Who are the Peers.?

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14141, 26 February 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

Who are the Peers.?

ANSWERS IN MAME3< From a hook, on- "Family Names," by Mr Baring Gould, some curious information on the origin of the peers is to be obtained. Thus the Duke of Northumberland is actually no Percy hut a Smithson,' and'must recognise that bis ancestor wielded the hammer at the anvil.. Lord Gwydyr is a Bur-, rell, and his ancestor, judging by the name, was a weaver of coarse cloth. The ancestor of Lord Alverstone was a Webster, or weaver. . That of the, -Marquis of Headfort was a tailor, and no disguise of tailor into Taylour .can «bscure the fact. Earl Winterton is the descendant of a turner, dignified into Toumor. The ancestor of Lord Castlemaine must have been a. John tihe Cook in some nobleman's or squire's house, for the family name is Handcock. Earl Cowper derives his family and titular name from a man who made drinking mugs. Baron Forester would be descended from a man who had charge or the Royal forests. Viscount '■ Massereene derives from a salaried attendant who ministered to the pleasures of his master in the chase. Baron Burghclere had for an ancestor a gardener. Lord Bateman, as his name implies, could trace his descent, from the man who baited - some rich persons bears, when it was the custom to keep these animals. The Earl of Morley, as a Parker, must have had as ancestor one who saw that his master's park was .in order. The Earl of Harrowby is a Ryder: and of this name we are told that the barons maintained German mercenaries as horsemen, who were the ""reiter," called "Reuters" by the English, who changed the spelling to. Rider and Ryder. Baron Napier of Magdala derives from the official who looked after the linen. Frdm. butlers or hoteliers (the former waiters, the latter leather-bottle makers) came the Earls of Carrick and Laneshorough; the. Marquis of Ormonde, and Baron Dcnboyne. Baron Calthrope is a descendant from a maker of balls with spikes, used in war (calthrops). Earl Earners had as his nominal ancestor a Scanner or snmmoner, who served rcrranonses. t

-The ancestor of the Earl "of Leicester, jndging by the name, was a cook, and.that of the Earl of Shaftesbury was a cooper. Lord Teynham, being a Roper, must; have descended from a cord-wainer or rcpemaker. Baron Newland-s ancestor was a hozier. .Lord Belper is the grandson of Jedidiah Strctt, a small farmer. The science of names is merciless. "Anyone," says Mr Baring Gculd, "who can be shownto have borne, or his forhearsto have bcrne: a name connected with a-trade, most certainlv .did swing .from the shop or the factory. There can be no mistake about it. The Dukes of Leeds trace hack to a cloth-worker,'the Earls of Craven to a tailor, the families of. Dartmouth, Tankerville, Dormer, Romney, Dudley. Fitzwflliam. Cowper, Darnley, Hill.. Normanby, all sprang from London shops and count-ing-houses."