Baron Roborough
Encyclopedia
Baron Roborough, of Maristow in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. It was created in 1938 for Sir Henry Lopes, 4th Baronet
. He had earlier represented Grantham
in Parliament as Conservative
. The Baronetcy, of Maristow in the County of Devon, had been created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1805 for Manasseh Masseh Lopes
, with remainder to his nephew Ralph Franco, son of his sister Esther. He was the member of a wealthy family of Sephardic-Jewish
Portuguese origin. Lopes, who had converted to Christianity
in 1802, later represented Evesham
, Barnstaple
and Westbury
in Parliament. However, in 1819 he was twice convicted of bribing the voters in both Barnstaple
and Grampound
in order to be elected to Parliament, and sentenced to imprisonment and heavy fines. He was also unseated by the House of Commons
, but after his release from prison he nonetheless managed to get elected for Westbury
, a pocket borough which he controlled to a great extent.
Lopes was succeeded according to the special remainder by his nephew Ralph, the second Baronet, who assumed the surname of Lopes in lieu of Franco. He was Conservative Member of Parliament
for Westbury
and South Devonshire
. His son, the third Baronet, also sat as Conservative Member of Parliament for Westbury and South Devonshire and served under Benjamin Disraeli as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty from 1874 to 1880. In 1885 he was admitted to the Privy Council. He was the father of the fourth Baronet, who was raised to the peerage in 1938. The first Baron's son, the second Baron, was Lord Lieutenant of Devon
from 1958 to 1978. As of 2009 the titles are held by the latter's son, the third Baron, who succeeded in 1992.
The family seat is Maristow House
near Roborough
in Devon
. It was acquired in 1798 by the first Lopes Baronet.
Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow
, was a younger son of the second Baronet. See Baron Ludlow
for more information on this branch of the family.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. It was created in 1938 for Sir Henry Lopes, 4th Baronet
Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Roborough
Henry Yarde Buller Lopes, 1st Baron Roborough , known as Sir Henry Lopes, 4th Baronet, from 1908 to 1938, was a British Conservative Party politician....
. He had earlier represented Grantham
Grantham (UK Parliament constituency)
Grantham was a Parliamentary constituency in Lincolnshire, England.The constituency was created in 1468 as a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until the union with Scotland, and then to the Parliament of Great Britain...
in Parliament as Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. The Baronetcy, of Maristow in the County of Devon, had been created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1805 for Manasseh Masseh Lopes
Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet
Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet , of Maristow in Devon, was a British Member of Parliament and borough-monger.-Parliamentary career:...
, with remainder to his nephew Ralph Franco, son of his sister Esther. He was the member of a wealthy family of Sephardic-Jewish
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
Portuguese origin. Lopes, who had converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in 1802, later represented Evesham
Evesham (UK Parliament constituency)
Evesham was a parliamentary constituency in Worcestershire which was represented in the British House of Commons. Originally a parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Evesham, it was first represented in 1295...
, Barnstaple
Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency)
Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...
and Westbury
Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
in Parliament. However, in 1819 he was twice convicted of bribing the voters in both Barnstaple
Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency)
Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...
and Grampound
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.-History:Grampound's...
in order to be elected to Parliament, and sentenced to imprisonment and heavy fines. He was also unseated by the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, but after his release from prison he nonetheless managed to get elected for Westbury
Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
, a pocket borough which he controlled to a great extent.
Lopes was succeeded according to the special remainder by his nephew Ralph, the second Baronet, who assumed the surname of Lopes in lieu of Franco. He was Conservative Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Westbury
Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
and South Devonshire
South Devon (UK Parliament constituency)
South Devon, formally known as the Southern Division of Devon, was parliamentary constituency in the county of Devon in England. From 1832 to 1885 it returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.-Boundaries:In...
. His son, the third Baronet, also sat as Conservative Member of Parliament for Westbury and South Devonshire and served under Benjamin Disraeli as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty from 1874 to 1880. In 1885 he was admitted to the Privy Council. He was the father of the fourth Baronet, who was raised to the peerage in 1938. The first Baron's son, the second Baron, was Lord Lieutenant of Devon
Lord Lieutenant of Devon
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Devon. Since 1711, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Devon.*John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford 1552–1555*John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath 1556–1561...
from 1958 to 1978. As of 2009 the titles are held by the latter's son, the third Baron, who succeeded in 1992.
The family seat is Maristow House
Maristow House
Maristow House is located in Devon, England, just north of Plymouth, on the River Tavy. It was built circa 1560 and rebuilt in the mid-18th century and further remodelled in the early 20th century. It was the residence of the Lopes family: they had links with the Great Western Railway...
near Roborough
Roborough
Roborough is a village in the South Hams of Devon, England. It lies just outside the northern boundary of the city of Plymouth on the main road to Tavistock, and is a popular dormitory village....
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. It was acquired in 1798 by the first Lopes Baronet.
Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow
Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow
Henry Charles Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow PC, QC , was a British judge and Conservative Party politician.-Background and education:...
, was a younger son of the second Baronet. See Baron Ludlow
Baron Ludlow
Baron Ludlow was a title that was created three times in British history, once in the Peerage of Ireland and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. For the first two creations, see Earl Ludlow. The third creation came in the Peerage of the United Kingdom on 26 July 1897 when the politician and...
for more information on this branch of the family.
Lopes Baronets, of Maristow (1805)
- Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st BaronetSir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st BaronetSir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet , of Maristow in Devon, was a British Member of Parliament and borough-monger.-Parliamentary career:...
(1755–1831) - Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd BaronetSir Ralph Lopes, 2nd BaronetSir Ralph Lopes, 2nd Baronet , of Maristow in Devon, was a British Member of Parliament .Lopes was born as Ralph Franco. His uncle, Manasseh Masseh Lopes, an MP and borough owner, was created a baronet in 1805, with a special remainder to his nephew...
(1788–1854) - Sir Massey Lopes, 3rd BaronetSir Massey Lopes, 3rd BaronetSir Massey Lopes, 3rd Baronet PC , known as Massey Franco until 1831 and as Massey Lopes from 1831 to 1854, was a British Conservative politician and agriculturalist....
(1818–1908) - Sir Henry Yarde Buller Lopes, 4th Baronet (1859–1938) (created Baron Roborough in 1938)
Barons Roborough (1938)
- Henry Yarde Buller Lopes, 1st Baron RoboroughHenry Lopes, 1st Baron RoboroughHenry Yarde Buller Lopes, 1st Baron Roborough , known as Sir Henry Lopes, 4th Baronet, from 1908 to 1938, was a British Conservative Party politician....
(1859–1938) - Massey Henry Edgcumbe Lopes, 2nd Baron RoboroughMassey Lopes, 2nd Baron RoboroughMassey Henry Edgcumbe Lopes, 2nd Baron Roborough, JP was a British peer and officer of the British Army.Lopes was the only son of Henry Yarde Buller Lopes, 1st Baron Roborough, and Lady Albertha Edgcumbe, the daughter of William Edgcumbe, 4th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe...
(1903–1992) - Henry Massey Lopes, 3rd Baron Roborough (b. 1940)