Baron Rivers was a title that was created four times in British history, twice in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in t ...

, once in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself r ...

and once in the

Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...

History

The first creation came in 1299 when

John Rivers Sir John Rivers (died 27 February 1584) was a Tudor-era businessman who became Lord Mayor of London. He was born to Richard Rivers, steward of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham's lands. Alternate spelling includes John Ryvers. He was a ...

was summoned to Parliament as Baron Rivers. The title became extinct on the death of the second Baron in circa 1340. The second creation came in 1448 when Richard Woodville, father of

Elizabeth Woodville Elizabeth Woodville (also spelt Wydville, Wydeville, or Widvile;Although spelling of the family name is usually modernised to "Woodville", it was spelt "Wydeville" in contemporary publications by Caxton, but her tomb at St. George's Chapel, Wind ...

(queen of England), received the title. It was later subsumed when Woodville became

Earl Rivers Earl Rivers was an English title, which has been created three times in the Peerage of England. It was held in succession by the families of Woodville (or Wydeville), Darcy and Savage. History The first creation was made for Richard Woodville, 1s ...

in 1466. Both titles became extinct on the death of the third earl in 1491. The third creation came in 1776 when George Pitt was made Baron Rivers, of Strathfield-Say in the County of Southampton, in the Peerage of Great Britain. He was a descendant of John Pitt (16th century), the father of Thomas Pitt, ancestor of the

Earls of Londonderry Earl of Londonderry is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland. The first creation came in 1622 in favour of Thomas Ridgeway, 1st Earl of Londonderry, Thomas Ridgeway, 1st Baron Ridgeway, who served as Treasurer of I ...

, Barons Camelford and Earls of Chatham, and of Sir William Pitt, whose grandson George Pitt married the daughter of the 2nd Earl Rivers. George Pitt's eldest son and namesake was the aforementioned George Pitt, who was elevated to the peerage in 1776. In 1802 Lord Rivers was created Baron Rivers, of Sudeley Castle in the County of Gloucester, with remainder to 1) his brother General Sir William Augustus Pitt and the heirs male of his body, and 2) William Horace Beckford (son of

Peter Beckford Peter Beckford may refer to: * Peter Beckford (colonial administrator) (1643–1710), acting governor of Jamaica in 1702 * Peter Beckford (junior) (1672/3–1735), his son, politician, slave owner and businessman in colonial Jamaica * Sir Peter Beck ...

of Stapleton in Dorset by his wife Louisa, daughter of Lord Rivers) and the heirs male of his body. This title was in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He was succeeded in both baronies by his son, the second Baron. He had previously represented

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

in Parliament. He sold part of the family estates, those around

Stratfield Saye House Stratfield Saye House is a large stately home at Stratfield Saye in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It has been the home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817. Early history The line of the Roman Road the Devil's Highway ( ...

to the nation in about 1814, so that it could be given to

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...

. On his death in 1829 the barony of 1776 became extinct while he was succeeded in the barony of 1802 according to the special remainder to his nephew William Beckford, the third Baron. He was the son of the aforementioned Peter Beckford and Louisa Pitt. He assumed at the same time by Royal licence the surname of Pitt-Rivers in lieu of his patronymic. The fourth Baron held political office as a

Lord-in-waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (without ...

from 1853 to 1858 and 1859 to 1866. The title became extinct on the death of the sixth Baron in 1880.

List of titleholders

Baron Rivers; First creation (1299)

*John Rivers, 1st Baron Rivers (d. c. 1311) *John Rivers, 2nd Baron Rivers (d. c. 1340)

Baron Rivers; Second creation (1448)

* Richard Woodville, 1st Baron Rivers. Created

in 1466; extinct on death of 3rd earl and baron in 1491.

Baron Rivers; Third creation (1776)

George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers (1 May 1721 – 7 May 1803) was an English diplomat and politician. Background and education He was born in Geneva, the eldest son of George Pitt of Stratfieldsaye (today rendered Stratfield Saye), Hampshire, an ...

(1721–1803) (created Baron Rivers again in 1802; see below) *

George Pitt, 2nd Baron Rivers George Pitt, 2nd Baron Rivers (19 September 1751 – 20 July 1828) was a British nobleman and politician. Born in Angers, France, he was the only son of George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers and his wife Penelope, daughter of Sir Henry Atkins, 4th Baron ...

(1751–1828)

Baron Rivers; Fourth creation (1802)

(1721–1803) *

(1751–1828) * William Horace Pitt-Rivers, 3rd Baron Rivers (1777–1831) *

George Pitt-Rivers, 4th Baron Rivers George Pitt-Rivers, 4th Baron Rivers (16 July 1810 – 28 April 1866), known as George Beckford until 1828, was a British peer and politician. He held a place as a Lord-in-waiting in several governments, migrating from the Tory to the Liberal Par ...

(1810–1866) **George Horace Pitt (1834–1850) **Granville Beckford Pitt (1838–1855) **William Frederick Pitt (1845–1859) *

Henry Peter Pitt-Rivers, 5th Baron Rivers Henry Peter Pitt-Rivers, 5th Baron Rivers (7 April 1849 – 17 March 1867) was a British nobleman. He died at a young age of the lung disease from which his three older brothers had also suffered. Henry was the youngest of four sons born to George ...

(1849–1867) *

Horace Pitt-Rivers, 6th Baron Rivers Horace Pitt-Rivers, 6th Baron Rivers (12 April 1814 – 3 March 1880), known as Horace Beckford until 1828 and Hon. Horace Pitt from 1828 until 1867, was a British peer and army officer. He was born on 12 April 1814 in London, the younger son of ...

(1814–1880)

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rivers 1299 establishments in England Extinct baronies in the Peerage of England Extinct baronies in the Peerage of Great Britain Extinct baronies in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Peerages created with special remainders Noble titles created in 1299 Noble titles created in 1448 Noble titles created in 1776 Noble titles created in 1802