Earl Baldwin of Bewdley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1937 for the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization ...

politician

Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister on three occasions, ...

, who had served as MP for

Bewdley Bewdley ( pronunciation) is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District in Worcestershire, England on the banks of the River Severn. It is in the Severn Valley west of Kidderminster and southwest of Birmingham. It lies on the River Se ...

from 1908 to 1937 and was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times (from 1923 to 1924, from 1924 to 1929 and from 1935 to 1937). He was made Viscount Corvedale, of Corvedale in the

County of Salop Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to ...

, at the same time he was given the earldom. The first Earl Baldwin of Bewdley was succeeded by his eldest son, Oliver. A somewhat controversial figure, the second Earl was a Labour Party Member of Parliament and for a time sat opposite his father in the House of Commons. As a homosexual, Oliver had no children, so on his death the title passed to his younger brother,

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more w ...

, the third Earl. The peerage was held by Arthur's son, Edward, the fourth Earl, who succeeded in 1976. He became one of the ninety elected hereditary peers that remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, and sat as a cross-bencher until retiring under the

House of Lords Reform Act 2014 The House of Lords Reform Act 2014 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act was a private member's bill. It received Royal Assent on 14 May 2014. The Act allows members of the House of Lords to retire or resign – actions previousl ...

in May 2018. Alfred Baldwin, father of the first Earl, was also a politician. The family seat was ''

Astley Hall Astley Hall may refer to * Astley Hall (Chorley), country house in Lancashire, England * Astley Hall (Stourport-on-Severn) Astley Hall is a country house in Astley near Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, England. The hall was the home of P ...

'' near

Astley, Worcestershire Astley is a village, and a civil parish (with Dunley) in Worcestershire, England, about two miles outside Stourport-on-Severn and seven miles south-west of Kidderminster. A range of English white wines including sparkling wines have been produc ...

, and is now ''Manor Farm House'' near Wolvercote, Oxfordshire.

Earls Baldwin of Bewdley (1937)

Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as prime minister on three occasions, ...

(1867–1947) - formerly Prime Minister of the United Kingdom under Kings George V, Edward VIII, and George VI * Oliver Ridsdale Baldwin, 2nd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1899–1958), first son of the 1st Earl * Arthur Windham Baldwin, 3rd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1904–1976), second son of the 1st Earl * Edward Alfred Alexander Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1938–2021), only son of the 3rd Earl *Benedict Alexander Stanley Baldwin, 5th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (b. 1973),Baldwin, Earl (UK, 1937)
''Cracroft's Peerage''. first son of the 4th Earl The heir presumptive is the current earl's younger brother, the Hon. James Conrad Baldwin (b. 1976).

Arms

Line of Succession

''Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1867–1947)'' ** Coronet of a British Earl

''Major Oliver Ridsdale Baldwin, 2nd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1899–1958)'' ** Coronet of a British Earl

''Arthur Windham Baldwin, 3rd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1904–1976)'' *** Coronet of a British Earl

''Edward Alfred Alexander Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley'' (1938–2021) ''Rep. Peer 1999–2018, followed by The Earl of Devon'' **** Coronet of a British Earl

Benedict Alexander Stanley Baldwin, 5th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (born 1973) **** ''Hon.'' James Conrad Baldwin (b. 1976) **** ''Hon.'' Mark Thomas Maitland Baldwin (b. 1980)

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Baldwin Of Bewdley Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom 1937 establishments in the United Kingdom Stanley Baldwin Baldwin of Bewdley Noble titles created in 1937 Noble titles created for UK MPs