Robin Plunket, 8th Baron Plunket
Encyclopedia
Captain Robin Rathmore Plunket, 8th Baron Plunket, (b. 3 December 1925) is a descendent of prominent Irish
lawyer and Whig
politician William Conyngham Plunket for whom the Peerage
of the United Kingdom
(not of Ireland) was created in 1827.
He is the second son of Terence Conyngham Plunket, 6th Baron Plunket of Newton and his wife, the former Dorothé Mabel Lewis, widow of Capt. Jack Barnato and the illegitimate daughter of Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry
and actress Fannie Ward
. Lord and Lady Plunket were killed in an aircraft crash in 1938, and their three sons (including Patrick Plunket, 7th Baron Plunket and Hon. Shaun Plunket), were brought up by their father's sister, the Hon. Helen Rhodes.
Plunket was christened
on 1 February 1926 at St Saviour's church, Walton Street, London. His godmother
was his parents' friend, HRH The Duchess of York
(later HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother), who was represented on this occasion by Mabell Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie
.
Plunket was educated at Eton College
and served in the Army.
He married Jennifer Southwell, daughter of Bailey Southwell and his wife, the former Erica Barry, on 8 November 1951. The Plunkets, who have no children, live in London
.
Plunket became 8th baron in 1975 on the death of his elder brother. He has sat in the House of Lords
on various occasions.
The Heir Presumptive
is the present holder's brother, the Hon. Shaun Albert Frederick Sheridan Plunket (b. 1931).
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
lawyer and Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
politician William Conyngham Plunket for whom the Peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(not of Ireland) was created in 1827.
He is the second son of Terence Conyngham Plunket, 6th Baron Plunket of Newton and his wife, the former Dorothé Mabel Lewis, widow of Capt. Jack Barnato and the illegitimate daughter of Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry
Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry
Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, KG, MVO, PC, PC , styled Lord Stewart until 1884 and Viscount Castlereagh between 1884 and 1915, was an Anglo-Irish peer and had careers in both Irish and British politics...
and actress Fannie Ward
Fannie Ward
Fannie Ward was an American actress of stage and screen, known for comedic roles as well as The Cheat, a sexually–charged 1915 silent film directed by Cecil B. DeMille....
. Lord and Lady Plunket were killed in an aircraft crash in 1938, and their three sons (including Patrick Plunket, 7th Baron Plunket and Hon. Shaun Plunket), were brought up by their father's sister, the Hon. Helen Rhodes.
Plunket was christened
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
on 1 February 1926 at St Saviour's church, Walton Street, London. His godmother
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
was his parents' friend, HRH The Duchess of York
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
(later HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother), who was represented on this occasion by Mabell Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie
Mabell Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie
Mabell Frances Elizabeth Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, GCVO, GBE was a British courtier and author.-Early life:...
.
Plunket was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and served in the Army.
He married Jennifer Southwell, daughter of Bailey Southwell and his wife, the former Erica Barry, on 8 November 1951. The Plunkets, who have no children, live in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Plunket became 8th baron in 1975 on the death of his elder brother. He has sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
on various occasions.
The Heir Presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
is the present holder's brother, the Hon. Shaun Albert Frederick Sheridan Plunket (b. 1931).