Earl of St Germans, in the County of Cornwall, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that is held by the Eliot family. The title takes its name from the village of St Germans, Cornwall, and the family seat is Port Eliot. The earldom has the subsidiary title of Baron Eliot.

Earldom of St Germans

Arms: Argent, a Fess Gules, between double-cotises wavy Azure, Crest: An Elephant's Head couped Argent, collared Gules. Supporters: On either side an Eagle reguardant, wings expanded proper, each charged on the breast with an Ermine Spot.
Creation date28 November 1815
Created byThe Prince Regent (acting on behalf of his father, King George III)
PeeragePeerage of the United Kingdom
First holderJohn Eliot, 2nd Baron Eliot
Present holderAlbert Eliot, 11th Earl of St Germans
Heir presumptiveLouis Eliot
Remainder toThe 1st Earl's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titlesBaron Eliot
Seat(s)Port Eliot
MottoPRÆCEDENTIBUS INSTA
(Press close upon those in the lead)

History

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Edward Eliot represented St Germans, Liskeard and Cornwall in the House of Commons and served as a commissioner of the Board of Trade and Plantations. He was the son of Richard Eliot (died 1748) and his wife Harriot, illegitimate daughter of James Craggs the Younger by his mistress, the noted actress Hester Santlow. In 1784 he was created Baron Eliot, of St Germans in the County of Cornwall, in the Peerage of Great Britain.[1] In 1789 he assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Craggs. However, this surname has not been used by any of his descendants.

Lord Eliot's first son died in infancy; his second son, Edward James Eliot, also predeceased him, and he was succeeded by his third son, John Eliot, 2nd Baron Eliot, who in 1815 was created Earl of St Germans with remainder to his younger brother William Eliot and the heirs male of his body.[2][3] The first earl had earlier represented St Germans and then Liskeard in Parliament.

William, the second Earl, was a diplomat and politician, having notably served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. His only son, the third Earl, was also a prominent politician and held ministerial office as Chief Secretary for Ireland, Postmaster General, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and Lord Steward of the Household. His third but eldest surviving son, the fourth Earl, was in the Diplomatic Service and briefly represented Devonport in the House of Commons. In 1870 he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Eliot. He never married and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fifth Earl.

Henry, the fifth Earl, was in the Foreign Office for many years. This line of the family failed on the death of his second but eldest surviving son, the sixth Earl, in 1922. The late Earl was succeeded by his first cousin, the seventh Earl. He was the eldest son of Colonel Charles George Cornwallis Eliot, the sixth son of the third Earl. He never married and was succeeded by his younger brother, the eighth Earl. He held several positions at court, notably as Gentleman Usher to King Edward VII and King George V.

As of 2016, the titles are held by the eleventh Earl, who succeeded his grandfather in 2016.

Barons Eliot (1784)

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Heraldic achievement of Edward Craggs Eliot, 1st Baron Eliot, 1790
 
Port Eliot in St Germans, the Eliot family seat

Earls of Saint Germans (1815)

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The heir presumptive is the present Earl's uncle, Louis Robert Eliot (b. 1968).

Line of succession

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  •   Peregrine Nicholas Eliot, 10th Earl of St Germans (1941–2016)
    • Jago Nicholas Aldo, Lord Eliot (1966–2006)
      •   Albert Eliot, 11th Earl of St Germans (born 2004)
    • (1). Hon. Louis Robert Eliot (b. 1968)
    • (2). Hon. Francis Michael Eliot (b. 1971)

[4]


Family tree

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Eliot Family
Barons Eliot
Earls of Saint German
Edward Craggs-Eliot
Created 1784
1st Baron Eliot
1727-1804
Edward Eliot
1757-1757
Edward James Eliot
1758-1797
John Eliot
2nd Baron Eliot

Created 1815[5]
1st Earl of
Saint Germans

1761-1823
William Eliot
2nd Earl of
Saint Germans

1767-1845
Edward Granville Eliot
3rd Earl of
Saint Germans

1798-1877
Edward Eliot
styled
Lord Eliot
1827-1864
Granville Eliot
1828-1854
killed at the
Battle of Inkerman
William Eliot
4th Earl of
Saint Germans

1829-1881
Henry Eliot
5th Earl of
Saint Germans

1835-1911
Charles Eliot
1839-1901
John Eliot
6th Earl of
Saint Germans

1890-1922
Granville John Eliot
7th Earl of
Saint Germans

1867-1942
Montague Charles Eliot
8th Earl of
Saint Germans

1870-1960
Christian Edward Eliot
1872-1940
Nicholas Richard Eliot
9th Earl of
Saint Germans

1914-1988
Montague Robert Vere Eliot
1923-1994
Peregrine Nicholas Eliot
10th Earl of
Saint Germans

1941-2016

Jago Nicholas Aldo Eliot
Styled
Lord Eliot
1966-2006
Louis Robert Eliot
born 1968
Francis Michael Eliot
born 1971
Albert Charger Eliot
11th Earl of
Saint Germans

born 2004
also 12th Baron Eliot

Notes

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  1. ^ "No. 12514". The London Gazette. 27 January 1784. p. 3.
  2. ^ "No. 17066". The London Gazette. 30 September 1815. p. 1997.
  3. ^ "No. 17068". The London Gazette. 7 October 1815. p. 2042.
  4. ^ Morris, Susan; Bosberry-Scott, Wendy; Belfield, Gervase, eds. (2019). "St Germans, Earl of". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 1 (150th ed.). London: Debrett's Ltd. pp. 4248–4250. ISBN 978-1-999767-0-5-1.
  5. ^ On 28 Nov 1815, Created Earl of Saint Germans, with special remainder on default of male issue to his brother, William Eliot

References

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