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Somers, Baron (GB, 1784)

Creation: let. pat. 17 May 1784

Family name: Cocks

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Arms:

Quarterly:  1st and 4th, Sable a Chevron between three Stags' Attires Argent (Cocks);  2nd and 3rd, Vert a Fess dancetty Ermine (Somers)

Crests:

1st:  On a Mount Vert a Stag lodged and reguardant Argent attired and hoofed Sable (Cocks);  2nd:  A Bay Tree proper suspended therefrom by a Strap Gules a Cuirass with Epauliers and Tasces Argent charged with an Ermine Spot Sable (Somers)

Supporters:

On either side a Lion Ermine gorged with a Collar indented Vert

Motto:

Prodesse Quam Conspici (To be useful, rather than conspicuous)

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Charles [Cocks], 1st Baron Somers

1st son of John Cocks, of Castleditch in Eastnor, co. Hereford (by his wife Mary Cocks, dau. and hrss. of Rev Thomas Cocks, of Castleditch in Eastnor, co. Hereford), 2nd son of Charles Cocks MP, of Worcester, by his wife Mary, sister and cohrss. of John  [Somers], 1st Baron Somers, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain

born

29 Jun 1725

mar. (1)

8 Aug 1759 Elizabeth Eliot (b. 3 May 1739; d. 1 Jan 1771; bur. at North Mimms, co. Hertford), sister of Edward [Eliot], 1st Baron Eliot, and 5th dau. of Richard Eliot, of Port Eliot, co. Cornwall, by his wife Harriett Craggs, illegit. dau. of Rt Hon James Craggs

children by first wife

1. Hon John Somers Cocks, later 2nd Baron Somers later 1st Earl Somers

2. Edward Charles Cocks (drowned vp. 1781 when at Westminster School)

1. Hon Mary Judith Cocks (d. unm.)

2. Hon Hariot Cocks (d. unm)

mar. (2)

20 May 1772 Anne Pole-Carew (d. 22 Apr 1833), sister of Rt Hon Reginald Pole-Carew, and 1st dau. of Reginald Pole later Pole-Carew, of Stoke Damarell, co. Devon, by his wife Anne Buller, 2nd dau. of Francis Buller, of Morval, co. Cornwall

children by second wife

3. Lt Col Hon Philip James Cocks (b. 2 Dec 1774; d. 1 Apr 1857), mar. 29 Nov 1812 Frances Herbert (d. Dec 1870), dau. of Arthur Herbert, of Brewsterfeild, co. Killarney, and had issue:

1a. Rev Charles Richard Somers Cocks, Vicar of Wolverley, co. Worcester, and Neen Savage, co. Shropshire (b. 22 Apr 1814; d. 4 Feb 1876)

2a. Philip Reginald Cocks, later 5th Baron Somers

3a. Arthur Somers Cocks CB, Bengal Civil Service (b. 18 Apr 1819; d. 29 Aug 1881), mar. 15 Apr 1847 Anna Marion Jessie Eckford (d. 3 Sep 1914), dau. of Gen James Eckford CB, and had issue:

1b. John Patrick Somers Cocks (b. 31 May 1848; dvp. 24 Sep 1879)

2b. Capt Herbert Haldane Somers Cocks (b. 5 May 1861; d. 26 Dec 1894), mar. 26 Jun 1883 Blanche Margaret Standish Clogstoun (d. 26 Dec 1895), dau. of Maj Herbert Clogstoun VC, and had issue:

1c. Arthur Herbert Tennyson Cocks, later 6th Baron Somers

1c. Isabel Joan Cocks (b. 21 Oct 1884; dvp. 4 Nov 1885)

2c. Verena Adeline Isabel Cocks DGStJ JP (b. 1886; d. 6 Feb 1963), mar. 5 Aug 1905 George Herbert Hyde [Villiers], 6th Earl of Clarendon, and had issue

3b. Rev Henry Lawrence Somers Cocks, Rector of Eastnor, co. Hereford, and Instow, co. Devon (b. 1 Nov 1862; d. 6 Jan 1940), mar. 14 Jan 1891 Deas Thusnelda Haskell (d. 21 Dec 1945), dau. of Llewellyn Haskell, of USA, and had issue:

1c. Capt Reginald Somers Cocks MC (b. 24 Jul 1894; killed in action vp. 24 Apr 1918), mar. 16 Jan 1918 Flora Margaret Sturdee (mar. (2) 22 Jul 1925 Stephen Legassicke Hancock, yst. son of E L Hancock, of Rhyll, East Anstey, co. Devon), 2nd dau. of Henry King Sturdee, of King Manor, co. Somerset

4b. Arthur Percy Somers Cocks, later 7th Baron Somers

1b. Frances Rhoda Cocks (d. 18 Feb 1931), mar. (1) 13 Nov 1872 Edward Wallace Evans, of Alfrick Court, co. Worcester (d. 28 Dec 1901), and (2) 24 Feb 1903 Frederic de Burgh Newington, of The Rookery, Newbury, co. Berkshire, and had issue by her first husband

2b. Hon Caroline Yorke Cocks, granted the style and precedence of the daughter of a Baron by Royal Warrant 1948 (d. 2 Jun 1949), mar. 7 Apr 1880 Robert William Banner (d. 8 Nov 1903), and had issue

3b. Hon Mary Dorothy Cocks, granted the style and precedence of the daughter of a Baron by Royal Warrant 1948 (d. 13 Apr 1949), mar. 3 Jan 1895 Rt Rev John Reginald Harmer DD, Bishop of Rochester (d. 9 Mar 1944), son of Rev G Harmer, Vicar of Maisemore, co. Gloucester, and had issue

4a. Hon John James Thomas Somers Cocks, granted the style and precedence of the younger son of a Baron by Royal Warrant 1888 (b. 18 Aug 1820; d. 21 Sep 1906), mar. 15 Apr 1858 Ann Simpson (d. 21 Jul 1899), dau. of Rev Joseph Simpson, Rector of Horsted, co. Sussex, and had issue:

1b. Philip Alfonso Somers Cocks CMG, Consul at Lisbon 1907-18 and Consul-General at Naples 1918-26 (b. 22 Nov 1862; d. 26 Mar 1940), mar. 19 Apr 1906 Gwenllian Blanche Williams (d. 29 Jul 1957), dau. of David Williams, of Ty Bruce, Hirwan, co. Glamorgan, and had issue:

1c. John Sebastian Cocks CVO CBE, Consul-General at Munich 1954-59 and Naples 1959-64 (b. 6 Feb 1907; d. 25 May 1964), mar. 27 dec 1946 Marjorie Olive Weller (d. 10 Apr 2002), dau. of Arthur Julius Weller, Chief Inspector of Schools, Malaysia, and had issue:

1d. Philip Sebastian Somers Cocks, later 8th Baron Somers

1d. Hon Anne Gwenllian Somers Cocks, granted the style and precedence of the daughter of a Baron by Royal Warrant 1995, Assistant Keeper, Victoria & Albert Museum, Department of Metal Work 1973-85 and Department of Ceramics 1985-87 (b. 18 Apr 1950), mar. (1) 11 Sep 1971 (div. 1972) Martin Alan Walker, journalist, only son of T M Walker, of Wembley, co. Middlesex, (2) 29 Jun 1978 (div. 1990) John Julian Savile Lee Hardy, and (3) 30 Nov 1991 Umberto Allemandi, of Turin, Italy, publisher, and has issue by her second husband

2d. Hon Frances Mary Somers Cocks, granted the style and precedence of the daughter of a Baron by Royal Warrant 1995, teacher and writer, and has illeg. issue by Stephen Thomas Bell, son of Ian Bell

2b. Charles Sebastian Somers Cocks CMG, clerk in the Foreign Office 1894, Assistant Secretary in the Foreign Department of the Government of India 1904-06, Private Secretary to the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (b. 20 Jan 1870; d. 10 Feb 1951)

1b. Agnes Mary Cocks (d. 26 Sep 1940), mar. 8 Jul 1884 William Philip Arkwright, of Thorn, co. Devon (d. 19 Feb 1925)

2b. Frances Pauline Somers Cocks (d. 26 Oct 1887), mar. 6 Jul 1882 Egerton Harding, of Old Springs, co. Stafford (d. 13 May 1937), and had issue

3b. Jane Margaret Somers Cocks, a nun

4b. Anne Hariot Mary Somers Cocks (d. Oct 1953), mar. 22 Mar 1892 Baron ..... Despine, of St Innocent, Aix-les-Bains, France (d. 1917), and had issue

1a. Frances Cocks (d. 4 Mar 1895), mar. 7 Oct 1847 Philip Allen, of Liscongill, co. Cork (d. 1866)

4. Hon Reginald Cocks (b. 14 Jan 1777; d. 19 Nov 1805), mar. 21 Dec 1802 his cousin Anne Cocks (d. 19 Mar 1810), 2nd dau. of his paternal uncle James Cocks, by his wife Martha Watson, dau. of Rear Admiral Charles Watson RN, and had issue:

1a. Rev Henry Somers Cocks (b. 16 Dec 1803; d. 25 Nov 1856), mar. 1 Jan 1829 Frances Mercy Bromley, dau. of Henry Bromley, of Abberley Lodge, co. Worcester, and had issue:

1b. Rev Henry Bromley Cocks, Vicar of Sydenham, Christchurch, New Zealand, and Leigh, co. Worcester (b. 19 Jun 1831; d. 1894), mar. 25 Jul 1861 Harriet Elizabeth Wodehouse (d. 1920), yst. dau. of Col Philip Wodehouse, and had issue:

1c. Reginald Wodehouse Cocks (b. 31 Aug 1863; dsp. 17 Nov 1926), mar. 1883 Mary Thompson, of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

2c. Henry Somers Cocks (b. 16 Jun 1865; d. 1897

3c. Rev Canon Philip John Cocks, Rector of Clovelly, co. Devon, and Waimate, South Canterbury, New Zealand, Canon of Christchurch Cathedral (b. 31 Oct 1866; d. 23 Oct 1938/), mar. 1895 Mary Hannah Gebbie (d. 5 Sep 1951), dau. of John Gebbie, and had issue:

1d. Henry Bromley Cocks (b. 1896; d. 4 Nov 1967), mar. 1922 Edith Hazel Walker (d. 1976), yst. dau. of F H Melville Walker, of Christchurch, New Zealand, and had issue:

1e. Alan Bromley Cocks, heir presumptive to the Barony of Somers, of 55 La Trobe Street, Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand (b. 1930), mar. 15 Oct 1955 Pamela Fay Gourlay, dau. of A H Gourlay, of Christchurch, New Zealand, and has issue:

1f. Martin Bromley Cocks

1f. Lynette Margueritte Cocks

2f. Gilliam Fay Cocks

3f. Judith Grace Somers Cocks

2e. Pamela Somers Cocks

2d. John Reginald Cocks

3d. Edgar Basil Cocks

4d. Ven Hubert Maurice Cocks

1d. Mary Ethel Somers Cocks

2d. Edith May Somers Cocks

4c. Frederick Armine Cocks

5c. Edgar Bromley Cocks

6c. Charles Richard Cocks

7c. Arthur Eustace Cocks

1c. Lucy Elizabeth Cocks

2c. Frances Mercy Cocks

3c. Harriet Lydia Muriel Cocks

4c. Mary Millicent Cocks

5c. Katherine Agatha Cocks

6c. Monica Cocks

1. Hon Anna Maria Cocks (d. 27 Jul 1835), mar. 4 Dec 1797 Rev Philip Yorke, Prebendary of Ely (d. 29 May 1817), and had issue

died

30 Jan 1806 (bur. at Eastnor, co. Hereford)

created

7 Oct 1772 Baronet of Great Britain, styled "of Dumbleton, Gloucestershire"

17 May 1784 Lord Somers, Baron of Evesham, co. Worcester

suc. by

son by first wife

note

admitted to Lincoln's Inn 1745; barrister 1750; Member of Parliament for Reigate 1747-84; Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ordnance 1758; Clerk of the Ordnance 1772

John Somers [Cocks], 2nd Baron Somers later 1st Earl Somers

created

17 Jul 1821 Viscount Eastnor, of Eastnor Castle in the County of Hereford, and Earl Somers

The Barony of Somers was held by the Earls Somers from 17 Jul 1821 until 26 Sep 1883, when on the death of Charles Somers [Cocks later Somers-Cocks], 3rd Earl Somers, 4th Baron Somers, etc., the Earldom of Somers became extinct and the barony was inherited by his cousin.

Philip Reginald [Cocks], 5th Baron Somers

born

22 Aug 1815

mar.

14 Dec 1859 Camilla Sophia Anne Newton (d. 8 Dec 1904), only dau. of Rev William Newton, Vicar of Old Cleeve, co. Somerset

died

s.p. 30 Sep 1899 (bur. at Neen Savage, near Cleobury Mortimer, co. Shropshire)

suc. by

great nephew

note

2nd Lieut, Royal Artillery 1833; Lieut, 1836; Capt, 1848; Lt Col, 1855; retired 1858

Arthur Herbert Tennyson [Cocks], 6th Baron Somers, KCMG DSO MC

born

20 Mar 1887

mar.

20 Apr 1921 Daisy Finola Meeking CBE (d. 1981), 2nd dau. of Capt Bertram Charles Christopher Spencer Meeking, of Richings Park, co. Bedford, by his wife Violet Charlotte Fletcher MBE, 1st dau. of John Fletcher, 9th of Saltoun, Haddington, East Lothian

only child

1. Hon Elizabeth Violet Virginia Cocks, inherited the Eastnor Castle estate from her father in 1944 (b. 24 Oct 1922; d. 1986), mar. 28 Feb 1947 as his first wife Maj Benjamin Alexander Frederick Hervey-Bathurst DL (b. 27 Mar 1920; d. 18 Oct 1997), 1st son of Sir Frederick Edward William Hervey-Bathurst, 5th Bt., by his second wife Katharine Mary Delicia Nevill OBE, widow of John Henry Gaythorpe Nevill and dau. of Alexander Dick-Cunyngham, and had issue

died

s.p.m. 14 Jul 1944 (bur. at Eastnor, co. Hereford)

suc. by

uncle

note

a Page of Honour at the Coronation of King Edward VII 1902; served in World War I 1914-18 as Capt, 1st Life Guards; MC 1915; Maj and Lt Col, Tank Corps 1918-19; DSO 1919; a Lord-in-waiting 1924-26; KCMG 1926; Governor of Victoria 1926-31;  Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire 1933-44; President, MCC 1936; Deputy Chief Scout 1936-41; Red Cross Commissioner in the Middle East 1940-41; Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth 1941-44

Arthur Percy Somers [Cocks], 7th Baron Somers

born

23 Nov 1864

mar.

1896 Benita Sabin (d. 29 May 1950), dau. of Maj Luther Sabin, of USA

children

1. Hon John Patrick Somers Cocks, later 8th Baron Somers

1. Hon Dorothy Helen Cocks (d. 25 May 1963)

2. Hon Helen Judith Cocks, mar. (1) 20 May 1949 T Everett Malen (d. 1 Jul 1961), son of John S Malen, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA, and (2) 27 Sep 1965 Earl G Henry, son of George Henry, of Belmont, Wisconsin, USA

died

8 Feb 1953

suc. by

son

John Patrick Somers [Cocks], 8th Baron Somers

born

30 Apr 1907

mar. (1)

15 Aug 1935 Barbara Marianne Southall (d. 11 Sep 1959), dau. of Charles Henry Southall, of Norwich, co. Norfolk

mar. (2)

28 Jul 1961 Dora Helen Mountfort (d. 1993), dau. of John Mountfort, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

died

s.p. 15 Feb 1995

suc. by

cousin twice removed

Philip Sebastian Somers [Cocks], 9th Baron Somers

born

4 Jan 1948

The heir presumptive to the Barony of Somers is Alan Bromley Cocks, great-great-great-great-grandson of the 1st Baron Somers and 5th cousin of the present Baron.

 Last updated 1 Aug 2011

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Titles:

9th Baron Somers, of Evesham in the County of Worcester

(Great Britain, let. pat. 17 May 1784)

9th Baronet, styled "of Dumbleton, Gloucestershire"

(Great Britain, let. pat. 7 Oct 1772)

Address:

19 Kempston Road, London SW6 4PX

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