Earl Baldwin of Bewdley

Stanley Baldwin,
1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1937 for the Conservative politician Stanley Baldwin. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1923 to 1924, from 1924 to 1929 and from 1935 to 1937. Baldwin was made Viscount Corvedale, of Corvedale in the County of Salop, 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. On Oliver's death the titles passed to his younger brother, Arthur, the third Earl.

As of 2010 the peerages are held by the Arthur's son, Edward, the fourth Earl, who succeeded in 1976. He is 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 sits as a cross-bencher.

Alfred Baldwin, father of the first Earl, was also a politician.

The family seat was Astley Hall, Worcestershire, and is now Manor Farm House, in Wolvercote, Oxfordshire.

Earls Baldwin of Bewdley (1937)

• Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1867–1947)
• Oliver Ridsdale Baldwin, 2nd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1899–1958), elder son of the 1st Earl
• Arthur Windham Baldwin, 3rd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1904–1976), younger son of the 1st Earl
• Edward Alfred Alexander Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (b. 1938), son of the 3rd Earl

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Benedict Alexander Stanley Baldwin, Viscount Corvedale (b. 1973)

Arms

Arms of Earl Baldwin of Bewdley

Coronet A Coronet of an Earl Crest A Cockatrice sejant wings addorsed Argent combed wattled and beaked Or gorged with a Crown Vallary lined and reflexed over the back Gold and charged on the shoulder with a Rose Gules barbed and seeded proper Escutcheon Argent on a Saltire Sable a Quatrefoil Or Supporters On either side a White Owl proper, that on the sinister holding in the beak a Sprig of Broom also proper Motto Per Deum Meum Transilio Murum (With the help of my God I leap over the wall)

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages