Earl Ferrers
Earl Ferrers is a hereditary British title in the Peerage of Great Britain . The title is the first, because it is the oldest, earliest dignity of this peerage in the protocolary ranking .
The title is named after the Anglo-Norman noble family de Ferrers , whose members held the title Earl of Derby in the 12th and 13th centuries and from whom today's line of Earls of Ferrers largely descends.
The family's ancestral home is Ditchingham Hall near Ditchingham in southern Norfolk .
Award
The title was bestowed on Sir Robert Shirley, 7th Baronet , in 1711 . He was Master of the Horse and Lord Steward for Catherine of Braganza , the wife of Charles II. He was later Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire .
Subordinate title
Subordinate title of Earl Ferrers is that of Viscount Tamworth , of Tamworth in the County of Stafford , which was awarded in 1711 together with the earliest title in the Peerage of Great Britain. Furthermore, the respective earl holds the title of baronet , of Staunton Harold in the County of Leicester , in the Baronetage of England, which was awarded in 1611 to a direct ancestor of the first earl.
The eldest son of the respective earl carries the courtesy title Viscount Tamworth as his probable title heir ( heir apparent ) .
Other titles
The first Earl had already received the title of Baron Ferrers of Chartley in 1677 , who had rested since the death of Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, 12th Baron Ferrers of Chartley . This title could, however, also be inherited in the female line and therefore went to the daughter of his eldest son who had died before his death, while the other titles all went to the oldest surviving son.
List of Earls Ferrers and Shirley Baronets
Shirley Baronets, of Staunton Harold (1611)
- Sir George Shirley , 1st Baronet (1559-1622)
- Sir Henry Shirley , 2nd Baronet (ca.1588–1633)
- Sir Charles Shirley , 3rd Baronet (1623-1646)
- Sir Robert Shirley, 4th Baronet († 1656)
- Sir Seymour Shirley , 5th Baronet (1647-1667)
- Sir Robert Shirley, 6th Baronet (1668–1669)
- Sir Robert Shirley, 7th Baronet (1650-1717) (promoted to Baron Ferrers of Chartley in 1677 and Earl Ferrers in 1711 )
Earls Ferrers (1711)
- Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers (1650-1717)
- Washington Shirley, 2nd Earl Ferrers (1677–1729)
- Henry Shirley, 3rd Earl Ferrers (1691-1745)
- Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers (1720-1760)
- Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers (1722–1778)
- Robert Shirley, 6th Earl Ferrers (1723–1787)
- Robert Shirley, 7th Earl Ferrers (1756–1827)
- Washington Shirley, 8th Earl Ferrers (1760–1842)
- Washington Sewallis Shirley, 9th Earl Ferrers (1822-1859)
- Sewallis Edward Shirley, 10th Earl Ferrers (1847-1912)
- Walter Knight Shirley, 11th Earl Ferrers (1864–1937)
- Robert Walter Shirley, 12th Earl Ferrers (1894–1954)
- Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers (1929–2012)
- Robert Shirley, 14th Earl Ferrers (* 1952)
Heir to the title is the eldest son of the current earl, William Robert Charles Shirley, Viscount Tamworth (* 1984).
Literature and web links
- Charles Kidd: Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Debrett's Ltd, London 2014, ISBN 0-9929348-2-6 .
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page