Maurice Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy
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Edmund Maurice Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy (15 May 1885 – 8 July 1955) was a British peer, Conservative Party 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 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 at the 1924 general election, he contested and won the local parliamentary constituency, King's Lynn, holding the seat until he stood down at the 1935 general election[2][3] (having also been elected the town's mayor in 1931[4]).
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 Burke (b. 1934), married (1) Hon. Sir Anthony Berry (divorced 1966), (2) Denis Geoghegan (divorced 1980), (3) Michael Gunningham (divorced 1989)
- Hon. Frances Ruth Burke (b. 1936), married (1) Edward Spencer, Viscount Althorp (divorced 1969), (2) Peter Shand Kydd
- Hon. Edmund James Burke (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 Member of Parliament (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 when Parliament was dissolved for the 1945 general election.[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
- ^ a b Williamson, D The Ancestry of Lady Diana Spencer In: Genealogist’s Magazine, 1981; vol. 20 (no. 6) p. 192-199 and vol. 20 (no. 8) p. 281-282
- ^ a b c The Times, Saturday, Jul 9, 1955; p. 8 col. D
- ^ Craig, F. W. S. [1969] (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, 3rd edition, Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
- ^ The Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Woodwark |
Member of Parliament for King's Lynn 1924–1935 |
Succeeded by Somerset Maxwell |
| Preceded by Somerset Maxwell |
Member of Parliament for King's Lynn 1943–1945 |
Succeeded by Frederick Wise |
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
| Preceded by James Roche |
Baron Fermoy 1920–1955 |
Succeeded by Edmund Roche |
