MAXWELL-LAWFORD, Nicholas Anthony (1935-2022)

[colinp]

From the Daily Telegraph 6 September 2022  MAXWELL-LAWFORD Nicholas Anthony OBE DL died peacefully at home on 13th August after a short illness, aged 86. Beloved husband of Mary (née Bellasis), adored father of Richard, Helena, Frances and Antonia, devoted grandfather to Anastasia, Victoria, Joe, Ella, Arthur and Samuel. Funeral on Friday 23rd September at 12 noon at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Hadleigh, Suffolk. Memorial service to follow in Exeter in celebration of his faith, life and service to communities in Devon. Family flowers only. Charitable donations warmly received via email: ravenswood...@coop.co.uk Tel: 01473 724182.

This is curious and I hesitated before even posting this.  This gentleman does not appear in the latest print Burke's or Debrett's.  However thepeerage.com lists him as the son of  the 3rd Earl of Iddesleigh.  There is no explanation of this or why he bore the surname of Maxwell-Lawford instead of Northcote - according to freebmd his mother's surname was Jerred.  The source cited is an email from his youngest daughter Antonia Cunningham.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

[Richard R]

Thanks Colin

I saw this and decided against posting myself because I couldn't figure it out in the time I had to work on Group stuff. Hopefully your post will generate explanation/s from other/s

[G. Willis]

Nicholas Anthony Maxwell-Lawford's entry in Debrett's People of Today 2002 states "s. of Capt. F. Maxwell-Lawford MBE (k. rail accident 1937), of Achimota Coll Accra, Gold Coast, and Ruth Claire, née Jerred".

A volume of "Cuttings From The Times" reported their engagement: "CAPTAIN F. MAXWELL-LAWFORD AND MISS R. JERRED  A marriage has been arranged between Captain F. Maxwell-Lawford, M.B.E., late The Suffolk Regiment, youngest son of the late George Maxwell-Lawford and Mrs Maxwell-Lawford, The White Cottage, Ifield Wood, Sussex, and Ruth, second daughter of the late Sir Walter Jerred, K.C.B., and Lady Jerred, Hampton Court Palace. The wedding will take place at Achimota, Accra, at Christmas".

The Catholic Who's Who and Yearbook (1935) gives "Maxwell-Lawford, Capt. FRANCIS, late Suffolk Regt- b. 1895, s. of late Geo. Maxwell-Lawford; Lt Suffolk Regt 1918; served in Great War (wounded, desps); India 1919-26, including Moplah Rebellion; Commandant Madras Univ. T.C. (M.B.E.)... m. 1931, Ruth Claire, 2 dau. of Sir Walter Jerred, K.C.B.: Achimota, Accra, Gold Coast, W. Africa."

Per some user-generated online sources, Ruth Jerred was wife of Francis Anthony Maxwell-Lawford. A Geni source giving his date of death as 4 April 1937 indicates his wife to have died on the 2nd of that month, presumably following the same rail accident(?)

[S R Eglesfield]

See this link: http://www.bellasis.net/belasisdescendants/aqwg29.htm. The Iddesleigh connection is explained there thus:

"Nicholas lost his parents in a train crash when he was very young and was taken in by his godmother Lady Iddesleigh and was brought up in Devon. He was at school at Stonhurst College, became ADC to the Governor General of Rhodesia, Director of Barclays Bank plc with posts in Paris and Exeter. He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Devonshire and was the finance director for the Exeter race course.  He was treasurer for the Bishop of Portsmouth, became a member of the Drapers' Company in London and held other directorships including a charitable fund and a school for the blind."

[colinp]

Thanks Messrs Willis and Eaglesfield.  I wonder if it's possible that Nicholas was formally adopted by the Iddesleighs

Netty on nobiliana.de notes that his dau Helena was engaged (2010) to marry Chistopher Hay GURNEY (LG family of North Runcton) son of Carol james Hay GURNEY and Elizabeth Sara Anne nee COATES dau of the 2nd Bt

[Richard R]

From the Telegraph of 18 March 2023: MAXWELL-LAWFORD Nicholas Anthony OBE DL. A Memorial Service will be held in Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh... on Monday 17th April 2023 at 11.30 a.m...