Earl Baldwin of Bewdley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1937 for the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician Stanley Baldwin, who had served as MP for

Bewdley Bewdley ( pronunciation) is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District in Worcestershire, England on the banks of the River Severn. It is in the Severn Valley west of Kidderminster and southwest of Birmingham. It lies on the Riv ...

from 1908 to 1937 and was

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern ...

three times (from 1923 to 1924, from 1924 to 1929 and from 1935 to 1937). He was made Viscount Corvedale, of Corvedale in the County of Salop, at the same time he was given the earldom. The first Earl Baldwin of Bewdley was succeeded by his eldest son, Oliver. A somewhat controversial figure, the second Earl was a Labour Party

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

and for a time sat opposite his father in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...

. As a homosexual, Oliver had no children, so on his death the title passed to his younger brother,

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...

, the third Earl. The peerage was held by Arthur's son, Edward, the fourth Earl, who succeeded in 1976. He became one of the ninety elected hereditary peers that remain in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

after the passing of the

House of Lords Act 1999 The House of Lords Act 1999 (c. 34) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords ...

, and sat as a cross-bencher until retiring under the

House of Lords Reform Act 2014 The House of Lords Reform Act 2014 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act was a private member's bill. It received Royal Assent on 14 May 2014. The Act allows members of the House of Lords to retire or resign – actions previousl ...

in May 2018. Alfred Baldwin, father of the first Earl, was also a politician. The family seat was '' Astley Hall'' near

Astley, Worcestershire Astley is a village, and a civil parish (with Dunley) in Worcestershire, England, about two miles outside Stourport-on-Severn and seven miles south-west of Kidderminster. A range of English white wines including sparkling wines have been p ...

, and is now ''Manor Farm House'' near Wolvercote, Oxfordshire.

Earls Baldwin of Bewdley (1937)

* Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1867–1947) - formerly

under Kings George V, Edward VIII, and George VI * Oliver Ridsdale Baldwin, 2nd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1899–1958), first son of the 1st Earl * Arthur Windham Baldwin, 3rd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1904–1976), second son of the 1st Earl * Edward Alfred Alexander Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1938–2021), only son of the 3rd Earl *Benedict Alexander Stanley Baldwin, 5th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (b. 1973),Baldwin, Earl (UK, 1937)
''Cracroft's Peerage''. first son of the 4th Earl The

heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question. ...

is the current earl's younger brother, the Hon. James Conrad Baldwin (b. 1976).

Arms

Line of Succession

''Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1867–1947)'' ** Coronet of a British Earl

''Major Oliver Ridsdale Baldwin, 2nd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1899–1958)'' ** Coronet of a British Earl

''Arthur Windham Baldwin, 3rd Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1904–1976)'' *** Coronet of a British Earl

''Edward Alfred Alexander Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley'' (1938–2021) ''Rep. Peer 1999–2018, followed by The Earl of Devon'' **** Coronet of a British Earl

Benedict Alexander Stanley Baldwin, 5th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (born 1973) **** ''Hon.'' James Conrad Baldwin (b. 1976) **** ''Hon.'' Mark Thomas Maitland Baldwin (b. 1980)

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Baldwin Of Bewdley Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom 1937 establishments in the United Kingdom Stanley Baldwin Baldwin of Bewdley Noble titles created in 1937 Noble titles created for UK MPs