Baron Ravensworth

Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham and of Eslington Park in the County of Northumberland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1821 for Sir Thomas Henry Liddell, 6th Baronet, of Ravensworth Castle. The title of Baron Ravensworth had previously been created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1747 for the 4th Baronet, but this had become extinct in 1784. The second Baron of the second creation was made Earl of Ravensworth and Baron Eslington, but these titles also became extinct, in 1904.

History

The Liddell family descends from Thomas Liddell, a wealthy merchant of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and supporter of Charles I. In 1642 he was created a Baronet, of Ravensworth Castle, in the Baronetage of England. His grandson, the third Baronet, represented Durham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the House of Commons. In 1720 he acquired the estate of Eslington Park. His grandson, the fourth Baronet, sat as a Member of Parliament for Morpeth. In 1747 he was created Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham, in the Peerage of Great Britain. However, this title became extinct on his death while he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his nephew, the fifth Baronet.

The latter's son, the sixth Baronet, represented County Durham in the House of Commons. In 1821 the barony of Ravensworth was revived when he was created Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham and of Eslington Park in the County of Northumberland, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the second Baron, was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Northumberland, North Durham and Liverpool. In 1874 he was created Earl of Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham, with the subsidiary title of Baron Eslington, of Eslington Park in the County of Northumberland. These titles were in the peerage of the United Kingdom. The subsidiary title was a normal device, created to provide a suitable dignity for the eldest son of higher-ranking peers during the lifetime of the father.

His eldest son, the second Earl, represented Northumberland South in Parliament as a Conservative. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl. On his death in 1904 both the barony of Eslington and the earldom became extinct. However, he was succeeded in the barony of Ravensworth and baronetcy by his first cousin, the fifth Baron. He was the son of Reverend the Hon. Robert Liddell, fifth son of the first Baron. As of 2007 the titles are held by his great-grandson, the ninth Baron, who succeeded his father in 2004.

Two further figures of interest from this family are:

Alice Liddell. (1852-1934). Eponymous subject of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Guy Liddell. (1892-1958). Wartime head of counter-espionage in Britain's M.I.5: the Security Service.

Alice Liddell was one of the many children of the Very Reverend Henry Liddell, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. Lewis Carroll was the pen-name of C.L. Dodgson, a don at the University and sometime friend of the family. During an outing on the Thames (Isis) in 1862, Dodgson entertained Alice, and her sisters Lorina and Edith, with some stories which, in 1864, he presented to her as: Alice's Adventures Underground. Dodgson realised these tales might amuse other children, and sought a publisher. In 1865, the amended tales appeared as: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and were an immediate success. In 1871, a sequel appeared, under the title of: Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. The friendship did not survive, but the books immortalised both the author and Alice Liddell. Her father was the grandson of Sir Henry Liddell, the fifth Baronet.

Guy Liddell was the head of B Division of M.I.5. This department dealt with counter-espionage, though the presence of Kim Philbycompromised any work relating to the U.S.S.R. Guy Liddell was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and a Companion of theOrder of the British Empire (CBE). His earlier war-service had also earned him a decoration for gallantry: the Military Cross (MC).He was married to Calypso Baring, daughter of the third Baron Revelstoke, from the famous banking family, although they were later divorced. Guy Liddell was the son of Augustus Liddell, a grandson of Lord Ravensworth, the first Baron of the second creation.

The Liddell family previously lived at Ravensworth Castle in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. This great stately home was demolished in the 1920s due to subsidence, ironically caused by the families own coal mines, the profits of which had paid for its construction. The castle's stables, which survive in a ruinous state, were featured in the Restoration (television) programme on the BBC in 2003.

The present seat of the family is Eslington Park near Alnwick in Northumberland.

Liddell Baronets, of Ravensworth Castle (1642)

*Sir Thomas Liddell, 1st Baronet (d. 1650)
*Sir Thomas Liddell, 2nd Baronet (d. 1697)
*Sir Henry Liddell, 3rd Baronet (c. 1644-1723)
*Sir Henry Liddell, 4th Baronet (1708-1784) (created Baron Ravensworth in 1747)

Barons Ravensworth, First Creation (1747)

*Henry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth (1708-1784)

Liddell Baronets, of Ravensworth Castle (1642; Reverted)

*Sir Henry George Liddell, 5th Baronet (1749-1791) High Sheriff of Northumberland 1785
*Sir Thomas Henry Liddell, 6th Baronet (1775-1855) (created Baron Ravensworth in 1821)

Barons Ravensworth, Second Creation (1821)

*Thomas Henry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth (1775-1855)
*Henry Thomas Liddell, 2nd Baron Ravensworth (1797-1878) (created Earl of Ravensworth in 1874)

Earls of Ravensworth (1874)

*Henry Thomas Liddell, 1st Earl of Ravensworth, 2nd Baron Ravensworth (1797-1878)
*Henry George Liddell, 2nd Earl of Ravensworth, 3rd Baron Ravensworth (1821-1903)
*Atholl Charles John Liddell, 3rd Earl of Ravensworth, 4th Baron Ravensworth (1833-1904)

Barons Ravensworth (1821; Reverted)

*Arthur Thomas Liddell, 5th Baron Ravensworth (1837-1919)
*Gerald Wellesley Liddell, 6th Baron Ravensworth (1869-1932)
*Robert Arthur Liddell, 7th Baron Ravensworth (1902-1950)
*Arthur Waller Liddell, 8th Baron Ravensworth (1924-2004)
*Thomas Arthur Hamish Liddell, 9th Baron Ravensworth (b. 1954)

The Heir Apparent is the present holder's eldest son, Hon. Henry Arthur Thomas Liddell (b. 1987).

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]