Lord Sempill

Lord Sempill (also variously rendered as Semple or Semphill) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in circa 1489 for Sir John Sempill, founder of the collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch. Sempill was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. His grandson, the third Lord, was known as "The Great Lord Sempill". His grandson, the fourth Lord, was Ambassador from King James VI of Scotland to Spain in 1596. The male line failed on the death of his great-grandson, the eighth Lord, in 1684. He was succeeded by his sister Anne, wife of Robert Abercromby, who in 1685 was created Lord Glassford for life. In 1688 she obtained a new charter settling the lordship of Sempill in default of male issue, upon her daughters without division by her then and any future husband. Her younger son, the twelfth Lord, commanded the left wing of the government army at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

Lordship of Sempill
Creation date	c. 1489
Created by	King James IV
Peerage	Peerage of Scotland
First holder	John Sempill, 1st Lord Sempill
Present holder	James William Stuart Whitemore Sempill, 21st Lord Sempill
Heir apparent	Hon. Francis Henry William Sempill, Master of Sempill
Remainder to	the 1st Lord's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten.
Status	Extant
Motto	Keep Tryst
Arms	Argent a Chevron checky Gules and of the field between three Hunting Horns Sable garnished and stringed of the second.

His great-grandson, the fifteenth Lord, died unmarried in 1835 and was succeeded by his younger sister Maria. She was the wife of Edward Chandler. In 1853 they were both allowed by Royal licence to assume the name and arms of Sempill only. However, they had no children and Maria was succeeded by her first cousin once removed Sir William Forbes, 8th Baronet, of Craigievar, who became the seventeenth Lord Sempill (see Forbes baronets of Craigievar for earlier history of this title). He was the grandson of the Hon. Sarah Sempill, eldest daughter of the thirteenth Lord Sempill. In 1885 he assumed by Royal licence the additional and principal surname of Sempill. His son, the eighteenth Lord, sat in the House of Lords as a Scottish representative peer from 1910 to 1934. His son, the nineteenth Lord, is known as an aviation pioneer who sold state secrets to the Japanese prior to World War Two and was also a Scottish Representative Peer between 1935 and 1963 (when all Scottish peers gained an automatic seat in the House of Lords). He fathered one daughter.

On the nineteenth Lord's death in 1965, the baronetcy and barony were separated: the lordship passed to his daughter Ann, the twentieth Lady Sempill, but the baronetcy could only be inherited by male heirs. After a two-year legal dispute to determine if he was a legitimate male successor, the nineteenth Lord's younger sibling, a trans man who had changed his legal gender from female to male in 1952,^[1] succeeded in the baronetcy as Sir Ewan Forbes, 11th Baronet. On Sir Ewan's death in 1991 the baronetcy was then inherited by the same person who had challenged the succession, his cousin Sir John Alexander Cumnock Forbes, 12th Baronet. (For information about the further succession of the baronetcy, see Forbes baronets of Craigievar.)

The twentieth Lady Sempill had married and divorced Eric Holt; she later married secondly Stuart Whitemore Chant, who in 1966 by decree of the Lord Lyon assumed the additional surname of Sempill. As of 2017^[update] the title is held by Lady Sempill's eldest son from her second marriage, the twenty-first Lord, who succeeded in 1995.

In 1712, the exiled James Francis Edward Stuart recognised Robert Sempill, a descendant of the fifth Lord, as the legitimate holder of the title and made him Lord Sempill of Dykehead in the Jacobite peerage.^[2] This claim and title were never recognised by the British authorities.

Lords Sempill (c. 1489)

• John Sempill, 1st Lord Sempill (d. 1513)
• William Sempill, 2nd Lord Sempill (d. 1552)
• Robert Sempill, 3rd Lord Sempill (c. 1505–1576)
• Robert Sempill, 4th Lord Sempill (d. 1611)
• Hugh Sempill, 5th Lord Sempill (d. 1639)
• Francis Sempill, 6th Lord Sempill (c. 1622–1644)
• Robert Sempill, 7th Lord Sempill (d. 1675)
• Francis Sempill, 8th Lord Sempill (c. 1660–1684)
• Anne Abercromby, 9th Lady Sempill (d. 1695)
• Francis Sempill, 10th Lord Sempill (c. 1685–1716)
• John Sempill, 11th Lord Sempill (d. 1727)
• Hugh Sempill, 12th Lord Sempill (1688–1746)
• John Sempill, 13th Lord Sempill (d. 1782)
• Hugh Sempill, 14th Lord Sempill (1758–1830)
• Selkirk Sempill, 15th Lord Sempill (1788–1835)
• Maria Janet Sempill, 16th Lady Sempill (1790–1884)
• William Forbes-Sempill, 17th Lord Sempill (1836–1905)
• John Forbes-Sempill, 18th Lord Sempill (1863–1934)
• William Francis Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill (1893–1965)
• Ann Moira Forbes-Sempill, 20th Lady Sempill (1920–1995)
• James William Stuart Whitemore Sempill, 21st Lord Sempill (b. 1949)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Francis Henry William Sempill, Master of Sempill (b. 1979)
The heir apparent’s heir apparent is his son, Felix Hew Forbes Sempill (b. 2012)

Family tree

v t e Forbes family tree

John de Forbes Lord Forbes, c. 1444 Alexander Forbes (c. 1380–1448) 1st Lord Forbes c. 1444–1448 James Forbes (d. 1462) 2nd Lord Forbes 1448–c. 1461 William Forbes (d. 1483) 3rd Lord Forbes c. 1461–by 1488 Duncan Forbes Patrick Forbes Alexander Forbes (d. c. 1491) 4th Lord Forbes by 1488–c. 1491 Arthur Forbes (d. c. 1496) 5th Lord Forbes c. 1491–c. 1496 John Forbes (d. 1547) 6th Lord Forbes c. 1496–1547 Forbes, later Stuart-Forbes, of Monymusk Forbes, of Castle Forbes William Forbes (1513–1593) 7th Lord Forbes 1547–1593 John Forbes (1542–1606) First called "Master of Forbes", then 8th Lord Forbes 1593–1606 William Forbes of Corse Castle (d. 1627) Forbes baronets, of Castle Forbes, 1628 William Forbes (1563–1592) John Forbes (1570–1606) "(9th) Lord Forbes" 1606–1606 His brief lordship was disputed and retroactively discounted.[a][3] Arthur Forbes (1581–1641) 9th Lord Forbes 1606–after 1634 John Forbes 8th of Pitsligo (d. 1625) William of Craigievar Arthur Forbes d. 1632 1st Baronet of Castle Forbes Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, 1633 Forbes baronets, of Craigievar Castle, in the County of Aberdeen, 1630 Viscount Granard and Baron Clanehugh, 1675 Earl of Granard, 1684 Alexander Forbes (1600–1672) 10th Lord Forbes after 1634–1672 Anne Alexander Forbes (d. 1636) 1st Lord Forbes of Pitsligo 1633–1636 William Forbes, 1st Baronet d. 1648 1st Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1630–1648 Arthur Forbes 1623–1695 1st Earl of Granard, 1st Viscount Granard, 1st Baron Clanehugh, 2nd Baronet of Castle Forbes William Forbes (d. 1697) 11th Lord Forbes after 1672–1697 John Forbes of Moneymusk (d. c. 1713) 3rd Baronet of Monymusk Alexander Forbes (d. 1690) 2nd Lord Forbes of Pitsligo 1636–1690 Alexander Forbes of Foveran (d. 1697) John Forbes, 2nd Baronet ("Red Sir John") (1636–1703) 2nd Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1648–1703 Arthur Forbes (c. 1656–1734) 2nd Earl of Granard, 2nd Viscount Granard, 2nd Baron Clanehugh, 3rd Baronet of Castle Forbes William Forbes (1656–1716) 12th Lord Forbes 1697–1716 William Forbes of Monymusk 4th Baronet of Monymusk John Forbes (b. 1680) Alexander Forbes (c. 1655–1690) 3rd Lord Forbes of Pitsligo 1690–1690 Sir Samuel Forbes, 1st Baronet (1653–1717) 1st Baronet of Foveran John Forbes, of Knaperna William Forbes, 3rd Baronet (1660–c. 1730) 3rd Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1703–c. 1730 George Forbes (1685–1765) 3rd Earl of Granard, 3rd Viscount Granard, 3rd Baron Clanehugh, 4th Baronet of Castle Forbes William Forbes (d. 1730) 13th Lord Forbes 1716–1730 James Forbes (1689–1761) 15th Lord Forbes 1734–1761 Mary Forbes John Forbes (d. 1715) Alexander Forbes (1678–1762) 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo 1691–1748 William Forbes Sir Alexander Forbes, 2nd Baronet (d. before 1755) 2nd Baronet of Foveran Samuel Forbes, of Knaperna Sir Arthur Forbes, 4th Baronet (1709–1773) 4th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray c. 1730–1773 George Forbes 1710–1769 4th Earl of Granard, 4th Viscount Granard, 4th Baron Clanehugh, 5th Baronet of Castle Forbes Lordship Forbes of Pitsligo attainted, 1748 Francis Forbes (1721–1734) 14th Lord Forbes 1730–1734 James Forbes (c. 1725–1804) 16th Lord Forbes 1761–1804 William Forbes (d. 1743) 5th Baronet of Edinburgh 1720–1743 Christian Forbes (1705–1789) Forbes Baronets of Newe in the County of Aberdeen Sir Charles Forbes, 1st Baronet (1774–1849) 1st Baronet of Newe 1823–1849 Sir John Forbes, 3rd Baronet (d. c. 1760) 3rd Baronet of Knaperna George Forbes (1740–1780) 5th Earl of Granard, 5th Viscount Granard, 5th Baron Clanehugh, 6th Baronet of Castle Forbes Baronetcy of Foveran/Knaperna dormant, c. 1760 Baron Granard (UK), 1806 James Ochoncar Forbes (1765–1843) 17th Lord Forbes 1804–1843 William Forbes (1739–1806) 6th Baronet of Edinburgh, and later Pitsligo 1743–1806 William Forbes (1755–1816) 5th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1773–1816 George Forbes (1760–1837) 6th Earl of Granard, 6th Viscount Granard, 6th Baron Clanehugh, 1st Baron Granard, 7th Baronet of Castle Forbes Walter Gammell Forbes (1798–1868) 18th Lord Forbes 1843–1868 Charlotte Elizabeth William Forbes (1773–1828) 7th Baronet of Pitsligo 1806–1828 [m. Williamina, daughter of Sir John Stuart/Belshes/Belshes-Wishart (3rd Baronet (S. 1707) of Fettercairn co. Kincardine] Arthur Forbes, 6th Baronet (1784–1823) 6th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1816–1823 John Forbes, 7th Baronet (1785–1846) 7th Baronet of Craigevar and Fintray 1823–1846 George Forbes (1785–1836) styled Viscount Forbes John Stuart Hepburn Forbes (1804–1866) 8th Baronet of Fettercairn and Pitsligo and later of Invermay and Balmanno 1828–1866 [Inherited Invermay and Balmanno as heir and cousin of Alexander Hepburn-Murray-Belshes (d. 1864)] Charles Hay Forbes (d. 1859) William Forbes-Sempill (1836–1905) 17th Lord Sempill 1884–1905 and 8th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1846–1905 (married Carlone Louisa, daughter of Charles Forbes, 3rd Baronet of Newe) James Ochoncar Forbes (1837–1900) George Arthur Hastings Forbes (1833–1889) 7th Earl of Granard, 7th Viscount Granard, 7th Baron Clanehugh, 2nd Baron Granard, 8th Baronet of Castle Forbes Horace Courtenay Gammell Forbes (1829–1914) 19th Lord Forbes 1868–1914 Atholl Monson Forbes (1841–1916) 20th Lord Forbes 1914–1916 William Forbes (1835–1906) 9th Baronet of Fettercairn, Pitsligo, Invermay, and Balmanno 1866–1906 John Forbes-Sempill (1863–1934) 18th Lord Sempill and 9th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1905–1934 Arthur Lionel Ochoncar Forbes-Sempill (1877–1962) James Ochoncar Forbes (1867–1945) Bernard Arthur William Patrick Hastings Forbes (1874–1948) 8th Earl of Granard, 8th Viscount Granard, 8th Baron Clanehugh, 3rd Baron Granard, 9th Baronet of Castle Forbes Atholl Laurence Cunyngham (1882–1953) 21st Lord Forbes 1916–1953 William Francis Forbes-Sempill (1893–1965) 19th Lord Sempill and 10th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1934–1965 Nigel Ivan Forbes (1918–2013) 22nd Lord Forbes 1953–2013 Ann Forbes-Sempill (1920–1995) 20th Lady Sempill Ewan Forbes (1912–1991) 11th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1965–1991 Patrick Walter Forbes (1914–1979) Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes (1915–1992) 9th Earl of Granard, 9th Viscount Granard, 9th Baron Clanehugh, 4th Baron Granard, 10th Baronet of Castle Forbes John Forbes (1920–1982) John Alexander Cumnock Forbes (1927–2000) 12th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 1991–2000 Malcolm Nigel Forbes (b. 1946) 23rd Lord Forbes 2013–present James Sempill (b. 1949) 21st Lord Sempill Andrew Iain Ochoncar Forbes (1945–2003)[4] 13th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 2000–2003 Peter Arthur Edward Hastings Forbes (b. 1957) 10th Earl of Granard, 10th Viscount Granard, 10th Baron Clanehugh, 5th Baron Granard, 11th Baronet of Castle Forbes Francis Henry William Sempill (b. 1979) styled Master of Sempill James Patrick Ochoncar Forbes (b. 1986) 14th Baronet of Craigievar and Fintray 2003–present David Ian Ochoncar Forbes (b. 1993) Heir presumptive to the Baronetage of Craigievar and Fintray Jonathan Peter Hastings Forbes b. 1981 styled Viscount Forbes The numbering dispute vacillated over the years and was most recently (As of 2023[update]) settled in 2018.

See also

• Forbes baronets, of Craigievar

Notes

1. Playdon 2021
2. Marquis of Ruvigny, The Jacobite Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Grants of Honour (T. C. & E. C. Jack, 1904), p.164.
3. "John Forbes - The Lord Who Wasn't". Retrieved 15 November 2023.
4. "Forbes of Corse". Register. The Times. No. 74045. London. 16 March 2023. col 5, p. 55.

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Playdon, Zoë (2021). The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes: The Transgender Trial That Threatened to Upend the British Establishment. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781526619136.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages ^{[self-published source] [better source needed]}