Baron de Freyne

Baron de Freyne, of Coolavin in the County of Sligo, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created 1851 for Arthur French, with remainder to his younger brothers John, Charles and Fitzstephen. He had earlier represented County Roscommon in the House of Commons and later served as Lord Lieutenant of County Roscommon. French had already been created Baron de Freyne, of Artagh in the County of Roscommon, in 1839, with remainder to heirs male. Lord de Freyne was childless and on his death in 1856 the barony of 1839 became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony of 1851 according to the special remainder by his younger brother John, the second Baron.

On his death the title passed to another brother, Richard, the third Baron. In 1851 he married Catherine Maree, daughter of Luke Maree, by a Catholic priest. Afterwards a question arose as to the validity of the marriage with she being a Roman Catholic and he a Protestant and they were again married in 1854 in the Church of Ireland. By then they had had three sons, Charles French (1851-1925), who served as a Member of Parliament for County Roscommon from 1873 to 1880, John French (1853-1916) and William French (1854-1868). However, due to the uncertainty over the first marriage Lord de Freyne was succeeded by his eldest son born after the marriage of 1854, Arthur French, the fourth Baron. His eldest son, the fifth Baron, was killed in action at the Battle of Aubers Ridge in 1915. He was succeeded by his half-brother, the sixth Baron. As of 2007 the title is held by the latter's son, the seventh Baron, who succeeded in 1935 at the age of eight.

Barons de Freyne (1839)

*Arthur French, 1st Baron de Freyne (1786-1856)

Barons de Freyne (1851)

*Arthur French, 1st Baron de Freyne (1786-1856)
*John French, 2nd Baron de Freyne (1788-1863)
*Charles French, 3rd Baron de Freyne (1790-1868)
*Arthur French, 4th Baron de Freyne (1855-1913)
*Arthur Reginald French, 5th Baron de Freyne (1879-1915)
*Francis Charles French, 6th Baron de Freyne (1884-1935)
*Francis Arthur John French, 7th Baron de Freyne (b. 1927):The Heir Apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Fulke Charles Arthur John French (b. 21 Apr 1957)::His heir is "Alexander French" (b. 1987).

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The ancestral seat of the Barons de Freyne was the French Park Estate, near Boyle, Co Roscommon, in the Republic of Ireland.The manor house, originally built in the mid-1600's before being rebuilt in the Georgian style in the 18th century and of very considerable architectural merit, was senselessly demolished after the sale of the estate by the French family to the Irish Land Commission in 1952.The Land Commission removed the roof of the buildings in 1953 and eventually demolished the remaining structures in ca 1975.

ee also

* Earl of Ypres

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]
* [http://website.lineone.net/~david.beamish/index.htm David Beamish's Peerage Page]
* [http://groups.msn.com/TheAthyFamilyofGalway/theffrenchfamily.msnw Article on the French family]