Peerage Act 1963

The Peerage Act 1963 (c. 48) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits female hereditary peers and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed.

Peerage Act 1963

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to authorise the disclaimer for life of certain hereditary peerages; to include among the peers qualified to sit in the House of Lords all peers in the peerage of Scotland and peeresses in their own right in the peerages of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom; to remove certain disqualifications of peers in the peerage of Ireland in relation to the House of Commons and elections thereto; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.
Citation	1963 c. 48
Territorial extent	United Kingdom
Dates
Royal assent	31 July 1963
Commencement	31 July 1963
Other legislation
Amends	Union with Scotland Act 1706 Union with England Act 1707 Election Act 1707 Union with Ireland Act 1800 Representation of the People Act 1918 Reorganisation of Offices (Scotland) Act 1928
Repeals/revokes	Scottish Representative Peers Act 1707 Representative Peers (Scotland) Act 1847 Representative Peers (Scotland) Act 1851
Amended by	Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1974 House of Lords Act 1999
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Text of the Peerage Act 1963 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

A disclaimed peerage remains without a holder until the death of the disclaimer, and his heir succeeds to the peerage.

Background

The Act resulted largely from the protests of Labour politician Tony Benn, then the 2nd Viscount Stansgate.^[1] Under British law at the time, peers of England, peers of Great Britain and peers of the United Kingdom who met certain qualifications, such as age (21), were automatically members of the House of Lords and could not sit in or vote in elections for the other chamber, the House of Commons.

At the time of the Act, thirty one peers in the Peerage of Scotland also had held titles in the respective peerages of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom and were thus members of the House of Lords.

When William Wedgwood Benn, Tony Benn's father, agreed to accept the Viscountcy, he ascertained that the heir-apparent, his eldest son Michael, did not plan to enter the House of Commons. However, within a few years of the peerage being accepted, Michael Benn was killed in action in the Second World War. Tony Benn, his younger brother, became heir apparent to the peerage and was elected to the House of Commons in 1950. Not wishing to leave it for the other House, he campaigned through the 1950s for a change in the law. In 1960, the 1st Viscount died and Tony Benn inherited the title, automatically losing his seat in the House of Commons as a member for the constituency of Bristol South East. In the ensuing by-election, however, Benn was re-elected to the Commons, despite being disqualified. An election court ruled that he could not take his seat, instead awarding it to the runner-up, the Conservative Malcolm St Clair.^[2]

In 1963, the Conservative Government agreed to introduce a Peerage Bill, allowing individuals to disclaim peerages; it received royal assent on 31 July 1963.^[3] Tony Benn was the first peer to make use of the Act. St Clair, fulfilling a promise he had made at the time of taking his seat, accepted the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead the previous day,^[4] thereby disqualifying himself from the House (outright resignation is prohibited), and Benn was then re-elected in Bristol South East at the ensuing by-election.

Disclaiming peerages

To disclaim a hereditary peerage, the peer must deliver an instrument of disclaimer to the Lord Chancellor within one year of succeeding to the peerage, or within one year after the passage of the Act, or, if under the age of 21 at the time of succession, before the peer's 22nd birthday. If, at the time of succession, the peer is a member of the House of Commons, then the instrument must be delivered within one month of succession, and until such an instrument is delivered, the peer may neither sit nor vote in the lower House. Prior to the House of Lords Act 1999, a hereditary peer could not disclaim a peerage after having applied for a writ of summons to Parliament; now, however, hereditary peers do not have the automatic right to a writ of summons to the House. A peer who disclaims the peerage loses all titles, rights and privileges associated with the peerage; if they are married, so does their spouse. No further hereditary peerage may be conferred upon the person, but a life peerage may be. The peerage remains without a holder until the death of the peer who had made the disclaimer, whereupon it descends to his or her heir in the usual manner.

The one-year window after the passage of the Act soon proved to be of importance at the highest levels of British politics, after the resignation of Harold Macmillan as Prime Minister in October 1963. Two hereditary peers wished to be considered to replace him, but by this time it was considered requisite that a prime minister sit in the Commons. The 2nd Viscount Hailsham and the 14th Earl of Home took advantage of the Act to disclaim their peerages, despite having inherited them in 1950 and 1951 respectively.^[1] Sir Alec Douglas-Home, as Lord Home now became, was chosen as prime minister; both men later returned to the House of Lords as life peers.

Since the abolition in 1999 of the general right of hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, and the consequent removal of the general disability of such peers to sit in or vote for the House of Commons, it is no longer necessary for hereditary peers to disclaim their peerages for this purpose. In 2001, the 3rd Viscount Thurso became the first British hereditary peer to be elected to the Commons and take his seat. Later that year, Douglas Hogg inherited the Hailsham peerage his father (Quintin Hogg) had disclaimed, but did not have to disclaim it himself to continue sitting in the House of Commons. In 2004, Michael Ancram inherited the marquessate of Lothian on the death of his father, and was also able to continue sitting as an MP. On their retirements from the House of Commons, Lord Lothian and Lord Hailsham entered the House of Lords as life peers, while Lord Thurso was elected as an excepted hereditary peer after losing reelection as an MP. Since the chief purpose for the Act ended in 1999, there has only been one further disclaimer: Christopher Silkin, 3rd Baron Silkin, disclaimed his title in 2002. As of 2024, the barony of Silkin is the only title currently disclaimed under the terms of the Peerage Act 1963.

The Peerage Act 1963 only applies to titles held in the Peerage of England, the Peerage of Scotland, the Peerage of Great Britain, and the Peerage of the United Kingdom. No provision was made by the Act for titles in the Peerage of Ireland to be disclaimed, as the entitlement of new Irish representative peers to be elected to sit in the House of Lords was considered to have lapsed after most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State in December 1922 (and the last surviving Irish representative peer had died in 1961).

List of disclaimed peerages

Key

‡	Indicates peerage which is currently disclaimed

Title(s)		Disclaimed by; life	Time disclaimed	Notes	Ref.
Viscount Stansgate	[a]	Tony Benn 2nd Viscount 1925–2014	1963 to 2014	Extant; inherited in 2014 by Stephen Benn, 3rd Viscount Stansgate	[1][4]
Baron Altrincham	[a]	John Grigg 2nd Baron 1924–2001	1963 to 2001	Extant; inherited in 2001 by Anthony Grigg, 3rd Baron Altrincham	[4][5]
Earl of Home	[b]	Sir Alec Douglas-Home 14th Earl 1903–1995[c]	1963 to 1995	Extant; inherited in 1995 by David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home	[1][6]
Viscount Hailsham	[a]	Quintin Hogg 2nd Viscount 1907–2001[d]	1963 to 2001	Extant; inherited in 2001 by Douglas Hogg, 3rd Viscount Hailsham	[1][7]
Baron Southampton	[e]	Charles FitzRoy 5th Baron 1904–1989	1964 to 1989	Extant; inherited in 1989 by Charles FitzRoy, 6th Baron Southampton	[8]
Baron Monkswell	[a]	William Collier 4th Baron 1913–1984	1964 to 1984	Extant; inherited in 1984 by Gerard Collier, 5th Baron Monkswell	[9]
Baron Beaverbrook	[a]	Sir Max Aitken, Bt. 2nd Baron 1910–1985	1964 to 1985	Extant; inherited in 1985 by Maxwell Aitken, 3rd Baron Beaverbrook	[10]
Earl of Sandwich	[f]	Victor Montagu 10th Earl 1906–1995	1964 to 1995	Extant; inherited in 1995 by John Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich	[11]
Baron Fraser of Allander	[a]	Sir Hugh Fraser, Bt. 2nd Baron 1936–1987	1966 to 1987	Extinct 1987	[12]
Earl of Durham	[a]	Antony Lambton 6th Earl 1922–2006	1970 to 2006	Extant; inherited in 2006 by Edward Lambton, 7th Earl of Durham	[13]
Baron Sanderson of Ayot	[a]	Alan Lindsay Sanderson 2nd Baron 1931–2022	1971 to 2022	Extant; inherited in 2022 by Michael Sanderson, 3rd Baron Sanderson of Ayot	[14]
Baron Reith	[a]	Christopher Reith 2nd Baron 1928–2016	1972 to 2016	Extant; inherited in 2016 by James Reith, 3rd Baron Reith	[15]
Baron Silkin	[a]	Arthur Silkin 2nd Baron 1916–2001	1972 to 2001	Inherited in 2001 by Christopher Silkin, 3rd Baron Silkin, who also disclaimed the peerage - now the only peerage to be disclaimed twice	[16]
Baron Archibald	[a]	George Christopher Archibald 2nd Baron 1926–1996	1975 to 1996	Extinct 1996	[17]
Baron Merthyr	[a]	Trevor Lewis 4th Baron 1935–2015	1977 to 2015	Extant; inherited in 2015 by David Lewis, 5th Baron Merthyr	[18]
Earl of Selkirk	[b]	Lord James Douglas-Hamilton 11th Earl 1942–2023[g]	1994 to 2023	Extant; inherited in 2023 by John Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Earl of Selkirk	[19]
Viscount Camrose	[a]	Michael Berry 3rd Viscount 1911–2001[h]	1995 to 2001	Extant; inherited in 2001 by Adrian Berry, 4th Viscount Camrose	[20]
‡ Baron Silkin	[a]	Christopher Silkin 3rd Baron born 1947	Since 2002		[21]

Notes

1. The title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
2. The title in the Peerage of Scotland.
3. Created as a life peer as Baron Home of the Hirsel, 1974.
4. Created as a life peer as Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, 1970.
5. The title in the Peerage of Great Britain.
6. The title in the Peerage of England.
7. Created as a life peer as Baron Selkirk of Douglas, 1997.
8. Created as a life peer as Baron Hartwell, 1968.

Other provisions

The Act granted peers of Scotland the same right to sit in the House of Lords as peers of England, Great Britain or the United Kingdom, thereby ending the election of Scottish representative peers and increasing the number of peers of Scotland in the Lords (who did not already sit as holder of another British peerage) from 16 to about 46.^[22] An amendment that would have allowed Irish peers to sit in the House as well was defeated by ninety votes to eight.

The Act removed the disqualification of peers of Ireland, by virtue of an Irish peerage, to vote in elections for members of the House of Commons; and to sit in the British House of Commons without losing the privilege of peerage.^[23]

The Act also granted suo jure hereditary women peers (other than those in the Peerage of Ireland) the right to sit in the House of Lords, which introduced twelve new women to the House. This was not the first time that women were members of the House of Lords; the Life Peerages Act 1958 allowed all life peers (men and women) to sit in the House. The 2nd Baroness Ravensdale had already entered the Lords in 1958 through the receipt of a life peerage. The women who took their seats in the House after the Peerage Act 1963 and before the House of Lords Act 1999 were:

Scottish hereditary peers

Peer	Highest qualifying title		Notes
Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton	Duke of Brandon	[a]	The incumbent Lord Steward.
Walter Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch and 10th Duke of Queensbury	Earl of Doncaster	[b]	The incumbent Lord Clerk Register.
Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll	Duke of Argyll	[c] [d]
Angus Graham, 7th Duke of Montrose	Earl Graham of Belford	[a]	The incumbent Cabinet Minister in Southern Rhodesia.
George Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe	Earl Innes	[c]
Douglas Gordon, 12th Marquess of Huntly	Baron Meldrum	[c]
William Hay, 11th Marquess of Tweeddale	Baron Tweeddale	[c]	The incumbent Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian
Peter Kerr, 12th Marquess of Lothian	Baron Ker of Kersehugh	[c]	The incumbent Lord-in-waiting
David Lindsay, 28th Earl of Crawford and 11th Earl of Balcarres	Baron Wigan	[c]
Donald Erskine, 16th Earl of Buchan	Baron Erskine	[c]
Archibald Montgomerie, 17th Earl of Eglinton	Earl of Winton	[c]
Archibald Stuart, 19th Earl of Moray	Baron Stuart	[a] [e]
Alec Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home	Baron Douglas	[c]	The incumbent Foreign Secretary
Timothy Bowes-Lyon, 16th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne	Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne	[c] [f]
Randolph Stewart, 12th Earl of Galloway	Baron Stewart of Garlies	[a]	The incumbent Lord Lieutenant of Kirkcudbright
William Hay, 15th Earl of Kinnoull	Baron Hay of Pedwardine	[a]
Edward Bruce, 10th Earl of Elgin and 14th Earl of Kincardine	Baron Elgin	[c]	The incumbent Lord Lieutenant of Fife
Charles Carnegie, 11th Earl of Southesk	Baron Balinhard	[c]
David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss and 8th Earl of March	Baron Wemyss	[c]
Simon Ramsay, 16th Earl of Dalhousie	Baron Ramsay	[c]
Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn, 11th Earl of Dundee	Baron Glassary	[c]
Arthur Keith-Falconer, 10th Earl of Kintore [g]	Baron Kintore	[c]
John Murray, 9th Earl of Dunmore [h]	Baron Dunmore	[c]
John Dalrymple, 13th Earl of Stair	Baron Oxenfoord	[c]	The incumbent Lord Lieutenant of Wigtown
Harry Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery	Earl of Midlothian	[c] [i]	The incumbent Lord Lieutenant of Midlothian
Patrick Boyle, 8th Earl of Glasgow	Baron Fairlie	[c]
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat	Baron Lovat	[c]
John Elphinstone, 17th Lord Elphinstone	Baron Elphinstone	[c]
Nigel Napier, 14th Lord Napier	Baron Ettrick	[c]
Eric Rollo, 13th Lord Rollo	Baron Dunning	[c]
Kenneth Kinnaird, 12th Lord Kinnaird [j]	Baron Kinnaird	[c]

Notes

1. The title in the Peerage of Great Britain.
2. The title in the Peerage of England.
3. The title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
4. Junior qualifying title, Baron Sundridge ^[a] and Baron Hamilton of Hameldon ^[a].
5. Junior qualifying title, Baron Ardrossan ^[c].
6. Junior qualifying title, Baron Bowes ^[c].
7. The Barony of Kintore in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 26 May 1966
8. The Barony of Dunmore in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 12 August 1980
9. Junior qualifying title, Baron Rosebery ^[c].
10. The Lordship of Kinnaird in the Peerage of Scotland and Barony of Kinnaird in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 27 February 1997

Scottish representative peers who became automatic members

Peer	Elected as representative peer	Notes
Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl	1 October 1958
Roderick Sinclair, 19th Earl of Caithness	21 February 1950
John Erskine, 13th Earl of Mar and 16th Earl of Kellie	6 October 1959
David Drummond, 8th Earl of Perth	2 April 1952
George Baillie-Hamilton, 12th Earl of Haddington	16 November 1922
David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie	13 January 1922
George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk	6 July 1945
David Carnegie, 11th Earl of Northesk	6 October 1959
Ian Cochrane, 14th Earl of Dundonald	6 October 1959
Nigel Forbes, 22nd Lord Forbes	23 May 1955
Alexander Fraser, 20th Lord Saltoun	15 November 1935
Charles St Clair, 17th Lord Sinclair	6 October 1959
William Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill	15 November 1935
George Bruce, 7th Lord Balfour of Burleigh	16 November 1922
Thomas Fairfax, 13th Lord Fairfax of Cameron	6 July 1945
Henry Hepburne-Scott, 10th Lord Polwarth	6 July 1945

Became eligible to sit

Peer	Notes
David Douglas, 12th Marquess of Queensberry
Lionel Erskine-Young, 29th Earl of Mar
Sholto Douglas, 20th Earl of Morton
Malcolm Leslie, 20th Earl of Rothes	Former representative peer
Alfred Maitland, 16th Earl of Lauderdale
William Lindesay-Bethune, 14th Earl of Lindsay	Former representative peer
Alexander Leslie-Melville, 14th Earl of Leven and 13th Earl of Melville
John Campbell, 10th Earl of Breadalbane and Holland
Cecil FitzMaurice, 8th Earl of Orkney
Lucius Cary, 14th Viscount Falkland
Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott
Angus Campbell-Gray, 22nd Lord Gray
John Sandilands, 13th Lord Torphichen
Hugh Mackay, 14th Lord Reay
James Erskine-Murray, 13th Lord Elibank
Robert Hamilton, 13th Lord Belhaven and Stenton

The holder of the Earldom of Newburgh wasn't eligible as she was an Italian citizen.

Irish hereditary peers

Irish peers with qualifying titles

Peer	Highest qualifying title
Edward FitzGerald, 7th Duke of Leinster	Viscount Leinster	[a] [c]
James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn	Marquess of Abercorn	[a] [d]
John Beresford, 8th Marquess of Waterford	Baron Tyrone	[a]
Arthur Hill, 7th Marquess of Downshire	Earl of Hillsborough	[a] [e]
Edward Chichester, 6th Marquess of Donegall	Baron Fisherwick	[a]
Michael Taylour, 6th Marquess of Headfort	Baron Kenlis	[b]
Denis Browne, 10th Marquess of Sligo	Baron Monteagle	[b]
George Loftus, 7th Marquess of Ely	Baron Loftus	[b]
Frederick Conyngham, 6th Marquess Conyngham	Baron Minster	[b]
Alistair Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry	Earl Vane	[b] [f]
Arthur Butler, 6th Marquess of Ormonde [g]	Baron Ormonde	[b]
William Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork and 12th Earl of Orrery	Baron Boyle of Marston	[a]
Anthony Brabazon, 14th Earl of Meath	Baron Chaworth	[b]
Oliver Plunket, 12th Earl of Fingall [h]	Baron Fingall	[b]
Charles Moore, 11th Earl of Drogheda	Baron Moore	[b]
Arthur Forbes, 9th Earl of Granard	Baron Granard	[b]
Thomas Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 10th Earl Fitzwilliam [i]	Earl Fitzwilliam	[a] [j]
Peter Bligh, 10th Earl of Darnley	Baron Clifton	[k]
Frederick Perceval, 11th Earl of Egmont [l]	Baron Lovel and Holland	[a]
Frederick Ponsonby, 10th Earl of Bessborough [m]	Earl of Bessborough	[b] [n]
Brian Butler, 9th Earl of Carrick	Baron Butler of Mount Juliet	[b]
Robert Boyle, 8th Earl of Shannon	Baron Carleton	[a]
Arthur Gore, 8th Earl of Arran	Baron Sudley	[b]
James Stopford, 8th Earl of Courtown	Baron Saltersford	[a]
Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton [o]	Baron Sefton	[b]
John Meade, 6th Earl of Clanwilliam	Baron Clanwilliam	[b]
Frank Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford	Baron Silchester	[b] [p]
David Cole, 6th Earl of Enniskillen	Baron Grinstead	[b]
Henry Crichton, 6th Earl Erne	Baron Fermanagh	[b]
George Bingham, 6th Earl of Lucan	Baron Bingham	[b]
John Hely-Hutchinson, 7th Earl of Donoughmore	Viscount Hutchinson	[b]
Edmund Pery, 5th Earl of Limerick	Baron Foxford	[b]
Richard Trench, 6th Earl of Clancarty	Viscount Clancarty	[b] [q]
Archibald Acheson, 6th Earl of Gosford	Baron Worlingham	[b] [r]
Edward Ellis Agar, 5th Earl of Normanton	Baron Somerton	[b]
William Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel	Baron Hare	[b]
Daniel Knox, 6th Earl of Ranfurly	Baron Ranfurly	[b]
Nicholas Preston, 17th Viscount Gormanston	Baron Gormanston	[b]
Piers Butler, 16th Viscount Mountgarret	Baron Mountgarret	[b]
John Whyte-Melville-Skeffington, 13th Viscount Massereene and 6th Viscount Ferrard	Baron Oriel	[b]
Richard Dawnay, 10th Viscount Downe	Baron Dawnay	[b]
Gustavus Hamilton-Russell, 10th Viscount Boyne	Baron Brancepeth	[b]
Patrick Barrington, 11th Viscount Barrington [s]	Baron Shute	[b]
Henry Gage, 6th Viscount Gage	Baron Gage	[a]
Simon Monckton-Arundell, 9th Viscount Galway [t]	Baron Monckton	[b]
Mervyn Patrick Wingfield, 9th Viscount Powerscourt	Baron Powerscourt	[b]
Francis Agar-Robartes, 7th Viscount Clifden [u]	Baron Mendip	[a] [v]
Henry Monck, 6th Viscount Monck	Baron Monck	[b]
Edward Digby, 11th Baron Digby	Baron Digby	[a]
William Edwardes, 7th Baron Kensington	Baron Kensington	[b]
Edward Stanley, 6th Baron Sheffield	Baron Stanley of Alderley	[b] [w]
William Westenra, 7th Baron Rossmore	Baron Rossmore	[b]
Michael Eden, 7th Baron Henley	Baron Northington	[b]
John Henniker-Major, 7th Baron Henniker	Baron Hartismere	[b]
Milo Talbot, 7th Baron Talbot of Malahide [x]	Baron Talbot de Malahide	[b]
William Conolly-Carew, 6th Baron Carew	Baron Carew	[b]
Dominick Browne, 4th Baron Oranmore and Browne	Baron Mereworth	[b]

• Ian Eden, 9th Baron Auckland and Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington are not counted on the list as they were both the 9th and 6th Barons of their respective Peerages in both the Peerage of Great Britain and Peerage of Ireland and their place in the order of precedence was Barons of the Peerage of Great Britain.

Notes

1. The title in the Peerage of Great Britain.
2. The title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
3. Junior qualifying title, Baron Kildare ^[b]
4. Junior qualifying title, Viscount Hamilton ^[a].
5. Junior qualifying title, Baron Harwich ^[a].
6. Junior qualifying title, Baron Stewart ^[b].
7. The Marquessate of Ormonde in the Peerage of Ireland and the Barony of Ormonde was extinct on 25 October 1997
8. The Earldom of Fingall in the Peerage of Ireland and the Barony of Fingall in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 5 March 1984
9. The Earldom of Fitzwilliam in the Peerage of Ireland, the Earldom of Fitzwilliam and the Barony of Fitzwilliam in the Peerage of Great Britain was extinct on 21 September 1979
10. Junior qualifying title, Baron Fitzwilliam ^[a].
11. The title in the Peerage of England.
12. The Earldom of Egmont in the Peerage of Ireland and the Barony of Lovel and Holland in the Peerage of Great Britain was extinct on 6 November 2011
13. The Earldom of Bessborough in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 5 December 1993
14. Junior qualifying title, Baron Ponsonby of Sysonby ^[a] and Baron Duncannon ^[b].
15. The Earldom of Sefton in the Peerage of Ireland and the Barony of Sefton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 13 April 1972
16. Junior qualifying title, Baron Pakenham ^[b].
17. Junior qualifying title, Baron Trench ^[b].
18. Junior qualifying title, Baron Acheson ^[b].
19. The Viscountcy of Barrington in the Peerage of Ireland and the Barony of Shute in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 6 April 1990
20. The Barony of Monckton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 1 January 1971
21. The Viscountcy of Clifden in the Peerage of Ireland and the Barony of Robartes in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 22 December 1974
22. Junior qualifying title, Baron Robartes ^[b].
23. Junior qualifying title, Baron Eddisbury ^[b].
24. The Barony of Talbot de Malahide in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was extinct on 14 April 1973

Irish peers with full voting rights

Key

‡	Indicates peerage whose holder is currently alive

Peer	Notes
Gilbert Charles Nugent, 12th Earl of Westmeath
Michael Lambart, 12th Earl of Cavan
Denis Butler, 9th Earl of Lanesborough
John Savile, 7th Earl of Mexborough
Ronald Turnour, 7th Earl Winterton
Barclay King-Tenison, 11th Earl of Kingston
Robert Jocelyn, 9th Earl of Roden
Ernest Vaughan, 7th Earl of Lisburne
Randal McDonnell, 8th Earl of Antrim
‡ George Dawson-Damer, 7th Earl of Portarlington
Terence Bourke, 10th Earl of Mayo	Stood for South Dorset in 1964
Robert Annesley, 9th Earl Annesley
William Howard, 8th Earl of Wicklow
‡ John Lowry-Corry, 8th Earl Belmore
Percy Bernard, 5th Earl of Bandon
Patrick Stuart, 8th Earl Castle Stewart
Denis Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon
Michael Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse
Richard Wyndham-Quin, 6th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl
Patrick Needham, 5th Earl of Kilmorey
Noel Graham-Toler, 6th Earl of Norbury
Francis Annesley, 14th Viscount Valentia
Michael Dillon, 20th Viscount Dillon
Robert Caulfeild, 10th Viscount Charlemont
Richard Molesworth, 11th Viscount Molesworth
Adam Chetwynd, 9th Viscount Chetwynd
Desmond Flower, 10th Viscount Ashbrook
Pyers Southwell, 7th Viscount Southwell
John Vesey, 6th Viscount de Vesci
Alan Hewitt, 8th Viscount Lifford
Edward Ward, 7th Viscount Bangor
Richard St Leger, 9th Viscount Doneraile
Henry Pomeroy, 9th Viscount Harberton
Robert Maude, 8th Viscount Hawarden
Henry Upton, 5th Viscount Templetown
Standish Vereker, 7th Viscount Gort
Michael de Courcy, 34th Baron Kingsale
Randal Plunkett, 19th Baron of Dunsany
Charles Barnewall, 19th Baron Trimlestown
Patrick Butler, 18th Baron Dunboyne
Otway Plunkett, 16th Baron Louth
Donough O'Brien, 16th Baron Inchiquin
John Evans-Freke, 10th Baron Carbery
John Aylmer, 9th Baron Aylmer
Barry Maxwell, 12th Baron Farnham
John Lysaght, 7th Baron Lisle
Robert Wynn, 6th Baron Newborough
Alexander Macdonald, 7th Baron Macdonald	The incumbent Lord Lieutenant of Inverness
Hugh Massy, 9th Baron Massy
Matthew Deane, 7th Baron Muskerry
John Browne, 6th Baron Kilmaine
Frederick Cavendish, 7th Baron Waterpark
Henry Graves, 7th Baron Graves
William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield
Henry Hotham, 7th Baron Hotham
Rowland Allanson-Winn, 6th Baron Headley
Edward Crofton, 5th Baron Crofton
Peter ffrench, 7th Baron ffrench
Hugh Shore, 6th Baron Teignmouth
Geoffrey Rowley-Conwy, 9th Baron Langford
Arthur Eveleigh-de-Moleyns, 7th Baron Ventry
Henry Prittie, 6th Baron Dunalley
John Bingham, 7th Baron Clanmorris
Robert Trench, 4th Baron Ashtown
Charles Thellusson, 8th Baron Rendlesham
John Handcock, 7th Baron Castlemaine
Arthur Beresford, 6th Baron Decies
George Canning, 5th Baron Garvagh
Edward Bellew, 5th Baron Bellew
Edmund Roche, 5th Baron Fermoy
‡ Thomas McClintock-Bunbury, 5th Baron Rathdonnell

Female hereditary peers

Key

‡	Indicates peerage whose holder is currently alive

Who took their seat

^[24]

Title		Name	Title by marriage	Date inherited peerage	Date took seat	Date left House of Lords	Ref.
The Baroness Strange of Knokin	[a]	Elizabeth Philipps	Viscountess St Davids	23 February 1921 [25]	19 November 1963	12 December 1974	[26]
The Baroness Audley	[a]	Rosina MacNamee		3 July 1963	20 November 1963	24 October 1973	[27]
The Baroness Beaumont	[a]	Mona Fitzalan-Howard	Baroness Howard of Glossop	1 June 1896 [25]	4 December 1963	31 August 1971	[28]
The Lady Kinloss	[b]	Mary Freeman-Grenville		17 October 1944	18 February 1964	11 November 1999	[29]
The Countess of Erroll	[b]	Diana Hay		24 January 1941	29 July 1964	16 May 1978	[30]
The Lady Nairne	[b]	Katherine Bigham	Viscountess Mersey	3 June 1927	27 October 1964	20 October 1995	[31]
The Lady Sempill	[b]	Ann Forbes-Sempill		30 December 1965	19 July 1966	6 July 1995	[32]
The Baroness Berkeley	[a]	Mary Foley-Berkeley		5 April 1967 [25]	10 May 1967	17 October 1992	[33]
The Countess of Loudoun	[b]	Barbara Abney-Hastings		24 February 1960	22 June 1967	11 November 1999	[34]
The Lady Ruthven of Freeland	[b]	Bridget Monckton	Viscountess Monckton of Brenchley	6 April 1956	26 October 1967	17 April 1982	[35]
The Countess of Sutherland	[b]	Elizabeth Sutherland		1 January 1963	27 March 1968	11 November 1999	[36]
The Baroness Darcy de Knayth	[a]	Davina Ingrams		23 March 1943	15 July 1969	24 February 2008	[37]
The Baroness Dacre	[a]	Rachel Douglas-Home		24 February 1970 [25]	28 May 1970	11 November 1999	[38]
The Baroness Portal of Hungerford	[c]	Rosemary Portal		22 April 1971	26 April 1972	29 September 1990	[39]
The Baroness Dudley	[a]	Barbara Hamilton		19 April 1972	23 May 1973	11 November 1999	[40]
The Baroness Lucas	[a]	Anne Palmer		3 November 1958	10 June 1975	31 December 1991	[41]
‡ The Countess of Mar	[b]	Margaret of Mar		21 April 1975	28 October 1975	1 May 2020	[42]
The Lady Saltoun	[b]	Flora Fraser		31 August 1979	13 December 1979	12 December 2014	[43]
‡ The Baroness Braye	[a]	Mary Aubrey-Fletcher		19 December 1985	9 April 1986	11 November 1999	[44]
The Baroness Strange	[a]	Jean Drummond of Megginch		10 December 1986 [25]	17 December 1986	11 March 2005	[45]
The Countess Mountbatten of Burma	[c]	Patricia Knatchbull	Baroness Brabourne	27 August 1979	8 July 1987	11 November 1999
The Baroness Wharton	[a]	Myrtle Robertson		4 April 1990 [25]	25 June 1990	15 May 2000	[46]
‡ The Baroness Willoughby de Eresby	[a]	Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby		29 March 1983	25 January 1994	11 November 1999	[47]
The Baroness Berners	[a]	Pamela Kirkham		30 June 1995 [25]	25 October 1995	11 November 1999	[48]
‡ The Baroness Arlington	[a]	Jennifer Forwood		28 April 1999 [25]	27 May 1999	11 November 1999	[49]

Who did not take their seat

^[50]

Title		Name	Title by marriage	Date inherited peerage
The Baroness Furnivall	[a]	Mary Dent		3 May 1913 [25]
The Countess of Seafield	[b]	Nina Caroline Studley-Herbert		12 November 1915
The Baroness Zouche	[a]	Mary Frankland		7 April 1917
The Countess of Dysart	[b]	Wenefryde Scott		22 November 1935
The Baroness Berners	[a]	Vera Williams		19 April 1950
The Baroness de Ros	[a]	Georgiana Maxwell		9 August 1958 [25]
The Countess of Kintore	[b]	Ethel Keith-Falconer	Viscountess Stonehaven	26 May 1966
The Baroness Wharton	[a]	Elisabeth Kemeys-Tynte		22 July 1969
The Lady Herries of Terregles	[b]	Anne Fitzalan-Howard	Baroness Cowdrey of Tonbridge	31 January 1975
The Countess of Dysart	[b]	Rosamund Greaves		2 June 1975

Notes

1. The title in the Peerage of England.
2. The title in the Peerage of Scotland.
3. The title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

See also

• Peerage Act 1963 (Wikisource)
• List of peerages inherited by women
• House of Lords Reform Act 2014

References

1. "Disclaiming a peerage". BBC News. London: British Broadcasting Corporation. 14 July 2005. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
2. Zander, Michael (11 April 2014). "How to lose a title". New Law Journal (7602). Retrieved 12 June 2015.
3. "No. 43072". The London Gazette. 2 August 1963. pp. 6533–6534.
4. "No. 43072". The London Gazette. 2 August 1963. p. 6534.
5. "Proposals for reform of the composition and powers of the House of Lords, 1968–1998" (PDF). Library Note (LLN 98/004). House of Lords Library. 14 July 1998. p. 81. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2008. Mr. Grigg, who had disclaimed his hereditary peerage as Lord Altrincham in 1963
6. "No. 43143". The London Gazette. 25 October 1963. p. 8770.
7. "No. 43164". The London Gazette. 22 November 1963. p. 9515.
8. "No. 43273". The London Gazette. 17 March 1964. p. 2387.
9. "No. 43293". The London Gazette. 10 April 1964. p. 3085.
10. "No. 43353". The London Gazette. 12 June 1964. p. 5065.
11. "No. 43394". The London Gazette. 28 July 1964. p. 6412.
12. "No. 44197". The London Gazette. 13 December 1966. p. 13471.
13. "No. 45048". The London Gazette. 24 February 1970. p. 2263.
14. "No. 45484". The London Gazette. 30 September 1971. p. 10509.
15. "No. 45657". The London Gazette. 27 April 1972. p. 4999.
16. "No. 45675". The London Gazette. 22 May 1972. p. 6131.
17. "No. 46514". The London Gazette. 11 March 1975. p. 3312.
18. "No. 47209". The London Gazette. 29 April 1977. p. 5835.
19. "Hansard, Vol 250 Col 931". 28 November 1994. Retrieved 16 June 2008. The House has been officially notified today that the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West has disclaimed the title under the provisions of the Peerage Act 1963.
20. Hart-Davis, Duff (4 April 2001). "Lord Hartwell (obituary)". Independent.co.uk. London: Independent News and Media. Retrieved 16 June 2008.^{[dead link‍]}
21. "House of Lords Journal 235 (Session 2001–02)". 16 May 2002. p. 724. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
22. "Election By Scots Peers". The Times. London. 7 October 1959. p. 14. There were 115 peers of Scotland at the time of the last representatives' election in 1959, but most of these already sat in the Lords as they held another title in the Peerage of England, Great Britain or the United Kingdom.
23. "Peerage Act 1963". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
24. "Lords Membership: Lists of Current and Former Female Peers". parliament.uk. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
25. Abeyance Terminated
26. "Baroness Strange of Knokin – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
27. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
28. "Baroness Beaumont – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
29. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
30. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
31. "Leave of Absence – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
32. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
33. "Baroness Berkeley – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
34. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
35. "Lord Delacourt-Smith – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
36. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
37. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
38. "Baroness Dacre – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
39. "Baroness Portal of Hunger Ford – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
40. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
41. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
42. "The Lord Bishop of Norwich – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
43. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
44. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
45. "Barony of Strange – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
46. "The Barony of Wharton – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
47. "House of Lords – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
48. "The Barony of Berners – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
49. "The Barony of Arlington – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk.
50. "FORMER WOMEN MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS". Queen's University Belfast. 29 January 2022. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2022.

External links

• Cox, Noel. "The Legal Standing of the Peerage and Baronetage." New Zealand Universities Law Review.
• Peerage Act 1963.
• Women Hereditary Peers
• Image of the Act on the Parliamentary website