Evening star., 1923-03-03
Master OF Semphill Plays Big Part
In British Aeroplane Development

board the Discovery, the old ship OF
the ill-fated Capt Scott. But the
outbreak of hostilities naturally kept
him from any participation in this
undertaking, and instead of going to
the antarctic he hastened to the bat
tie front in France.
The Master OF Semphill is the only
son and heir Of Lord Semphill, who
went through the war as colonel OF
the famous Black Watch Regiment.
being badly wounded in the battle of
Loos in 1915. Lord Semphill, a vet
eran of the Kitchener campaigns in
the Sudan and in South Africa, Is the
eighteenth holder of a. barony Gre
before the discovery Of America by
Christopher Columbus, and is able
to trace his descent from King Rob-
ert II OF Scotland through the female
line.
Both Lord Semphill and his son, the
Master of Semphill. enjoyed the he
reditary and time-honored right of
entombment In the chapel. now so pic
turesquely ruined, of Holyrood Palace.
the last of their family to be lald
there being Maria. Baroness Semp-
hill in her own right, who died In
1884 at the age OF 100.
Another prerogative of Lord Semp-
hill-and one that is most curious,
cording to a charter from the crown,
of King James ii Of Great Britain
and Ireland. holder of the Semphlii
peerage. in default of any lawful
male or female heir may nominate q
successor of his or of her own choos-
ing, even If the nominee is in no way
related to the family by any ties OF
blood.
The Semphill peerage passed through
marriage in the eighteenth century
into the family of Forbes, thanks to
which the patronymic of Lord Semp-
hill and OF his son is now Forbes
Semphill. Lord Semphill is likewise
the holder of a Forbes baronetcy.
The Master Of Semphill's wife is d
pretty woman, a daughter Of Sir John
Lavery, the Royal Academician and
popular painter. by his first mar
riage. The second and present Lady
Lavery. herself an artist of note, is
the daughter Of Edward Jenner Mar
tyn of Chicago and widow of Edward
Livingston Trudeau of New York.
Her appearance is familiar to the
public on both sides of the Atlantic
thr ough the number of pictures paint
ed of her by her Irish husband.
1t may be of interest to add that
the Master Of Semphill and his father.
the present peer, are of the same
family as the Earl of Granard, SON.
in-law of Ogden Mills of New York.
The fortunes of their branches of the
house of Forbes may be said to have
had their origin in loan made by
Patrick Forbes Of Corse, Bishop of
Aberdeen, to his brother William, who
was always borrowing money from
the prelate. At last, on the latter
demurring to fresh loan, William
told him that a surety would be offer
ed who could not be refused. On the
money being forthcoming. the bishop
asked the name of his brothers
surety and received the reply: GOD
Almighty is the only security 1 have
to Offer
( well. William" answered the
bishop. "as it is the first time that
He is offered, / cannot refuse, and L
hope the money will do you good
with a capital thus provided VIII
/ liam Forbes went into business at
| Dantzig, made big fortune and LET.
numerous sons one of whom was
father to the first Earl of Granard.
while another acquired the Forbes
! ibaronetcy now merged in the Semp-