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Baron St John of Bletso
Baron St John of Bletso
	Arms of St John: Argent, on a chief gules two mullets or
Creation	1582
Created by	King Charles I
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	Oliver St John
Present holder	Anthony Tudor St John
Heir apparent	Oliver Beauchamp St John
Status	Extant

Baron St John of Bletso, in the County of Bedford, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1582 for Oliver St John.

For a period, the title Baron St John was subsumed within the title Earl of Bolingbroke which was granted to the fourth Baron. The Earldom died out with the third Earl, but the Barony continued via another branch which had since become the baronet line. The eldest son of the 1st Earl was advanced to the barony by Writ of acceleration under King Charles I to become the 5th Baron. However he died in the civil war without becoming Earl, This resulted in the existence of an additional baron in the sequence but this was not taken into account by the family when the barony was continued.

Hence there is a discrepancy between the complete numbered series used by Burke and Debrett, and the numbering series in use by the family, particularly in the 18th and 19th century. Hence the numbers on family graves of this time are one less than the numbers used in the principal peerage registers that form the basis for this article.

History

According to Horace Round (1901)^[1] the St John family of Bletso are descended from the St Johns of Fonmon Castle in Glamorgan, Wales. Again according to Round,^[1] this was possibly a cadet branch of St John of Basing, Hampshire, and Halnaker, Sussex, which family descended in the male line from the Norman Hugh de Port (d.1091) lord of the manor of Port-en-Bessin in Normandy who took part in the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, and was subsequently granted 53 manors in Hampshire.^[2] However according to Brownhill (1931) the male ancestry of St John of Bletso cannot be traced further back than Alexander de St John (fl.1340) of Instow in Devon.^[3]

Oliver St John, the 1st Baron was the great-great-grandson of Sir John St John (died c. 1482), eldest son of Sir John Oliver St John of Bletso (died 1437), the husband of Margaret, great-great-granddaughter of Roger de Beauchamp (died 1380), who was summoned to Parliament as Baron Beauchamp of Bletso from 1363 to 1379. Since then that title had not been assumed although Oliver St John was considered to be the line of heir. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baron. He was one of the peers who sat during the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots. He died without male heirs and the claim to the barony of Beauchamp of Bletsoe passed to his daughter Anne, the wife of William Howard, Lord Howard Effingham, eldest son and heir of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham.

He was succeeded in the barony of St John of Bletsoe by his younger brother, the third Baron. The latter's son, the fourth Baron, was created Earl of Bolingbroke in 1624. His eldest son and heir apparent, Oliver St John, was in 1641 summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron St John of Bletsoe. However, he predeceased his father (killed at the Battle of Edgehill in 1642) but due to the writ of acceleration issued he is known as the fifth Baron St John of Bletsoe. The Earl was succeeded by his grandson, the second Earl. He was the son of Sir Paulet St John, younger son of the first Earl. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl, who represented Bedford in the House of Commons. He never married and on his death in 1711 the earldom became extinct.

The barony was inherited by his second cousin once removed, Sir Paulet St Andrew St John, 5th Baronet, who became the eighth Baron. He was the great-great-grandson of the Hon. Sir Rowland St John, fourth son of the third Baron (see below for more information on the baronetcy). His cousin's son, the fourteenth Baron, sat as a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire. His grandson, the seventeenth Baron, served as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire from 1905 to 1912. As of 2010^[update] the titles are held by the latter's great-grandson, the twenty-second Baron, who succeeded his father in 1978. He is one of the ninety elected hereditary peers that remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, and sits as a cross-bencher.

The St John Baronetcy, of Woodford in the County of Northampton, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1660 for Oliver St John. He was the son of the Hon. Sir Rowland St John, fourth son of the third Baron St John of Bletsoe. His son, the second Baronet, represented Northamptonshire in the House of Commons. The latter's grandson, the fifth Baronet, succeeded as eighth Baron St John of Bletsoe in 1711 (see above for later history of the titles).

Oliver St John (died c. 1497), younger brother of the aforementioned Sir John St John (died c. 1482), was the ancestor of the Viscounts Grandison and the Viscounts Bolingbroke and St John.

Barons St John of Bletso (1559)

Oliver St John,
1st Earl of Bolingbroke.

Oliver St John, 1st Baron St John of Bletso (died 1582)
John St John, 2nd Baron St John of Bletso (died 1596)
Oliver St John, 3rd Baron St John of Bletso (c. 1540–1618)
Oliver St John, 4th Baron St John of Bletso (died 1646) (created Earl of Bolingbroke in 1624)

Earls of Bolingbroke (1624)

Oliver St John, 1st Earl of Bolingbroke, 4th Baron St John of Bletso (c. 1580–1646)
- Oliver St John, 5th Baron St John of Bletso (1603–1642) (by writ of acceleration)
Oliver St John, 2nd Earl of Bolingbroke, 6th Baron St John of Bletso (before 1634–1688)
Paulet St John, 3rd Earl of Bolingbroke, 7th Baron St John of Bletso (1634–1711)

Barons St John of Bletso (1559; reverted)

Note: some sources do not count the 5th baron above as of this creation, as Debrett's and the Complete Peerage do. He was summoned to Parliament in his father's lifetime in the lesser title, but did not survive to inherit from him. In such sources the barons are numbered one less.

Paulet St Andrew St John, 8th Baron St John of Bletso, 5th Baronet St John of Woodford (d. 1714)
William St John, 9th Baron St John of Bletso, 6th Baronet St John of Woodson (d. 1720)
Rowland St John, 10th Baron St John of Bletso, 7th Baronet St John of Woodson (d. 1722)
John St John, 11th Baron St John of Bletso, 8th Baronet St John of Woodson (d. 1757)
John St John, 12th Baron St John of Bletso, 9th Baronet St John of Woodson (1725–1767)
Henry Beauchamp St John, 13th Baron St John of Bletso, 10th Baronet St John of Woodson (1758–1805)
St Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of Bletso, 11th Baronet St John of Woodson (1759–1817)
St Andrew Beauchamp St John, 15th Baron St John of Bletso, 12th Baronet St John of Woodson (1811–1874)
St Andrew St John, 16th Baron St John of Bletso, 13th Baronet St John of Woodson (1840–1887)
Beauchamp Mowbray St John, 17th Baron St John of Bletso, 14th Baronet St John of Woodson (1844–1912)
Henry Beauchamp Oliver St John, 18th Baron St John of Bletso, 15th Baronet St John of Woodson (1876–1920)
Moubray St Andrew Thornton St John, 19th Baron St John of Bletso, 16th Baronet St John of Woodson (1877–1934)
John Mowbray Russell St John, 20th Baron St John of Bletso, 17th Baronet St John of Woodson (1917–1976)
Andrew Beauchamp St John, 21st Baron St John of Bletso, 18th Baronet St John of Woodson (1918–1978)
Anthony Tudor St John, 22nd Baron St John of Bletso, 19th Baronet St John of Woodson (b. 1957)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Oliver Beauchamp St John (b. 1995).

St John Baronets, of Woodford (1660)

Sir Oliver St John, 1st Baronet (c. 1624–1662) (son of Rowland St John, fourth son of 3rd Baron above)
Sir St Andrew St John, 2nd Baronet (1658–1709)
Sir Oliver St John, 3rd Baronet (c. 1683–c. 1710)
Sir St Andrew St John, 4th Baronet (c. 1685–1711; brother)
Sir Paulet St Andrew St John, 5th Baronet (1711–1714) (posthumous son; succeeded at birth as Baronet and as Baron St John of Bletso)

see above for further holders

Family tree

Earls of Bolingbroke and Earls of Jersey with subsidiary and courtesy titles

Oliver St John
d. 1437

Margaret Beauchamp
c. 1410–before 1482

John Beaufort
1404–1444
1st Duke of Somerset

John St John
d. c. 1482

Oliver St John
d. c. 1497

Margaret Beaufort
1443–1509
Countess of Richmond and Derby

John St John
c. 1450–after 1502

John St John
1473–1512

King Henry VII
1457–1509

John St John
d. c. 1562

John St John
1473–1512

Baron St John of Bletso, 1559

Oliver St John
c. 1522–1582
1st Baron St John of Bletso

Nicholas St John
d. 1589

Viscount Grandison of Limerick, 1620
Baron Tregoz of Highworth, 1626

John St John
d. 1596
2nd Baron St John of Bletso

Oliver St John
c. 1540–1618
3rd Baron St John of Bletso

John St. John
c. 1552–1594

Oliver St. John
c. 1560–1630
1st Viscount Grandison and Baron Tregoz of Highworth

Barony of Tregoz extinct, 1630

Earl of Bolingbroke, 1624

St John Baronet, of Lydiard Tregoze, 1611

Oliver St John
c. 1580–1646
1st Earl of Bolingbroke,
4th Baron St John of Bletso

Rowland St John
1588–1645

John St John
1585–1648
1st Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze

Barbara St John

Edward Villiers
c. 1585–1626

St John Baronets, of Woodford, 1660

Oliver St John
1603–1642
5th Baron St John of Bletso

Paulet St John
d. 1638

Oliver St John
c. 1624–1662
1st Baronet St John of Woodford

Oliver St John
1612/1613 – November 1641 or 1642

Walter St John
1622–1708
3rd Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze

William Villiers
1614–1643
2nd Viscount Grandison

John Villiers
c. 1616–1659
3rd Viscount Grandison

George Villiers
1618–1699
4th Viscount Grandison

Edward Villiers
1620–1689

Viscount St John and Baron St John of Battersea, 1716

Viscount Villiers, 1691
Earl of Jersey, 1697

Oliver St John
before 1634–1688
2nd Earl of Bolingbroke,
6th Baron St John of Bletso

Paulet St John
1634–1711
3rd Earl of Bolingbroke,
7th Baron St John of Bletso

St Andrew St John
c. 1650–1709
2nd Baronet St John of Woodford

John St John
1638–1657
2nd Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze

Henry St John
baptized 1652–1742
1st Viscount St John and Baron St John of Battersea,
4th Baronet St John of Lydiard Tregoze

Barbara Palmer
1640–1709
Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Castlemaine, Baroness Nonsuch

King Charles II
1630–1685

Edward FitzGerald-Villiers
c. 1654–1693

Edward Villiers
c. 1656–1711
1st Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers

Earldom of Bolingbroke extinct, 1711

Viscount Bolingbroke and Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, 1712

Earl Grandison, 1721

Oliver St John
c. 1683–1710
3rd Baronet St John of Woodford

St Andrew St John
c. 1685–1711
4th Baronet St John of Woodford

William St John
d. 1720
9th Baron St John of Bletso,
6th Baronet St John of Woodson

Rowland St John
d. 1722
10th Baron St John of Bletso,
7th Baronet St John of Woodson

John St John
d. 1757
11th Baron St John of Bletso,
8th Baronet St John of Woodson

Henry St John
1678–1751
1st Viscount Bolingbroke and Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze

John Villiers
c. 1684–1766
1st Earl Grandison,
5th Viscount Grandison

William Villiers
c. 1682–1721
2nd Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers

Earldom Grandison extinct, 1766

Paulet St Andrew St John
1711–1714
8th Baron St John of Bletso,
5th Baronet St John of Woodford

John St Andrew St John
1725–1767
12th Baron St John of Bletso,
9th Baronet St John of Woodson

John St John
1702–1748
2nd Viscount St John and Baron St John of Battersea

William Villiers
d. 1769
3rd Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
6th Viscount Grandison

Frederick St John
1732–1787
3rd Viscount St John,
2nd Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea,
5th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

George Bussy Villiers
1735–1805
4th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
7th Viscount Grandison

Henry Beauchamp St John
1758–1805
13th Baron St John of Bletso,
10th Baronet St John of Woodson

St Andrew St John
1759–1817
14th Baron St John of Bletso,
11th Baronet St John of Woodson

George Richard St John
1761–1824
4th Viscount St John,
3rd Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea,
5th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

Ferdinand St. John
1804–1865

George Child Villiers
1773–1859
5th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
8th Viscount Grandison

St Andrew Beauchamp St John
1811–1874
15th Baron St John of Bletso,
12th Baronet St John of Woodson

Henry St John
1786–1851
5th Viscount St John,
4th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea,
6th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

Canon Maurice William Ferdinand St. John
1827–1914

George Augustus Frederick Child Villiers
1808–1859
6th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
9th Viscount Grandison

St Andrew St John
1840–1887
16th Baron St John of Bletso,
13th Baronet St John of Woodson

Beauchamp Moubray St John
1844–1912
17th Baron St John of Bletso,
14th Baronet St John of Woodson

Henry Mildmay St John
1820–1899
6th Viscount St John,
5th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea,
7th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

Henry Percy St John
(1854–1921)

Victor Albert George Child Villiers
1845–1915
7th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
10th Viscount Grandison

Henry Beauchamp Oliver St John
1876–1920
18th Baron St John of Bletso,
15th Baronet St John of Woodson

Moubray St Andrew Thornton St John
1877–1934
19th Baron St John of Bletso,
16th Baronet St John of Woodson

Rowland Tudor St John

Vernon Henry St John
1896–1974
7th Viscount St John,
6th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea,
8th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

Geoffrey Robert St. John
1889–1972

George Henry Robert Child Villiers
1873–1923
8th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
11th Viscount Grandison

John Moubray Russell St John
1917–1976
20th Baron St John of Bletso,
17th Baronet St John of Woodson

Andrew Beauchamp St John
1918–1978
21st Baron St John of Bletso,
18th Baronet St John of Woodson

Kenneth Oliver Musgrave St John
1927–2010
8th Viscount St John,
7th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea,
9th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

George Francis Child-Villiers
1910–1998
9th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
12th Viscount Grandison

Anthony Tudor St John
b. 1957
22nd Baron St John of Bletso,
19th Baronet St John of Woodson

Henry FitzRoy St John
1957–2011
9th Viscount St John,
8th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and 8th Baron St John of Battersea,
10th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

George Henry Child Villiers
1948–1998
styled Viscount Villiers

Nicholas Alexander Mowbray St John
b. 1974
10th Viscount St John,
9th Viscount Bolingbroke, Baron St John of Lydiard Tregoze, and Baron St John of Battersea,
12th Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze

George Francis William Child Villiers
b. 1976
10th Earl of Jersey and Viscount Villiers,
13th Viscount Grandison

Oliver Beauchamp St John
b. 1995

George Henry William Child Villiers
b. 2015
styled Viscount Villiers

Notes

^ ^a ^b Quoted in Cokayne, Complete Peerage, 2nd. ed., Vol. XI, p. 333 note (g), continuing on 334.
^ Cokayne, Complete Peerage, 2nd. ed., Vol. XI, pp. 316-18.
^ John Brownbill, "St. John of Bletsoe", Genealogists' Magazine, vol. v, 1929-31, pp. 355-9, quoted in Cokayne, Complete Peerage, 2nd. ed., Vol. XI, p. 333 note (g), continuing on 334.

References

Cokayne, George Edward, Geoffrey H. White, ed. (1949). The Complete Peerage, or a history of the House of Lords and all its members from the earliest times Vol. 11 (2nd ed.). London: The St. Catherine Press.
Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, ^{[page needed]}