Mary Freeman-Grenville, 12th Lady Kinloss facts for kids

Beatrice Mary Grenville Freeman-Grenville (born August 18, 1922 – died September 30, 2012) was a British peer. A peer is someone who holds a special title, often inherited, and can sometimes be a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. She was known as the 12th Lady Kinloss.

About Lady Kinloss

Early Life and Family

Mary Freeman-Grenville was the oldest of three daughters. Her parents were Luis Chandos Francis Temple Morgan-Grenville and Katherine Beatrice MacKenzie Jackman. She went to school at Ravenscroft School in Eastbourne. She was the main heir-general (meaning the person next in line to inherit a title) to Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp. He was the only son of Lady Catherine Grey.

Becoming a Lady

In 1944, Mary became the Lady Kinloss. She inherited this special title after her grandmother, Mary Morgan-Grenville, the 11th Lady Kinloss, passed away.

Family Life

In 1950, Mary married Dr. Greville Stewart Parker Freeman. He later changed his name to Freeman-Grenville. They had one son and two daughters together:

• The Hon. Bevil David Stewart Chandos Freeman-Grenville, Master of Kinloss (1953–2012). He was likely named after his ancestor, Bevil Grenville.
• Teresa Mary Nugent Freeman-Grenville, 13th Lady Kinloss (born in 1957).
• The Hon. Hester Josephine Anne Freeman-Grenville (born in 1960). She married Peter Haworth in 1984 and they have three sons.

Serving in Parliament

Lady Kinloss was a member of the House of Lords, which is one of the two houses of the UK Parliament. She sat as an independent crossbencher. This means she did not belong to any specific political party. She could sit in the House of Lords because of the Peerage Act 1963. This law allowed women who held titles in their own right (meaning they inherited the title themselves, not through their husband) to become members of the House.

Changes in Parliament

Lady Kinloss served in the House of Lords until 1999. That year, the House of Lords Act 1999 was passed. This new law changed who could sit in the House of Lords. It removed most of the hereditary peers (people who inherited their right to be in Parliament). Only 92 hereditary peers were allowed to stay. Lady Kinloss tried to be one of the 92 peers who remained, but she was not chosen. She came 38th out of 79 candidates for the 28 seats reserved for crossbenchers. From 1990 to 1992, she also served on the House of Lords Committee on European Communities.

Later Years

The 12th Lady Kinloss passed away on September 30, 2012. After her death, her daughter, Teresa Freeman-Grenville, 13th Lady Kinloss, became the new Lady Kinloss.