THE SEAFIELD ESTATES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16768, 29 June 1925, Page 7

THE SEAFIELD ESTATES.

CLAIMED BV SCOTTISH SCHOOL

MASTER

(Australian sml N.Z. Cable Association

(Received June 29, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Juno 28.

The newspaper Weekly Despatch says Alexander Grant, a septuagenarian exsohooimnster is claiming in the Scottish Courts the title' and huge fortune of the Earl of Smfield, at present held by the nineteen-year-old Lady Seafield. one of the few Cqnntesses in her own right, whose grandfather lived in humble circumstances at Oamaru, New Zealand, prior to succeeding to the title. Grant claims to be a son of the seventh earl, who paid for his education at Aberdeen, and only saw In's mother once im 1906. Lord Strathspey, uncle of Lady Seafield and heir presumptive, says Grant’s claim is one of several. An American claims the title arid already calls herself Countess Strathspey.

Tho claimant adds: “I have contemplated claiming the earldom, hut it would cost fifty-thousand pounds sterling, which is prohibotove. The trustifies of the estates allow me £7OO yearly. I have to rent a house in a London suburb when tiie ancestral seats in .Scotland are empty.”

The present Countess of Seafield is Nina'vCardino Ogilvie Grant, daughter of the into eleventh Earl and Nina, daughter of Dr. Townshend, of Christchurch. She was born in April 1906.