Edmund Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edmund Maurice Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy (15 May 1885–8 July 1955) was a British peer, Conservative politician and the maternal grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Roche was born in Chelsea, London^[1], the eldest of twin sons of the Hon. James Burke Roche (later Baron Fermoy) and his wife, Frances Work. He was educated at Harvard University, but returned to England on succeeding to his father's title in 1920. He rented Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk from the Royal Family and in 1924, he contested and won the local parliamentary constituency, King's Lynn, holding it until 1935^[2] (having also been elected the town's mayor in 1931^[3]).

On 17 September 1931, Lord Fermoy married Ruth Sylvia Gill (the youngest daughter of Col. William Gill) at St. Devenick’s, Bieldside, Aberdeenshire^[1] and they had three children:

• Hon. Mary Cynthia (b. 1934), married (1) Hon. Sir Anthony Berry (divorced 1966), (2) Denis Geoghegan (divorced 1980), (3) Michael Gunningham (divorced 1989)
• Hon. Frances Ruth (b. 1936), married (1) Edward Spencer, Viscount Althorp (divorced 1969), (2) Peter Shand Kydd
• Hon. Edmund James (b. 1939), later the 5th Baron Fermoy.

Lord Fermoy joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 at the start of World War II but when the incumbent MP for King’s Lynn was killed on active service in 1943, he resigned his commission and stood for re-election. He retired from politics at the end of the parliamentary session in 1945.^[2]

Lord Fermoy collapsed in a shop at King’s Lynn, Norfolk in June 1955 and died three weeks later.^[2] He was succeeded by his only son.

[edit] References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by George Woodwark	Member for King's Lynn 1924–1935	Succeeded by Somerset Maxwell
Preceded by Somerset Maxwell	Member for King's Lynn 1943–1945	Succeeded by Frederick Wise
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by James Burke Roche	Baron Fermoy 1920–1955	Succeeded by Edmund Burke Roche