Baron Stafford

The title Baron Stafford has been created several times in the Peerage of England. In the 17th and 18th century there was also a Viscount Stafford or Earl of Stafford.

The first creation was by writ in 1299 for Edmond de Stafford. His successor, the second baron, was made an earl, and the sixth earl was made Duke of Buckingham. The second Duke of Buckingham was executed for treason and his titles were declared forfeit. His son was restored as third Duke, but he, too, was executed for treason, forfeiting his titles.

The second creation, again by writ, was for Richard Stafford. At the death of the fourth baron, that title fell into abeyance. The next creation was for Sir Hugh Stafford in 1411; at his death, the title became extinct since he left no heirs. The fourth creation was in 1547 for Henry Stafford; at the death of the sixth baron, the barony became extinct again.

The final creation of the title came in 1640 in favour of William Howard. He was the third and youngest son of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, grandson of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (see the Duke of Norfolk). He married Mary Stafford, only sister of Henry Stafford, 5th Baron de Stafford (of the 1547 creation, which is considered to have become extinct upon the death of Mary's uncle, the sixth Baron, sometime around 1640). On 12 September 1640 William Howard was created Baron Stafford, with remainder, in default of heirs male of the body, to the heirs of his body by his wife Mary. The same day Mary was made Baroness Stafford in her own right. This title was for life only. Two months later, on 11 November, William Howard was created Viscount Stafford, with remainder to his issue male.

Lord Stafford later became implicated in the Titus Oates plot, where fabricated evidence was used to prove an alleged Catholic plot against Charles II. He was attainted in 1678, with his titles forfeited. In 1680 he was impeached by the House of Commons and executed. After the accession of the Catholic James II, Mary, Baroness Stafford, was created Countess of Stafford for life. On the same day, her eldest son by Lord Stafford, Henry Stafford-Howard, was created Earl of Stafford, with remainder to his brothers John and Francis. However, he was not allowed to succeeded in the barony or viscountcy of Stafford as these titles were still under attainder.

Henry was succeeded according to the special remainder by his nephew, the second Earl (the eldest son of John). He was succeeded by his son, the third Earl. When he died childless, the title passed to his uncle, the fourth Earl. He was also childless and on his death in 1762 the earldom became extinct (the viscountcy of Stafford also formally became extinct, although the title was then under attainder). The claim to the barony of Stafford passed to the late Earl's niece, Anastasia, the "de jure" sixth Baroness Stafford. She was the daughter of the second Earl of Stafford. However, Anastasia was childless and on her death in 1807 the claim passed to her first cousin once removed, Sir William Jerningham, 6th Baronet, of Cossey (see Jerningham Baronets for earlier history of this title). He was the son of Sir George Jerningham, 5th Baronet, and his wife Mary, Lady Jerningham, only daughter of Mary Plowden, sister of the fourth Earl of Stafford.

Jerningham died in 1809 when the claim passed to his son Sir George William Jerningham, 7th Baronet. He petioned the House of Lords for a reversal of the attainder and for a writ of summons Parliament. In 1824 the attainder of the first Baron was completely reversed, and on 6 July 1825 the House of Lords decided that Jerningham had been successful in his claim to the barony. He was summoned to Parliament the same year as the eighth Baron Stafford. In 1826 he assumed by Royal license the additional surname and arms of Stafford. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the ninth Baron. He had earlier represented Pontefract in the House of Commons. When he died the titles passed to his nephew, the tenth Baron, and then to the latter's brother, the eleventh Baron. On the eleventh Baron's death in 1913 the barony and baronetcy separated. The baronetcy was passed on to Sir Henry William Stafford Jerningham, 11th Baronet (on whose death in 1935 the title became extinct; see Jerningham Baronets).

The barony, which could be inherited through female lines, was passed on to the late Baron's nephew Francis Edward Fitzherbert, the twelfth Baron. He was the son of Emily Charlotte (sister of both the tenth and eleventh Baron) and her husband Basil Thomas Fitzherbert. He assumed in 1913 by Royal license the additional surname and arms of Stafford. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the thirteenth Baron. He was an Admiral in the Royal Navy. On his death the title passed to his nephew, the fourteenth Baron. As of 2007 the barony is held by the latter's son, the fifteenth Baron, who succeeded his father in 1986.

The seat of the Jerningham family, who held the title from 1825 to 1913, was Costessey Hall in Norfolk. The seat of the Fitzherbert family is Swynnerton Hall in Swynnerton, near Stone, Staffordshire

Barons Stafford, First Creation (1299)

*Edmond de Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (d. 1308)
*Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford (1301-1372)
*Hugh Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford (c. 1342-1386)
*Thomas Stafford, 3rd Earl of Stafford (c. 1368-1392)
*William Stafford, 4th Earl of Stafford (1375-1395)
*Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford (1378-1403)
*Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham (1402-1460)
*Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (1455-1483) (forfeit 1483)
*Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (1477-1521) (restored 1485; forfeit 1521)

Barons Stafford, Second Creation (1371)

*Richard Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (d. 1380)
*Edmund Stafford, 2nd Baron Stafford (d. 1419)
*Thomas Stafford, 3rd Baron Stafford (d. 1425)
*Richard Stafford, 4th Baron Stafford (d. c. 1445) (abeyant 1445)

Barons Stafford, Third Creation (1411)

*Hugh Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (d. 1420)"Extinct on his death"

Barons Stafford, Fourth Creation (1547)

*Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (1501-1563)
*Henry Stafford, 2nd Baron Stafford (d. 1566)
*Edward Stafford, 3rd Baron Stafford (1536-1603)
*Edward Stafford, 4th Baron Stafford (1572-1625)
*Henry Stafford, 5th Baron Stafford (1621-1637)
*Roger Stafford, 6th Baron Stafford (c. 1573-1640)'Extinct on his death"

Barons Stafford, Fifth Creation (1640)

*William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (1614-1680) (attainted December 7, 1680)
*Henry Stafford-Howard, 1st Earl of Stafford, "de jure" Baron Stafford (c. 1648-1719) (died without issue)
*William Stafford-Howard, "de jure" Baron Stafford (c. 1690-1734)
*William Matthias Stafford-Howard, 3rd Earl of Stafford, "de jure" Baron Stafford (1718-1751) (who left only female issue)
*John Paul Stafford-Howard, 4th Earl of Stafford, "de jure" Baron Stafford, (1700-1762) (younger brother of William Matthias; died without issue)
*Anastasia Stafford-Howard (1722-1807) (assumed the title Baroness Stafford upon the death of her uncle, John, although the patent is clear that the destination - had there been no attainder - is to males only)

*George William Stafford-Jerningham, 8th Baron Stafford (1771-1851) (who succeeded in having the 1680 attainder reversed, in 1824)
*Henry Valentine Stafford-Jerningham, 9th Baron Stafford (1802-1884)
*Augustus Frederick Fitzherbert Stafford-Jerningham, 10th Baron Stafford (1830-1892)
*Fitzherbert Stafford-Jerningham, 11th Baron Stafford (1833-1913)
*Francis Edward Fitzherbert-Stafford, 12th Baron Stafford (1859-1932)
*Edward Stafford Fitzherbert, 13th Baron Stafford (1864-1941)
*Basil Francis Nicholas Fitzherbert, 14th Baron Stafford (1926-1986)
*Francis Melfort William Fitzherbert, 15th Baron Stafford (b. 1954)

The Heir Apparent is the present holder's son, the Honourable Benjamin Basil Fitzherbert (b. November 8 1983)

ee also

*Duke of Buckingham (1444 creation)
*Duke of Norfolk
*Earl of Arundel
*Jerningham Baronets

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]