TOLL OF THE PEERAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9267, 7 February 1916, Page 6

TOLL OF THE PEERAGE

THE ROLL OF HONOUR. ■ The extent to which tho Peerage has surrendered the lives of its sons to the service of the Empire is strikingly illustrated in the pages of the new “Debrett.” A roll of honour of more than 800 names of those who have been killed or have died of wounds fills twelve pages, and an analysis of the list shows that it contains:—

I Member of tho Royal Family. 6 Peers. 16 Baronets. 6 Knights. 7 M.P.’s. 164 Companions. - 95 Sons of Peers. 82 Sons of Baronets, 84 Sons of Knights. The way in which fate has hit some families is shown by the list. Thus, Lord Penrhyn has lost his eldest son and two half-brothers. Lord Desborongh has lost two sons, as have also Sir George Dash wood, Sir Henry E. St. L- Clarke, and Sir Lulham Pound, while Sir Archibald Lucas-Tooth has lost two brothers, and two successive heirs to the earldom of Loudoun have been killed. Changes in the succession to more than 100 titles have been caused by the deaths in the war. In quite a number of instances the Peerage is threatened with extinction owing to the death of all the possible heirs. Among titles so affected are the marquisate -of Lincolnshire, the baronies of Knaresborough, Playfair. Ribblesdale, Rosmead, and StanifordhAtn. Half a dozen baronets are also left without heirs, and several titles are in doubt owing to their heirs being reported “missing.” .