THE EGMONT EARLDOM.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19669, 12 July 1929, Page 8

THE EGMONT EARLDOM.

CLAIM BY A LONDON BAKER FATHER A NEW ZEALAND SETTLER. (moM orx oww coreespokdekt.) LONDON, May 28. Mr James William Perceval, a 66-year-old baker, of T rnsey, North London, whose f ier and uncle went to New Zealand in 1352, is reported to be making a claim to the Earldom of Egraonfc He allege hat the earldom fcar Wwft in wrong hands since 1897. 14 was oply last January that the ninth earl died, and in March a distant kinsman, Mr Frederick Perceval, for 25 years a Canadian rancher, returned to England as the heir. Mr James William Perceval, the claimant, states that he is the son of Augustus xeorge Perceval, son of the sixth earl. He has been legally advised that if this can be proved he should have been the eighth earl and ought to have succeeded to the title ip 1801- If his claim is upheld it will mean, therefore, that the eighth Earl of Egmont, who died in 1910, and thg ninth Earl, who died in January, had no right to the title, which enabled them to sit and vote in the House of Lords, nor to Avon Castle and estate, near Ringwood, Hampshire. It will mean, also, that the "Rancher Earl" is not entitled to be called "Earl of Egmont, Baron Perceval, Baron Arden, Baron Lovel and Holland, and Sir Frederick Perceval, baronet." His 14y r-old son will nr' be entitled to be known as Viscount Perceval. It is understood that the present holder of the title has not yet received any money from the estate, and that it is unlikely that anything will be done until the question of the claim ia settled. Mr Perceval's Statement. Mr Perceval gives the following statement in support of his claim. "11l 1852 Augustus George and Charles John, first and second sons of Arthur Phillip brother of the then earl, went to New Zealand, and met on their voyage two sisters, whom they married.

"In 1863 Augustus George returned to England with his wife. He returned to Australia the same year, leaving his wife in England. "The family gave his wife money to go after him. She went to Sydney, where 1 was born. My father told me the date was December 11th, 1863. After my birth she found her husband, and, as he refused to leave a woman with whom he had gone away, handed me over to him. She returned to Sydaev, where she died on March 27th, 1873.

"In 1875 we three came to England, my father and the woman being married on the way in Sydney, at St. Phillip's Church. We reached England on June 25th, 1875. "My father took a house at 109, Finborough road, Kensington. Afterwards we moved to Langfords, known as the White House, at Buckhurst Hill, Essex.

"About 1878 we moved to Bournemouth. Three or four years later we returned to London. "While living there —at Clapham, g.W,—I went to King's College, Strand, in the name of James William Perceval. I was taken away from King's College because Augustus Arthur, who was afterwards earl, was at the fire brigade headquarters and used to visit mc too often. j "At the age of 18 I was apprenticed to a pastry-cook and confectioner, E. Cresswell, of Park street, C&mden Town i n the name of James William Offlev (the name of his Australian nurse). I served less than two years, because the firm changed hands. "When I was cnemployed I went back to live with my father at Clapham. A few years later Augustus George a Qii Margaret Amelia Perceval moved to Denmark Villas, Hove, where m y father died on August 19th, 1896. I used to stay with them at this address for long periods." Son Takes up the Work. It is understood that the whole matter of prosecuting the claim of Mr James William Perceval to the earldom of Egmont is in the hands of his son, ■mv Augustus William Perceval, who

lives at Ferrestons ioad« Horna«y, Ifotth London. * Mrs Augustus William Perceval, to* claimant's daughter-in-law, said in mi interview that her huaband was T«ry busy trying to establish his father ■ claim. She continued: "My father-in-lair has been a baker for many years, and he feels that all the bother of this thing is too ™ueh f ? r him at his age, so my husband is in charge of the matter. •'The claim was first advanced in 1907, bnt the solicitors advised my fathar-in-law to await a more opportune time. He took it that that would be wheij the earl died. "He ia very sanguine of being able to prove his claim, but this mainly depends oil his birth certificate being found, and a search for- it is being made in Australia, where he was born." A further grant in respect of settled land valued at *61,856 baa been issued in connexion iritfc tWestat »°f Char les John, ninth fcari o* He died on January TOih last, leaving Unsettled property of the gross value of £61,152. | The total value of the property passing at .his death, therefore, amounts to £122,417.