Helen Alexandra Briscoe Roche, Lady Roche (née Gully, formerly Frewen; born 8 June 1934), styled as The Honourable Lady Roche, is a British judicial officer, politician, and philanthropist. A member of the Conservative Party, she served as a parish councillor and serves as the president of the Wharfedale Conservatives. Lady Roche served on the West London bench as a magistrate for forty years. She is an honorary patron of the Queen Charlotte's Ball and served on the ethics committee for St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Charing Cross Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and Cromwell Hospital. She was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire during the

2017 New Year Honours The 2017 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours were awarded as part of the New Year celebrati ...

for voluntary services.

Early life and family

Lady Roche was born The Honourable Helen Alexandra Briscoe Gully on 8 June 1934 to Royal Naval Reserve officer Lieutenant-Commander Thomas Sutton Evelyn Gully, 3rd Viscount Selby and his wife, Veronica Catherine George. Through her paternal grandmother, Dorothy Evelyn Grey, she is a great-granddaughter of

Sir William Grey Sir William Grey (1818 – 15 May 1878) was an English administrator who worked with the East India Company in India and served as lieutenant-governor of Bengal from 1867 when he succeeded Sir Cecil Beadon and later as governor of Jamaica. Grey w ...

, who served as

Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal The Governor was the chief colonial administrator in the Bengal presidency, originally the "Presidency of Fort William" and later "Bengal province". In 1644, Gabriel Boughton procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to ...

and as

Governor of Jamaica This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Jamaica. For context, see History of Jamai ...

, and is a descendant of the House of Grey. She is also a descendant of William Court Gully, 1st Viscount Selby, who served as Speaker of the House of Commons prior to his elevation to the peerage. She is a relative of three British Prime Ministers,

Sir Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...

, Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, and Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel.

Adult life

In September 2019, Lady Roche and her second husband hosted Queen Charlotte's Ball at Lancaster House. She is an honorary patron of the ball, and of the non-profit organization The London Season, founded by Jennie Hallam-Peel. Lady Roche served as a magistrate on the West London Bench for forty years and is the president of the Wharfedale branch of the Conservative Party. She has served as a volunteer with the Red Cross, served as a school governor, served on her local parish council, and served on the ethics committee for St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Charing Cross Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and Cromwell Hospital. She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for voluntary services during the

Marriages and issue

Lady Roche first married Roger d'Hautville Moreton Frewen, grandson of Moreton Frewen and nephew of Clare Sheridan, on 15 November 1952. Her husband was the son of Maria Elena Nunziante di Mignano, a daughter of the Duke of Mignano. The couple had four children: *Jonathan Briscoe Moreton Frewen (born 4 November 1953) *Selina Veronica Clara Frewen (born 3 May 1955, died 1972) *Robert Edward Jerome Frewen (born 10 May 1957) *Charles Grey Justin Frewen (born 13 February 1959) She and her husband divorced in 1966. She married, secondly to Sir David O'Grady Roche, 5th Baronet on 24 June 1971. Her second husband, the son of Sir Standish O'Grady Roche, 4th Baronet, is Deputy Chairman of the

Standing Council of the Baronetage The Standing Council of the Baronetage is a United Kingdom organisation which deals with the affairs of baronets. It was first established in January 1898 as the Honourable Society of the Baronetage. In July 1903 it was reconstituted as a permanent ...

. She and her second husband had three children: *Standish George O'Grady Roche (born 28 April 1972, died 17 July 1974) *David Alexander O'Grady Roche (born 28 January 1976) *Cecilia Evelyn Jonnë Roche (born 23 May 1979) She and her second husband live at Bridge House in

Starbotton Starbotton is a village of around 60 houses in Upper Wharfedale in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, by the River Wharfe. The resident population is around 48 and many villag ...

, North Yorkshire.

References

{{Authority control Living people 1934 births 20th-century British philanthropists 20th-century English women politicians 20th-century women philanthropists 21st-century women philanthropists 21st-century English women politicians Conservative Party (UK) councillors Daughters of viscounts English justices of the peace Members of the Order of the British Empire Wives of baronets Women councillors in England

Alexandra Alexandra () is the feminine form of the given name Alexander (, ). Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; GEN , ; meaning 'man'). Thus it may be roughly translated as "defender of man" or "prot ...