Jestyn Philipps, 2nd Viscount St Davids

Jestyn Reginald Austin Plantagenet Philipps, 2nd Viscount St Davids and 2nd Baron St Davids (19 February 1917–1991) was a British peer.

Personal life

Lord St Davids married three times but only had children with his first wife.

His first marriage was to Doreen Guinness Jowett on 5 May 1938. The couple divorced in 1954. [ [http://www.thepeerage.com/p3300.htm#i33000 thePeerage.com - Person Page 3300 ] ] His second marriage was to Elisabeth Joyce Woolf on 15 October 1954 but they divorced in October 1959.

By his first wife the couple had five children:
* The Hon. Colwyn Jestyn John Philipps (30 January 1939–); 3rd Viscount St Davids (from 1991)
* The Hon. Rowena Frances Philipps (7 August 1940–)
* The Hon. Myfanwy Ann Philipps (28 October 1944–)
* The Hon. Rhiannon Elisabeth Philipps (21 September 1946–)
* The Hon. Eiddwen Sara Philipps (28 June 1948–)

Titles

Lord St Davids held a total of six titles:
* 2nd Viscount St Davids (inherited 1938)
* 2nd Baron St Davids (inherited 1938)
* 15th Baron Strange (inherited 1974)
* 23rd Baron Hungerford (inherited 1974)
* 22nd Baron de Moleyns (inherited 1974)
* 14th Baronet - Philipps Baronets, of Picton Castle (inherited 1938)

Both the St Davids peerages and the baronetcy were inherited upon the death of his father, John Philipps, 1st Viscount St Davids. The Strange, Hunderford and de Moleyns peerages come through his mother's line as she was the 14th Baroness Strange, 22nd Baroness Hungerford and 21st Baroness de Moleyns when the abeyance of these titles where terminated in 1921.

The Hungerford and de Moleyns baronies

Lord St Davids' mother inherited these titles in 1921. The first three holders of the Hungerford barony all had the surname 'Hungerford', as did the fourth holder—Mary Hastings, 4th Baroness Hungerford—until marriage. The de Moleyns barony merged with the Hungerford barony on 13 January 1445, thus they have been held together ever since. All Barons Hungerford and de Moleyns have had the surname 'Hastings' (or a double-barrelled variant) since Mary Hastings.

Lord St Davids inherited these titles because his mother was part of the Hastings family, her maiden name being 'Abney-Hastings'. The titles went into abeyance with the 21st Baron Hungerford and 20th Baron de Moleyns in 1920 but this was terminated by Lord St Davids' mother in 1921.

The Strange barony

Lord St Davids' mother inherited the Strange barony in 1921 along with the Hungerford and de Moleyns baronies. The 1st Baron Strange was John le Strange in 1299 and the barony remained in the le Strange family until 1514 when it passed to Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby who became the 10th Baron Strange. The Earls of Derby were then also Barons Strange until Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby died in 1594 and the title fell into abeyance between his three daughters: Lady Anne, Lady Frances and Lady Elizabeth.

References