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Ypres, Earl of (UK, 1922 - 1988)

Creation: let.pat. 5 Jun 1922

Extinct: 4 Mar 1988

Family name: French

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Arms:

Ermine a Chevron Sable, a Crescent for difference

Crest:

A Dolphin embowed proper

Supporters:

Dexter:  A Lion guardant Or supporting a Staff proper with a Banner of the Union;  Sinister:  A Lion Or supporting a Staff proper with a Banner paly of three Sable Gold and Gules

Motto:

 Malo mori quam foedari

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John Denton Pinkstone [French], 1st Viscount French later 1st Earl of Ypres, KP GCB OM GCVO KCMG PC

only son and heir of Cmdr John Tracy William French RN, of Ripple Yale, co. Kent, by his wife Margaret Eccles, dau. of William Eccles, of Glasgow

born

28 Sep 1852

mar.

10 Aug 1880 Eleanora Anna Selby-Lowndes (d. 21 Jun 1941), 2nd dau. of Richard William Selby-Lowndes, of Elmers. Bletchley, co. Buckingham (by his wife Mary Susan Fletcher, dau. of Rev William Fletcher, of Harwell, co. Berkshire), 3rd son of William Selby-Lowndes MP, of Whaddon Hall, co. Buckingham, by his wife Ann Eleanor Isabella Hanmer, dau. of Rev Graham Hanmer, Vicar of Hanmer, co. Flint

children

1. Hon John Richard Lowndes French, later 2nd Earl of Ypres

2. Lt Col Hon (Edward) Gerald Fleming French DSO, Deputy Governor of Dartmoor Prison 1921-23 and Governor of Newcastle Prison 1924 (b. 11 Dec 1883; d. 1970), mar. 1906 Leila King (d. 1959), dau. of Robert King, of Natal, South Africa, and had issue:

1a. Essex Leila Hilary French, mar. (1) 30 Jul 1929 (div. 1936) Capt Vyvyn Dru Drury, of Castle Kevin, Annamoe, co. Wicklow, son of Francis Saxham Elwes Drury, of 3 East 93rd Street, New York, USA, and (2) 25 Jul 1950 as his second wife Bolton Meredith [Monsell later Eyres Monsell], 1st Viscount Monsell, and had issue by her first husband

2a. Violet Valerie French (d. 18 Jul 1997), mar. (1) 21 Apr 1931 (div. 1934) as his first wife Victor Henry Peter [Brougham], 4th Baron Brougham and Vaux, and (2) 26 Nov 1936 as his second wife Capt Hon Philip Leyland Kindersley (b. 11 Mar 1907; d. 2 Oct 1995), 4th son of Robert Molesworth [Kindersley], 1st Baron Kindersley, by his wife Gladys Margaret Beadle, dau. of Maj-Gen James Princep Beadle, of Worton Grange, co. Wiltshire, and had issue by both husbands

3. Aubrey Arthur Charles French (b. 11 Nov 1887; dvp. 29 Jan 1889)

1. Mary Eleanora Marguerite French (b. 29 Sep 1882; dvp. 23 Dec 1882)

2. Lady Essex Eleanora French OBE DGStJ

died

22 May 1925

created

1 Jan 1916 Viscount French, of Ypres and of High Lake in the County of Roscommon

5 Jun 1922 Earl of Ypres

suc. by

son

note

joined HMS Britannia 1866 and served for four years in the Navy as Naval Cadet and Midshipman; joined 8th Hussars 1874; Lieut, 19th Hussars 1874, Capt and Adjutant 1880; Adjutant, Northumberland Hussars 1881-84, Maj 1883; served in the Sudan Campaign 1884-85 and took part in the Battles of Abu Klea, Gubat and Metemmeh; Brevet Lt Col 1885; Lt Col Commanding 19th Hussars 1889-93; Assistant Adjutant-General of Cavalry 1893-94; Assistant Adjutant-General Headquarters 1895-97; Col, 1895; Col Commanding Cavalry Brigade South-Eastern District 1897-99; temporary Maj-General 1st Cavalry Brigade Aldershot 1899; Maj-General Commanding Cavalry Division, Natal 1899; served in the South African War; Lieut-General Commanding the Cavalry in South Africa, won the Battle of Elandslaagte 1899, relieved Kimberley 1900, stemmed the invasion of Cape Colony and played ca leading role in Lord Robert's advance from the Orange River; KCB 1900; KCMG 1902; Commander, 1st Army Corps, and General Office Commanding-in-Chief Aldershot 1902-07; GCVO 1905; General 1907; Inspector-General of the Forces 1907-12 and 1914; GCB 1909; ADC General to the King 1911-13; Chief of the Imperial General Staff 1912-14; Field Marshal 1913; OM 1914; Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force in France 1914-15; received a vote of thanks from Parliament and a grant of £50,000 1916; Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief Home Forces 1915-18; Knight of St Patrick 1917; Privy Councillor 1918; Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland 1918-21; Freeman of the City of London with a Sword of Honour 1920; Captain of Deal Castle 1923-25

John Richard Lowndes [French], 2nd Earl of Ypres

born

6 Jul 1881

mar. (1)

12 Jan 1916 Olivia Mary John (d. 21 Apr 1934), yst. dau. of Maj Gen Thomas John by his wife Edith Maria Lambart, 3rd dau. of Rev Charles Lambart, Rector of Navan

children by first wife

1. Hon John Richard Charles Lambart French, later 3rd Earl of Ypres

1. Lady Patricia Mary Charlemont French (b. 6 Jul 1919; d. 16 Dec 2017), mar. 24 Jan 1942 Henry Edmund Roland Kingsbury, of Wentworth Lodge, Iver Heath, co. Buckingham (b. 25 Mar 1913; d. 1986), 3rd son of Gerald Francis Kingsbury, of Potters Cross House, Iver Heath, co. Buckingham (by his wife Dorothy Grace Lake, 1st dau. of George Robert Lake, of Brookfield House, Mortimer, co. Berkshire), 3rd son of William Joseph Kingsbury, of 15 Courtfield Gardens, London, by his wife Caroline Louisa Sophia Georgiana Bridgeman, 1st dau. of Rev Hon Henry Edmund Bridgeman, Rector of Blymhill, co. Salop (by his wife and cousin Louisa Elizabeth Simpson, dau. by his first wife of Hon John Bridgeman later Simpson, of Babworth, co. Nottingham), 4th son of Orlando [Bridgeman], 1st Earl of Bradford, and has issue

mar. (2)

4 Oct 1941 Violet Laird Irvine (d. 1 Feb 1970), dau. of Col James laird Irvine CB, of The Court Cottage, Hampton Court, co. Surrey

died

5 Apr 1958

suc. by

son by first wife

note

joined the Royal Artillery 1901 and resigned commission 1906; rejoined to serve in World War I 1915-17 as Capt, Royal Horse Artillery

John Richard Charles Lambart [French], 3rd Earl of Ypres

born

30 Dec 1921

mar. (1)

5 Jun 1943 (div. 1972) Maureen Helena Kelly, dau. of Henry John Piers Kelly, of Stow Bedon Hall, Attleborough, co. Norfolk

children by first wife

1. Lady Charlotte Mary Olivia French (b. 17 May 1946), mar. 1965 Charles Mordaunt Milner, of Klatmuts, Cape, South Africa

2. Lady Sarah Mary Essex French (b. 22 May 1953)

3. Lady Emma Mary Helena French (b. 1958), mar. 1980 Charles Geoffrey Humfrey, only son of Charles Michael Humfrey, of Alderney, Channel Islands, and has issue

mar. (2)

1972 Deborah Roberts (d. 22 Mar 2011), dau. of R Roberts, of Liverpool

only child by second wife

4. Lady Lucy Kathleen French (b. 1975), mar. Simon Barry, son of Anthony Barry, of Hungerford, co. Berkshire, and has issue

died

s.p.m. 4 Mar 1988

note

served in World War II 1939-45 as Capt, KRRC

On the death of the 3rd Earl of Ypres the Earldom of Ypres and the Viscountcy of French became extinct.

 First written 3 Jul 2019

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