List of peerages created for women

Summary

This is a list of peerages created for women in the peerages of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, or the United Kingdom. It does not include peerages created for men which were later inherited by women, or life peerages created since 1958 under the Life Peerages Act 1958.

Background edit

Prior to the regular creation of life peerages, the great majority of peerages were created for men. Suo jure peeresses are known from an early period; however, most of them were women to whom a peerage had passed as an inheritance. It was very rare for a woman to be created a peeress before the 17th century. Peeresses of the first creation were not allowed to sit in the House of Lords until the passage of the Life Peerages Act 1958. Female holders of hereditary peerages could not sit in the Lords until the passage of the Peerage Act 1963. In some, but not all cases, peeresses of first creation were created for life only.

Created peeresses fall into the following categories:

  • Created for merit or achievement
  • Having a father who was a peer, but who under the terms of the peerage could not pass the peerage to his daughter. Such an event could create the anomalous situation of commoners holding important lands and estates traditionally associated with lordship.
  • Closely connected to a reigning monarch (including many royal mistresses)
  • Created to honour a relative, including:
    • As a posthumous honour for a dead husband, often one who would have received a peerage if he had not died
    • To honour a husband who was living, but could not or would not accept a peerage in his own right (for instance if he wanted to retain his seat in the elected Commons)
    • To confer nobility upon the peeress's children, again often in recognition of the achievement of a husband

The peerages are listed chronologically, divided by the monarch who created them.

Richard II edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
1397 Duchess of Norfolk
Peerage of England
Margaret, 2nd Countess of Norfolk Extinct on death of recipient 24 March 1399. For life only.

Henry VIII edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
1512 Countess of Salisbury
Peerage of England
Margaret Pole Forfeited upon arrest for treason in May 1539. First cousin once-removed of Henry VIII (first cousin to Henry's mother, Elizabeth of York).
1532 Lady Marquess of Pembroke
Peerage of England
Anne Boleyn Forfeited upon conviction for treason 15 May 1536. Second wife of Henry VIII.

James I edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
1618 Countess of Buckingham
Peerage of England
Mary, Lady Villiers Extinct on death of recipient 1632. For life only.
29 July 1620   Baroness Offaly Lettice Digby Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Duke of Leinster. Granddaughter of the 1st Baron Offaly of the first creation.
8 July 1623   Viscountess Maidstone Elizabeth, Lady Finch Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Winchilsea.

Charles I edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
29 February 1628 Lady Cramond
Peerage of Scotland
Elizabeth, Lady Richardson Extinct 1735.
12 July 1628 Countess of Winchilsea
Peerage of England
Elizabeth, 1st Viscountess Maidstone Extant
12 September 1640 Baroness Stafford
Peerage of England
Mary (Stafford) Howard Extinct on death of recipient 1693. For life only. Sister of the 5th Baron Stafford of the fourth creation and wife of the 1st Baron Stafford of the fifth creation
1641 Countess Rivers
Peerage of England
Elizabeth, Viscountess Savage Extinct on death of recipient, 9 March 1650. For life only. Daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers of the second creation who could not inherit his title.
23 May 1644 Duchess of Dudley
Peerage of England
Alice, Lady Dudley Extinct on death of recipient 1668. For life only. Wife of Robert Dudley, styled Earl of Warwick.

Charles II edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
29 May 1660 Countess of Chesterfield
Peerage of England
Katherine Stanhope, Lady Stanhope Extinct on death of recipient, 9 April 1667. For life only. For service.
1660 Countess of Guilford
Peerage of England
Elizabeth Boyle, Viscountess Boyle Extinct on death of recipient, 1667. For life only.
20 April 1663 Duchess of Buccleuch
Peerage of Scotland
Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch Extant. On the occasion of her marriage to James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth.
1663 Baroness Lucas, of Crudwell, in the County of Wiltshire
Peerage of England
Mary Grey, Countess of Kent Extant. Daughter of John, 1st Baron Lucas.
June 1667 Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Southampton, and Baroness Nonsuch, of Nonsuch Park
Peerage of England
Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine Extinct 1774. Mistress of Charles II.
19 August 1673 Duchess of Portsmouth, Countess of Fareham, and Baroness Petersfield
Peerage of England
Louise de Kérouaille Extinct on death of recipient 14 November 1734. For life only. Mistress of Charles II.
1674 Baroness Belasyse
Peerage of England
Susan Belasyse Extinct on death of the recipient in 1713. For life only.
1674 Viscountess Bayning
Peerage of England
Anne Murray Extinct on death of recipient 1678. For life only.
1679 Viscountess Corbet Sarah Corbet Extinct on death of recipient 1682. For life only.
1680 Countess of Sheppey Elizabeth Lennard Extinct on death of recipient 1686. For life only.

James II edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
1686   Countess of Dorchester
Baroness Darlington
Catherine Sedley Extinct on death of recipient 26 October 1717 For life only. Mistress of James II.
5 October 1688   Countess of Stafford Mary Howard, Baroness Stafford Extinct on death of recipient, 1693. For life only. Wife of William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, executed 1680.
13 December 1688   Baroness Shelburne Elizabeth, Lady Petty Extinct on death of recipient, February 1708. For life only.

George I edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
1 January 1715   Countess Granville
Viscountess Carteret
Grace Granville Carteret Extinct 1776. Daughter of John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath.
18 July 1716   Duchess of Munster
Marchioness of Dungannon
Countess of Dungannon
Baroness Dundalk
Melusine von der Schulenburg All titles extinct on death of recipient, 10 May 1743. For life only. Mistress and unofficial wife of George I.
19 March 1719   Duchess of Kendal
Countess of Feversham
Baroness Glastonbury
1721   Countess of Leinster Countess Sophia von Platen Extinct on death of recipient 20 April 1725. For life only. Half-sister of George I.
6 April 1722   Countess of Darlington
Baroness Brentford
7 April 1722   Countess of Walsingham Melusina von der Schulenburg Extinct on death of recipient 16 September 1778. For life only. Illegitimate daughter of George I.

George II edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
24 March 1740   Countess of Yarmouth Amalie von Wallmoden Extinct on death of recipient, 19 October 1765. For life only. Mistress of George II.
1746   Viscountess Grandison Elizabeth Mason Extinct 1800. Daughter of John Villiers, 1st Earl Grandison.
18 October 1749   Countess Temple Hester Grenville, 2nd Viscountess Cobham Extinct 26 March 1889.
1 August 1758   Countess of Brandon Ellis Agar Bourke Bermingham Extinct on death of recipient, 11 March 1789 For life only.
21 May 1760   Baroness Stawell Mary Bilson-Legge Extinct 1820. Daughter of the 4th Baron Stawell who could not inherit his title.

George III edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
3 April 1761   Baroness Mount Stuart Mary Stuart, Countess of Bute Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Marquess of Bute. Wife of the Earl of Bute, soon to become Prime Minister.
4 December 1761   Baroness Chatham Lady Hester Pitt Extinct 24 September 1835. Wife of William Pitt the Elder, the recently resigned Leader of the House of Commons.
6 May 1762   Baroness Holland Lady Caroline Fox Extinct 18 December 1859. Wife of Henry Fox, then Leader of the House of Commons.
1766   Viscountess Langford and Baroness Summerhill Elizabeth Rowley Extinct 1796.
1767   Countess Grandison and Viscountess Villiers Elizabeth Mason, Viscountess Grandison Extinct 1800.
19 August 1767   Baroness Greenwich Lady Caroline Townshend Extinct on death of recipient 11 January 1794. Daughter of John Campbell, 1st Duke of Greenwich.
1770   Baroness Arden Catherine Perceval, Countess of Egmont Extinct 2011.
20 May 1776   Baroness Hamilton of Hameldon Elizabeth Campbell, Duchess of Argyll Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Duke of Argyll.
1783   Baroness Donoughmore Christiana Hely-Hutchinson Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Donoughmore.
1783   Countess of Longford Elizabeth Pakenham Extant
1790   Baroness Oriel of Collon Margaretta Amelia Foster Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Viscount Massereene.
1792   Baroness Waterpark Sarah, Lady Cavendish Extant
13 June 1792   Baroness Fermanagh Mary Verney Extinct on death of recipient 15 November 1810. Granddaughter of Ralph Verney, 1st Earl Verney.
26 July 1792   Baroness Bath Laura Pulteney Extinct on death of recipient, 14 July 1808.
1793   Countess of Wicklow Alice, Viscountess Wicklow Extinct 1983. Widow of Ralph Howard, 1st Viscount Wicklow.
27 March 1795   Baroness Hood Susanna Hood Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Viscount Hood.
1795   Baroness Kilwarden Anne Wolfe Extinct 1830.
1 December 1797   Baroness Crofton Anne, Lady Crofton Extant In place of her husband, Sir Edward Crofton, 2nd Baronet, who died 30 September 1797.
1797   Viscountess Ferrard Margaretta, 1st Baroness Oriel Extant
1797   Baroness Norwood Grace Toler Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl of Norbury
1798   Baroness ffrench Rose, Lady ffrench Extant For her son, Sir Thomas ffrench, who later inherited the title.
31 July 1800   Baroness Dufferin and Claneboye Dorcas, Lady Blackwood Extant In place of her late husband, Sir John Blackwood, 2nd Baronet, d. 27 February 1799.
1800   Baroness Nugent Mary Nugent-Temple-Grenville Extinct 1850.
28 May 1801   Baroness Abercromby Mary, Lady Abercromby Extinct 1924. In place of her husband Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, who died 28 March 1801 following the Battle of Alexandria.
19 June 1802   Baroness Sandys Mary Hill, Marchioness of Downshire Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Marquess of Downshire.
1803   Viscountess Newcomen Charlotte Gleadowe-Newcomen Extinct 1825. In place of her husband, Sir William Gleadowe-Newcomen, 1st Baronet.
26 October 1803   Countess of Bath Laura, 1st Baroness Bath Extinct upon death of recipient, 14 July 1808.
25 October 1816   Countess de Grey Amabel Hume-Campbell, 5th Baroness Lucas Extinct 1923.

George IV edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
18 July 1821   Baroness Rayleigh Lady Charlotte Strutt Extant In place of her husband, Joseph Strutt MP, who refused a peerage.
27 June 1826   Baroness FitzGerald and Vesey Catherine Vesey Extinct 20 March 1860.
22 January 1828   Viscountess Canning Joan Scott Canning Extinct 17 June 1862. In place of her husband George Canning, Prime Minister, who died in office 8 August 1827.

William IV edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
28 May 1831   Baroness Talbot of Malahide Margaret Talbot Extant
3 June 1834   Baroness Wenman Sophia Wykeham Extinct upon death of recipient 1870.
22 January 1836   Baroness Stratheden The Hon. Mary, Lady Campbell Extant Wife of Sir John Campbell.

Victoria edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
10 April 1840   Duchess of Inverness Lady Cecilia Underwood Extinct upon death of recipient 1 August 1873. Illegally married to Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex.
21 October 1861   Countess of Cromartie
Viscountess Tarbat
Baroness Castlehaven
Baroness Macleod
Anne, Duchess of Sutherland Extant Descendant of George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie.
27 April 1864   Baroness Buckhurst Elizabeth, Countess De La Warr Extant, as a subsidiary title of the Earl De La Warr. Daughter of John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset and 9th Baron Buckhurst.
30 November 1868   Viscountess Beaconsfield Mary Anne Disraeli Extinct upon death of recipient, 15 December 1872. Placeholder for her husband Benjamin Disraeli, who remained in the House of Commons.
9 June 1871   Baroness Burdett-Coutts Angela Burdett-Coutts Extinct upon death of recipient, 30 December 1906. For service.
23 April 1880   Baroness Bolsover Augusta Cavendish-Bentinck Extinct 21 March 1977. In place of her deceased husband Lieutenant-General Arthur Cavendish-Bentinck.
14 August 1891   Baroness Macdonald of Earnscliffe Agnes, Lady Macdonald Extinct on death of recipient, 5 September 1920. In place of her husband, Sir John A. Macdonald, who died in office as Prime Minister of Canada 6 June 1891.
11 November 1891   Viscountess Hambleden Emily Danvers Smith Extant In place of her husband, William Henry Smith, who died in office as Leader of the House of Commons 6 October 1891.
2 August 1899   Baroness Dorchester Henrietta Carleton Extinct 20 January 1963. Daughter of 3rd Baron Dorchester who could not inherit his title.

George V edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
8 May 1928   Countess Cave of Richmond Anne Cave, Viscountess Cave Extinct upon death of recipient 1938. In place of her husband, George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave, who died 29 March 1928, the day of his resignation as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.

George VI edit

Date Title Recipient Current status Notes
6 May 1943   Viscountess Daventry Muriel FitzRoy Extant In place of her husband, Edward FitzRoy, who died in office as Speaker of the House of Commons 3 March 1943.

See also edit