Baron Burgh

Baron Burgh is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England. The first creation was for William de Burgh in 1327. However, nothing further is known about this peerage. The title was created for a second time in 1487 when Sir Thomas Burgh was summoned to Parliament as Lord Burgh. He was the son of Thomas Burgh, Lord of Gainsborough, and Elizabeth, granddaughter of Elizabeth of Atholl, daughter of David of Strathbogie, 12th Earl of Atholl and 3rd Baron Strabolgi. However, Lord Burgh's son Edward Burgh did not receive a writ of summons to the House of Lords, although he did represent Lincolnshire in the House of Commons. Consequently, the 1487 creation is considered to have become extinct on the first Baron's death in 1496.

However, Edward Burgh's son Sir Thomas Burgh was summoned to the House of Lords in 1529 as Baron Burgh, of Gainsborough in the County of Lincoln. He was already held to have succeeded as fifth Baron Strabolgi, although he was never summoned to Parliament in this title or confirmed in it. His grandson, the third Baron, notably served as Lord Deputy of Ireland. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Baron. He was childless and on his death in 1602 the baronies of Burgh and Strabolgi fell into abeyance between his sisters. They remained in abeyance for the next 314 years, but in 1916 they were both called out of abeyance, although in favour of different heirs. The abeyance of the barony of Burgh was terminated in favour of Alexander Henry Leith, who became the fifth Baron Burgh. He had already in 1912 established his claim as senior co-heir to the baronies of Cobham and Burgh before the Committee for Privileges of the House of Lords, and two years later, in 1914, to the barony of Strabolgi, but was overlooked when the abeyance of the two other peerages were terminated. As of 2007 the title is held by his great-grandson, the eighth Baron, who succeeded his father in 2001.

The title of the barony, Burgh, is pronounced "Borough".

Barons Burgh (1327)

*William de Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh

Barons Burgh (1487)

*Thomas de Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh (d. 1496)

Barons Burgh (1529)

*Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh, "de jure" 5th Baron Strabolgi (d. 1550)
*William Burgh, 2nd Baron Burgh, "de jure" 6th Baron Strabolgi (1522–1584)
*Thomas Burgh, 3rd Baron Burgh, "de jure" 7th Baron Strabolgi (c. 1555–1597)
*Robert Burgh, 4th Baron Burgh, "de jure" 8th Baron Strabolgi (1594–1602) (abeyant 1602)
*Alexander Henry Leith, 5th Baron Burgh (1866–1926) (abeyance terminated 1916)
*Alexander Leigh Henry Leith, 6th Baron Burgh (1906–1959)
*Alexander Peter Willoughby Leith, 7th Baron Burgh (1935–2001)
*Alexander Gregory Disney Leith, 8th Baron Burgh (b. 1958)

ee also

*Baron Strabolgi
*Baron Cobham (1313 creation)

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]