Edmund Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy
Encyclopedia
Edmund Maurice Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy (15 May 1885 – 8 July 1955) was an Irish peer
, British Conservative Party
politician and the maternal grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales
.
, the elder of twin sons of the Hon. James Roche
(later Baron Fermoy
) and his wife, Frances Ellen Work. He was educated at Harvard University
, but returned to England on succeeding to his father's title in 1920. He rented Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk
from the Royal Family
and at the 1924 general election
, he contested and won the local parliamentary constituency, King's Lynn
, holding the seat until he stood down at the 1935 general election
. He was also elected the town's mayor
in 1931.
On 17 September 1931, Lord Fermoy married Ruth Sylvia Gill
(the youngest daughter of Col. William Gill) at St. Devenick’s, Bieldside
, Aberdeenshire
and they had three children:
Lord Fermoy joined the Royal Air Force
in 1939 at the start of World War II
but when the incumbent Member of Parliament
(MP) for King’s Lynn was killed on active service in 1943, he resigned his commission and stood for re-election. He retired from politics when Parliament
was dissolved for the 1945 general election
.
Lord Fermoy collapsed in a shop at King’s Lynn, Norfolk
in June 1955 and died three weeks later. He was succeeded by his only son.
His life was the subject of the book Lilac Days, by Gavan Naden and Maxine Riddington (Harpercollins (ISBN 0-00-719863-9) ), where it was revealed he had a 30 year affair with an American Edith Travis.
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
, British Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and the maternal grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
.
Life and career
Roche was born in Chelsea, LondonChelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, the elder of twin sons of the Hon. James Roche
James Roche, 3rd Baron Fermoy
James Boothby Burke Roche, 3rd Baron Fermoy was an Irish peer and a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom House of Commons. He was the great-grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales.-Biography:...
(later Baron Fermoy
Baron Fermoy
Baron Fermoy is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1856 for Edmond Roche, who represented County Cork and Marylebone in the House of Commons and also served as Lord Lieutenant of County Cork. His younger son, the third Baron, sat as Member of Parliament for Kerry East. He was...
) and his wife, Frances Ellen Work. He was educated at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, but returned to England on succeeding to his father's title in 1920. He rented Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk
Sandringham, Norfolk
Sandringham is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Norfolk. The village is situated some south of the village of Dersingham, north of the town of King's Lynn and north-west of the city of Norwich....
from the Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
and at the 1924 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
, he contested and won the local parliamentary constituency, King's Lynn
King's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)
King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk, known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and one member thereafter. Until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough, after which the name...
, holding the seat until he stood down at the 1935 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1935
The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady...
. He was also elected the town's mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in 1931.
On 17 September 1931, Lord Fermoy married Ruth Sylvia Gill
Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy
Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy, DCVO, OBE, was a friend and confidante of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the maternal grandmother of Lady Diana Spencer, later Princess of Wales....
(the youngest daughter of Col. William Gill) at St. Devenick’s, Bieldside
Bieldside
Bieldside is a suburb to the west of Aberdeen, Scotland, together with its neighbouring village of Cults. It has one pub/restaurant Bieldside is a suburb to the west of Aberdeen, Scotland, together with its neighbouring village of Cults. It has one pub/restaurant Bieldside is a suburb to the west...
, Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
and they had three children:
- Hon. Mary Cynthia (b. 1934), married (1) Hon. Sir Anthony BerryAnthony BerrySir Anthony George Berry was a British politician, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate, and a Whip in Margaret Thatcher's government...
(divorced 1966), (2) Denis Geoghegan (divorced 1980), (3) Michael Gunningham (divorced 1989) - Hon. Frances RuthFrances Shand KyddFrances Ruth Shand Kydd was the first wife of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer and the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
(1936–2004), married (1) Edward Spencer, Viscount AlthorpEdward Spencer, 8th Earl SpencerEdward John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer MVO , styled Viscount Althorp until 1975, was a British peer and the father of Diana, Princess of Wales.-Education and military career:...
(divorced 1969), (2) Peter Shand KyddPeter Shand KyddPeter Shand Kydd was the former stepfather of Diana, Princess of Wales and an heir to the wallpaper fortune built by his father Norman Shand Kydd. He was half-brother to the former champion amateur jockey William Shand Kydd.... - Hon. Edmund James BurkeEdmund Roche, 5th Baron FermoyEdmund James Burke Roche, 5th Baron Fermoy was a British peer. He was a maternal uncle of Diana, Princess of Wales and attended her wedding to The Prince of Wales in 1981....
(1939–1984), later the 5th Baron Fermoy.
Lord Fermoy joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1939 at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
but when the incumbent Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for King’s Lynn was killed on active service in 1943, he resigned his commission and stood for re-election. He retired from politics when Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
was dissolved for the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
.
Lord Fermoy collapsed in a shop at King’s Lynn, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
in June 1955 and died three weeks later. He was succeeded by his only son.
His life was the subject of the book Lilac Days, by Gavan Naden and Maxine Riddington (Harpercollins (ISBN 0-00-719863-9) ), where it was revealed he had a 30 year affair with an American Edith Travis.