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Baron Dudley facts for kids

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Dudley Castle -England
The remains of Dudley Castle.

A Baron Dudley is a special noble title in England. It's one of the oldest titles in the Peerage of England, which is like a list of important noble families. This title was first given around 1440 to a soldier named John Sutton. He was a very important person who even served as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, a high-ranking official.

History of the Barons Dudley

The title of Baron Dudley was created around 1440 for John Sutton. He was called to the English Parliament, which made him a Baron. This title is sometimes also known as Baron Sutton of Dudley. Because the title was created by a special document called a "writ," it could be passed down through both male and female family members.

Some people think the title might have started even earlier. An ancestor of John Sutton, also named John Sutton, was called to a council in 1342. However, his family members after him were not called to Parliament. So, they are not usually considered Barons.

Famous Barons and Challenges

The third Baron, who was John Sutton's great-grandson, faced big money problems. He lost his family's main home, Dudley Castle, to his cousin. People even called him "Lord Quondam" which means "Lord Has-been" or "Lord Formerly" because of his troubles. Luckily, Dudley Castle and other family lands were returned to his son, the fourth Baron.

The fifth Baron, Edward, also got into a lot of debt. To help pay off his debts, his granddaughter and heir, Frances, married a rich man named Sir Humble Ward. Frances became the sixth Baroness Dudley. In 1644, her husband, Humble Ward, was given his own noble title, Baron Ward.

Titles Separate

Frances and Humble Ward's son inherited both titles. But in 1740, when his grandson (the tenth Baron Dudley and fifth Baron Ward) passed away, the two titles split up. The title of Baron Ward could only be passed down to males. So, it went to a male relative.

However, the title of Baron Dudley could be passed down to females. So, it went to the Baron's nephew, Ferdinando Dudley Lea, 11th Baron Dudley. He was the son of the tenth Baron's sister, Frances. When Ferdinando died in 1757, the title became "abeyant." This means it was put on hold because there was no clear single heir.

The title stayed on hold for 159 years! In 1916, the title was finally given to Ferdinando Dudley William Lea Smith. He became the twelfth Baron. As of 2010, his grandson, the fifteenth Baron, holds the title. He inherited it from his mother in 2002.

Family Homes and Names

For a long time, the Barons Dudley owned Dudley Castle and a lot of land around it. By the 1500s, their main home was Himley Hall. When the tenth Baron died in 1740, most of the family lands went with the Baron Ward title to a cousin. But some newer lands went with the Baron Dudley title to Ferdinando Dudley Lea.

The family name of the first five Barons was officially 'Sutton'. But people often called them 'Dudley'. In official papers, their name was sometimes written as 'Sutton otherwise Dudley'.

Early Family Members

These are some of the early family members connected to the Dudley name:

  • John de Sutton II (1310–1359)
  • Sir John de Sutton III (1338–around 1370)
  • Sir John de Sutton IV (1361–1396)
  • Sir John de Sutton V (1380–1406)

Barons Dudley (since 1440)

Here are the people who have held the title of Baron Dudley:

The next person in line to inherit the title is the current Baron's son, Hon. Jeremy William Guilford Wallace (born 1964).

See also

  • Earl of Dudley
  • Duke of Northumberland (a different noble title)
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