Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-11-07
Interesting Plan to Make Daughte
to Distinguished Titles Like
That of Baron RibblesdaLe, Whose
Sons Haze All Been Killed in War

T HE British House of Lords has
suffered to such an enormous
extent in the war that It is
seriously in danger OF extinction.
The deaths have already been re-
ported Of $50 peers, heirs to peer
ages and members Of titled families.
OF the GIG members of the House
there Is said to be not one who has
not. lost a son or other near relative.
The Marquis of Lsnsdowne, the Con-
sentative leauer or the House, de.
scrtbed the situation correctly when
he said: 1.-THE House Of Lords has
become House Of Mourning"
One remarkable consequence of
this wholesale slaughter is that
many titles will become extinct and
many famous English castles and
stately homes will cease to be as
ISOLATED with the families to which
they have belonged for generations.
In most cases they will pass to
daughters or more distant relatives
Of the last owner through the female
line.
Il is impossible to catalogue all
the noblemen and members OF titled
families who have fallen. Besides,
the list is being increased by new
names daily. A few conspicuous in
stances will prove to what an extent
the ownership Of historic estates has
been changed by the war.
The Marquis of Lincolnshire has
lost his only son, Viscount Wen
dover, and has no other male heir.
He is the owner Of historic Gwydr
House, in North Wales, which his
family acquired through marriage
with the last heiress Of the very
ancient Welsh family of Wynn.
This place is famous In early Welsh
legend and the name "Gwydr, Z"
strange to say, means in Welsh
House Of the Bloody Hand" The
Marquisate will now become extinct
and the estates will pass to daugh.
ters.
Lord Ribblesdale, now an old man,
has lost his two sons and has no
brothers or other male heirs to his
title, which will therefore become
extinct. He is the owner OF Gis.
burna Park, Yorkshire, a beautiful
old estate, which has been in the
possession of the Listers-the family
name of Lord Ribblesdale-for CEN
turtles. Now 1t will cease to be as.
ISOLATED with the name.
Lord Waleran has had his only
son sent back from the war. dying.
He is the owner Of Bradfleld Park,
in Devonshire, a house end estate
which have been in his family for
over 500 years.
Lord Stamfordham, private cecre-
tary to King George, has lost his
only son, Captain j. N. Bigge. His
title will probably become extinct
unless his present wife dies and he
remarries again, and his seat, Dun
ham Massey Hall, at Altrincham.
will cease to be connected with his
name.
Lord Knaresborough has lost his
only son, Captain Claude Meysey-
Thompson. He has been q great So
cial light and was particular friend
of the late King Edward. He has a
MAGNIFICENT country estate, Kirby
Hail, near York, noted for its stables.
There Is no one of his name to
which this place can pass.
These are only four conspicuous
cases out OF a list that apparently
will count scores Of names before
the war is over.
There is one case of a parucu-
larly interesting character, similar
to those mentioned, although no
title has become extinct as a result
Of 1t. Hawarden Castle. the famous
residence Of the great statesman,
William Ewart Gladstone. will as a
result of this war tragedy cease to
be occupied by one of that name in
the next generation.
Captain William Glynne Charles
Gladstone, only son Of the oldest Son
OF the great statesman, has been
killed at the Dardanelles. He was
the heir to Hawarden Castle. He
has cousins of the same name, but
It is understood that the picturesque
n