Born Thomas Tyrwhitt, he assumed by Royal license the additional surname of Jones in 1790. His son, the second Baronet, was High Sheriff
of Shropshire in 1816 and sat as a Member of Parliament for Bridgnorth
1818-1820. He was succeeded by his son, the aforementioned Sir Henry Thomas Tyrwhitt, 3rd Baronet, who married Harriet Wilson, 12th Baroness Berners. Their son Raymond Robert Tyrwhitt-Wilson succeeded in both the baronetcy and barony. See above for later history of the titles.
Barons Berners (1455)
- John Bourchier, 1st Baron Berners (d. 1474)
- John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (1467-1533)
- Jane Knyvett, de jure 3rd Baroness Berners (d. 1562)
- Thomas Knyvett, de jure 4th Baron Berners (c. 1539-1618)
- Thomas Knyvet, de jure 5th Baron Berners (1596-1658)
- John Knyvett, de jure 6th Baron Berners (d. 1673)
- Thomas Knyvett, de jure 7th Baron Berners (d. 1693) (abeyant 1693)
- Katherine Bokenham, 8th Baroness Berners (1658-1743) (abeyance terminated 1711; abeyant 1743)
- Robert Wilson, 9th Baron Berners (1761-1838) (abeyance terminated 1832; abeyant 1838)
- Henry Wilson, 10th Baron Berners (1762-1851) (abeyance terminated 1838)
- Henry William Wilson, 11th Baron Berners (1797-1871)
- Harriet Tyrwhitt, 12th Baroness Berners (1835-1917)
- Raymond Robert Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 13th Baron Berners (1855-1918)
- Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson, 14th Baron Berners (1883-1950) (baronetcy extinct)
- Vera Ruby Williams, 15th Baroness Berners (1901-1992) (abeyant 1992)
- Pamela Vivein Kirkham, 16th Baroness Berners (b. 1929) (abeyance terminated 1995)
The Heir Apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Rupert William Tyrwhitt Kirkham (b. 18 Feb 1953)
The Heir Apparent's Heir Apparent is his son Edward Michael Tyrwhitt Kirkham (b. 7 Jul 1994)
Tyrwhitt Baronets, of Stanley Hall (1808)
see above for later holders of the baronetcy
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.