Baron Keith was a title that was created three times in British history, with all three creations in favour of the same person, Admiral the Honourable

Sir George Keith Elphinstone George Keith Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith (7 January 1746 – 10 March 1823), was a British naval officer active throughout the Napoleonic Wars. Career Early service George Elphinstone was the fourth son of Charles Elphinstone, 10th L ...

. He was the fifth son of Charles Elphinstone, 10th Lord Elphinstone (see

Lord Elphinstone Lord Elphinstone is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created by King James IV in 1510. History The title of Lord Elphinstone was granted by King James IV in 1510 to Sir Alexander Elphinstone of Elphinstone, who was killed at the Battle of ...

for earlier history of the Elphinstone family) by his wife Lady Clementine, daughter of John Fleming, 6th Earl of Wigtown and Lady Mary, daughter of William Keith, 8th Earl Marischal (see

Earl Marischal The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland. History The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held by ...

for earlier history of the Keith family). The first creation came in the

Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...

in 1797 when he was made Baron Keith, of Stonehaven Marrischal, with remainder in default of issue male of his own to his daughter and only child from his first marriage, Margaret Mercer Elphinstone, and the heirs male of her body. On 15 December 1801 he was created Baron Keith, of Stonehaven Marischal in the County of Kincardine, 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 ...

, with normal remainder to heirs male. In 1803 he was made Baron Keith, of Banheath in the County of Dumbarton, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, with remainder to his daughter and only child from his first marriage, Margaret Mercer Elphinstone and the heirs male of her body. In 1814 Lord Keith was further honoured when he was made Viscount Keith in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, with normal remainder to heirs male. He died on 10 March 1823, when the viscountcy and barony of 1801 became extinct as he had no sons, while the baronies of 1797 and 1803 passed according to the special remainders to his daughter, the second Baroness. She was married to the French aristocrat

Charles Joseph, comte de Flahaut Auguste-Charles-Joseph de Flahaut de La Billarderie, comte de Flahaut (21 April 17851 September 1870) was a French general during the Napoleonic Wars, a statesman, and late in life French ambassador to the Court of St James's. Biography He was ...

. In 1837 she also succeeded her cousin as 7th Lady Nairne although she was not recognised in the title. Lady Keith was a prominent society hostess in both

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

. She had five daughters but no sons and on her death in 1867 the baronies of 1797 and 1803 became extinct as well. She was succeeded in the Scottish lordship of Nairne by her eldest daughter

Emily Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marchioness of Lansdowne Emily Jane Mercer Elphinstone Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marchioness of Lansdowne and 8th Lady Nairne (16 May 1819 – 26 June 1895) was a British peeress. Born in Edinburgh, Emily Jane de Flahaut was the eldest daughter of the French Army genera ...

, who became the 8th Lady Nairne (see

Lord Nairne Lord Nairne is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created by Charles II for Sir Robert Nairne of Strathord in 1681, which since 1995 is held by the Viscount Mersey. History Sir Robert Nairne of Strathord (c. 1620–1683), a supporter of Charle ...

for further history of this title). The title Lord Keith of Inverury was created in the

Peerage of Scotland The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...

in 1677. For more information on this creation, see

Earl of Kintore Earl of Kintore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1677 for Sir John Keith, third son of William Keith, 6th Hereditary Earl Marischal of Scotland (see Earl Marischal for earlier history of the family) and Chief of Clan ...

. Three

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

s have taken the title Baron Keith in

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, two

Law Lord Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were judges appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the British House of Lords, as a committee of the House, effectively to exercise the judicial functions of the House of ...

s under the

Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 The Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 ( 39 & 40 Vict c 59) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the judicial functions of the House of Lords by allowing senior judges to sit in the House of Lords as life peers, known as ...

: Baron Keith of Avonholm (1953), Baron Keith of Kinkel (1977) and a third life peerage under the

Life Peerages Act 1958 The Life Peerages Act 1958 established the modern standards for the creation of life peers by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Background This Act was made during the Conservative governments of 1957–1964, when Harold Macmillan was Prime M ...

, Baron Keith of Castleacre (1980).

Barons Keith; First and third creations (1797/1803)

* George Keith Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith, 1st Baron Keith (1746–1823) *

Margaret Keith, 2nd Baroness Keith Margaret Mercer Elphinstone, comtesse de Flahaut, Baroness Keith and Nairne (12 June 1788 – 11 November 1867), was a Scottish society hostess. Biography Margaret, was born in Mayfair on 12 June 1788, the only child of George Elphinstone, ...

(1788–1867)

Barons Keith; Second creation (1801)

* George Keith Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith, 1st Baron Keith (1746–1823)

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Keith Extinct baronies in the Peerage of Ireland Extinct baronies in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Noble titles created in 1797 1797 establishments in Ireland Noble titles created in 1801 1801 establishments in the United Kingdom Noble titles created in 1803 Noble titles created for UK MPs 1803 establishments in the United Kingdom 1823 disestablishments in the United Kingdom 1867 disestablishments in the United Kingdom 1867 disestablishments in Ireland Peerages created with special remainders

Barons Keith; First and third creations (1797/1803)

Barons Keith; Second creation (1801)

See also

References