Baron Dudley
Encyclopedia
Baron Dudley is a title in the Peerage of England
. It was created in circa 1440 for John Sutton
, a soldier who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
. According to Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage he was actually summoned to Parliament as "Johanni de Sutton de Duddeley militi", whereby he is held to have become Baron Dudley. The title is sometime referred to as Baron Sutton of Dudley. The peerage was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines.
It is in fact arguable that the title arose even earlier, as his ancestor John Sutton (died 1359) had a writ of summons to the Council on 25 February 1342, but neither he nor his son (died c.1370), grandson (died 10 March 1396) or great grandson
(all called John Sutton of Dudley) were summoned, so that they can probably not be regarded as peers.
Lord Dudley's great grandson, the third Baron, managed to get himself severely into debt and lost the family seat of Dudley Castle
to his cousin John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
. He became known as "Lord Quondam" ("Lord Has-been" or "Lord Formerly"). However, Dudley Castle and the other family estates were restored to his son, the fourth Baron. He was succeeded by his son, the fifth Baron, who like his grandfather came heavily into debt. To clear his debts he married off his granddaughter and heir, Frances, to Sir Humble Ward, the son of a wealthy jeweller. Frances succeeded him and became the sixth holder of the title. In 1644 her husband Humble Ward was created Baron Ward, of Birmingham
in the County of Warwick
, by letters patent
.
They were both succeeded by their son, the seventh and second Baron respectively. On the death in 1740 of the latter's grandson, the tenth Baron Dudley and fifth Baron Ward, the two titles separated. The barony of Ward, which could only be inherited by males, was passed on to the late Baron's kinsman, the sixth Baron (see the Earl of Dudley
for later history of this title). The barony of Dudley was inherited by the Baron's nephew, Ferdinando Lea, 11th Baron Dudley, the eleventh Baron. He was the son of Frances, sister of the tenth Baron, and her husband William Lea. However, on Ferdinando's death in 1757 the peerage fell into abeyance
between his sisters. It remained in abeyance for 159 years, but in 1916 the abeyance was terminated in favour of Ferdinando Dudley William Lea Smith, who became the twelfth Baron. He was the great-great-grandson of Anne, sister of the eleventh Baron, and her husband William Smith. the title is held by his grandson, the fifteenth Baron, who succeeded his mother in 2002 (who in her turn had succeeded her elder brother).
The holders of the title (until 1740) were the owners of Dudley Castle
and an extensive estate around it, including the manors of Dudley
, Sedgley
, Kingswinford
and Rowley Somery in Rowley Regis
. By the 16th century, their main home was Himley Hall
. On the death of the tenth Baron in 1740, the barony of Dudley passed to a female-line heir (see above), whereas the main estates were entailed to follow the barony of Ward
and passed to a cousin. However, certain estates that had recently been purchased passed with the title Lord Dudley to the aforementioned Ferdinando Dudley Lea, the eleventh Baron Dudley.
The family surname of the first five barons was formally 'Sutton', but in practice they seem always to have been called 'Dudley'. In title deeds and other formal documents, the surname often appears as 'Sutton otherwise Dudley'.
The heir apparent
is the present holder's son Hon. Jeremy William Guilford Wallace (b. 1964)
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
. It was created in circa 1440 for John Sutton
John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley
John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley, KG was an English nobleman. A diplomat and councillor of Henry VI, he fought in several battles during the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses, and acted as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1428–1430.-Family and peerage:John Sutton was born at 25 December 1400 and...
, a soldier who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
. According to Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage he was actually summoned to Parliament as "Johanni de Sutton de Duddeley militi", whereby he is held to have become Baron Dudley. The title is sometime referred to as Baron Sutton of Dudley. The peerage was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines.
It is in fact arguable that the title arose even earlier, as his ancestor John Sutton (died 1359) had a writ of summons to the Council on 25 February 1342, but neither he nor his son (died c.1370), grandson (died 10 March 1396) or great grandson
John de Sutton V
Sir John de Sutton V was born at Dudley Castle, Staffordshire, or at Coleshill, Warwickshire, the son of Sir John de Sutton IV , Master of Dudley Castle and Alice Despencer, of Carlington . John de Sutton IV was the son of Sir John de Sutton III , Knight, Master of Dudley Castle, and wife Sir John...
(all called John Sutton of Dudley) were summoned, so that they can probably not be regarded as peers.
Lord Dudley's great grandson, the third Baron, managed to get himself severely into debt and lost the family seat of Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Dudley Zoo is located in its grounds. The location, Castle Hill, is an outcrop of Wenlock Group limestone that was extensively quarried during the Industrial Revolution, and which now along with Wren's Nest Hill is a...
to his cousin John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death...
. He became known as "Lord Quondam" ("Lord Has-been" or "Lord Formerly"). However, Dudley Castle and the other family estates were restored to his son, the fourth Baron. He was succeeded by his son, the fifth Baron, who like his grandfather came heavily into debt. To clear his debts he married off his granddaughter and heir, Frances, to Sir Humble Ward, the son of a wealthy jeweller. Frances succeeded him and became the sixth holder of the title. In 1644 her husband Humble Ward was created Baron Ward, of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the County of Warwick
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, by letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
.
They were both succeeded by their son, the seventh and second Baron respectively. On the death in 1740 of the latter's grandson, the tenth Baron Dudley and fifth Baron Ward, the two titles separated. The barony of Ward, which could only be inherited by males, was passed on to the late Baron's kinsman, the sixth Baron (see the Earl of Dudley
Earl of Dudley
Earl of Dudley, of Dudley Castle in the County of Stafford, is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, both times for members of the Ward family. This family descends from Sir Humble Ward, the son of a wealthy goldsmith and jeweller to King Charles I...
for later history of this title). The barony of Dudley was inherited by the Baron's nephew, Ferdinando Lea, 11th Baron Dudley, the eleventh Baron. He was the son of Frances, sister of the tenth Baron, and her husband William Lea. However, on Ferdinando's death in 1757 the peerage fell into abeyance
Abeyance
Abeyance is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. In law, the term abeyance can only be applied to such future estates as have not yet vested or possibly...
between his sisters. It remained in abeyance for 159 years, but in 1916 the abeyance was terminated in favour of Ferdinando Dudley William Lea Smith, who became the twelfth Baron. He was the great-great-grandson of Anne, sister of the eleventh Baron, and her husband William Smith. the title is held by his grandson, the fifteenth Baron, who succeeded his mother in 2002 (who in her turn had succeeded her elder brother).
The holders of the title (until 1740) were the owners of Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Dudley Zoo is located in its grounds. The location, Castle Hill, is an outcrop of Wenlock Group limestone that was extensively quarried during the Industrial Revolution, and which now along with Wren's Nest Hill is a...
and an extensive estate around it, including the manors of Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, Sedgley
Sedgley
Sedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
, Kingswinford
Kingswinford
Kingswinford is a suburban area in the West Midlands.Historically within Staffordshire, the area is mentioned in the Domesday Book its name relates to a ford for the King's swine - Latin Swinford Regis. The current significance is probably in tourism, education and housing...
and Rowley Somery in Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis
Rowley Regis is a town in the Sandwell metropolitan borough of the West Midlands county and a part of the Black Country in the United Kingdom. Being part of the Black Country, locals speak with the traditional dialect, though in a form regarded by many as the quickest and the hardest to...
. By the 16th century, their main home was Himley Hall
Himley Hall
Himley Hall is a country house situated in Staffordshire, England. It is situated in the south of the county near the villages of Wombourne and Kingswinford, and the town of Sedgley...
. On the death of the tenth Baron in 1740, the barony of Dudley passed to a female-line heir (see above), whereas the main estates were entailed to follow the barony of Ward
Earl of Dudley
Earl of Dudley, of Dudley Castle in the County of Stafford, is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, both times for members of the Ward family. This family descends from Sir Humble Ward, the son of a wealthy goldsmith and jeweller to King Charles I...
and passed to a cousin. However, certain estates that had recently been purchased passed with the title Lord Dudley to the aforementioned Ferdinando Dudley Lea, the eleventh Baron Dudley.
The family surname of the first five barons was formally 'Sutton', but in practice they seem always to have been called 'Dudley'. In title deeds and other formal documents, the surname often appears as 'Sutton otherwise Dudley'.
Predecessors
- John de Sutton I married Margaret de Somery, sister and coheir of John de Somery, Baron Somery of Dudley Castle
- John de Sutton II (died 1359) was summoned to the Council in 1342
- Sir John de Sutton III (1339–c.1370)
- Sir John de Sutton IV (1361–1395)
- Sir John de Sutton V (1380 – 29 August 1406)
Barons Dudley (1440)
- John Sutton, 1st Baron DudleyJohn Sutton, 1st Baron DudleyJohn Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley, KG was an English nobleman. A diplomat and councillor of Henry VI, he fought in several battles during the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses, and acted as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1428–1430.-Family and peerage:John Sutton was born at 25 December 1400 and...
(1400–1487) - Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron DudleyEdward Sutton, 2nd Baron DudleyEdward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley was an English nobleman, the son of Edmund de Sutton, Knight of Dudley Castle and Gatescombe, and Joyce de Tiptoft, daughter of Sir John de Tibetot and Joyce de Cherleton...
(1459–1532) - John Sutton, 3rd Baron DudleyJohn Sutton, 3rd Baron DudleyJohn Sutton, 3rd Baron Dudley , commonly known as Lord Quondam, was the eldest son and heir of Sir Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley and his wife Lady Cicely Sutton, a descendant of Edward III of England....
(c. 1495–1553) - Edward Sutton, 4th Baron DudleyEdward Sutton, 4th Baron DudleyEdward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley was an English nobleman and soldier. Contemporary sources also refer to him as Sir Edward Dudley.-Life:...
(d. 1586) - Edward Sutton, 5th Baron DudleyEdward Sutton, 5th Baron DudleyEdward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley inherited the lordship of Dudley from his father, also Edward Sutton, and was the last of his name to bear the title. He was married to Theodosia Harrington...
(1567–1643) - Frances Ward, 6th Baroness Dudley (1611–1697)
- Edward Ward, 7th Baron Dudley, 2nd Baron Ward (d. 1701)
- Edward Ward, 8th Baron Dudley, 3rd Baron Ward (1683–1704)
- Edward Ward, 9th Baron Dudley, 4th Baron WardEdward Ward, 9th Baron DudleyEdward Ward, 9th Baron Dudley and 4th Baron Ward was the only son of Edward Ward, 8th Baron Dudley and 4th Baron Ward and his wife Diana daughter and heiress of Thomas Howard of Ashtead, Surrey...
(1704–1731) - William Ward, 10th Baron Dudley, 5th Baron Ward (d. 1740)
- Ferdinando Dudley Lea, 11th Baron Dudley (1710–1757) (abeyant 1757)
- Ferdinando Dudley William Lea Smith, 12th Baron Dudley (1872–1936) (abeyance terminated 1916)
- Ferdinando Dudley Henry Lea Smith, 13th Baron Dudley (1910–1972)
- Barbara Amy Felicity Hamilton, 14th Baroness Dudley (1907–2002)
- Jim Anthony Hill Wallace, 15th Baron Dudley (b. 1930)
The heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
is the present holder's son Hon. Jeremy William Guilford Wallace (b. 1964)
Further reading
- Grazebrooke, H. S. 'The Barons of Dudley' Staffs. Hist. Coll. IX(2).
- Hemingway, J. An illustrated chronicle of the castle and barony of Dudley. (Friends of Dudley Castle, Dudley,
- Wilson, Derek A. The Uncrowned Kings of England: The Black History of the Dudleys and the Tudor Throne. Carroll & Graf, 2005.