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Puffin's Club
Puffin's is a private members' luncheon club, established in the 1960s by the historian Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk. Named after his first wife, Diana Hay, 23rd Countess of Erroll (whose nickname was 'Puffin'), it started as an informal social gathering of Scots clan chiefs and aristocrats at Edinburgh. History Originally, Puffin's met weekly on Tuesdays or Wednesdays in Edinburgh. It now convenes monthly on a Thursday, both in Edinburgh and London. Membership is strictly by invitation and open only to those whose families fought at the battle of Flodden or "would have had they been there". It is believed that Puffin's throughout the 1960s and 1970s counted half the crowned heads of Europe in its circle, being variously described as distinguished and eccentric. In addition to former King Zog of Albania, Prince Juan of the Asturias and Archduke Otto von Habsburg (the last Austro-Hungarian Imperial Crown Prince), among other notable members were Prince Giulio Rospigliosi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Social Club
A social club or social organization may be a group of people or the place where they meet, generally formed around a common interest, occupation or activity with in an organizational association known as a Club (organization), club. Examples include book discussion clubs, chess clubs, country clubs, final clubs, strip clubs, fishing clubs, gaming clubs, Woman's club movement in the United States, women's clubs, gentlemen's clubs (known as Private members' club, private member’s clubs in the U.S.), hunting clubs, military officers' clubs, political clubs, religious clubs (such as Christian fellowships), Fraternity, traditional fraternal organizations, Service club, service clubs, fraternities and sororities (Greek-letter organizations), business networking clubs, science clubs, hobbyist clubs, informal Professional association, professional associations, and Student society, university clubs. The term can also refer to a criminal headquarters, such as the Ravenite Social Cl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patrick Leigh Fermor
Sir Patrick Michael Leigh Fermor (11 February 1915 – 10 June 2011) was an English writer, scholar, soldier and polyglot. He played a prominent role in the Cretan resistance during the Second World War, and was widely seen as Britain's greatest living travel writer, on the basis of books such as '' A Time of Gifts'' (1977).Smith, Helen"Literary legend learning to type at 92" ''The Guardian'' (2 March 2007). A BBC journalist once termed him "a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and Graham Greene". Early life and education Leigh Fermor was born in London, the son of Sir Lewis Leigh Fermor, a distinguished geologist, and Muriel Aeyleen (Eileen), daughter of Charles Taafe Ambler. His mother added the "Leigh" before "Fermor" in his surname, although it was not a true double-barrelled name. Shortly after his birth, his mother and sister left to join his father in India, leaving the infant Patrick in England with a family in Northamptonshire: first in the village of Weedon, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alec Douglas-Home
Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel ( ; 2 July 1903 – 9 October 1995), known as Lord Dunglass from 1918 to 1951 and the Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963, was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1964. He was the last prime minister to hold office while being a member of the House of Lords, before renouncing his peerage and taking up a seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons for the remainder of his premiership. His reputation, however, rests more on his two stints as Foreign Secretary (United Kingdom), Foreign Secretary than on his brief premiership. Within six years of first entering the House of Commons in 1931, Douglas-Home (then called by the Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom, courtesy title Lord Dunglass) became a parliamentary aide to Neville Chamberlain, witnessing first-hand Chamberlain's efforts as prime minister t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Prime Ministers Of The United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the principal minister of the crown of His Majesty's Government, and the head of the British Cabinet. There is no specific date for when the office of prime minister first appeared, as the role was not created but rather evolved over time through a merger of duties. The term was regularly, if informally, used by Robert Walpole by the 1730s. It was used in the House of Commons of Great Britain, House of Commons as early as 1805, and it was certainly in parliamentary use by the 1880s, although did not become the official title until 1905, when Arthur Balfour was prime minister. Historians generally consider Robert Walpole, who led the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain for over twenty years from 1721, to be the first prime minister. Walpole is also the longest-serving British prime minister by this definition. The first prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was William Pitt the Younger at its creat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Ancram
Michael Andrew Foster Jude Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian, Baron Kerr of Monteviot, (7 July 1945 – 1 October 2024), commonly known as Michael Ancram, was a British politician and peer who served as Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party from 2001 to 2005. He was formerly styled Earl of Ancram until he inherited the marquessate in 2004, upon the death of his father. Born in London and educated at Ampleforth College, Ancram studied History at Christ Church, Oxford, and read Law at the University of Edinburgh. After graduating from Edinburgh, he was called to the Scottish Bar and practised as an advocate before entering politics. He unsuccessfully contested West Lothian in 1970, but was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwick and East Lothian at the February 1974 general election and served until he lost the seat in the election held in October of that year. He re-entered Parliament in 1979, representing Edinburgh South until his defeat in 1987. During this ti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archibald Kennedy, 7th Marquess Of Ailsa
Archibald David Kennedy, 7th Marquess of Ailsa, OBE, DL (3 December 1925 – 7 April 1994), styled Earl of Cassillis from 1 June 1956 to 31 May 1957, was a Scottish peer and chief of Clan Kennedy. Early life Kennedy was born at Brick Kiln Farm, Colchester, Essex, the only son of Lord Angus Kennedy (the third son of 3rd Marquess of Ailsa), and Gertrude Millicent Cooper. He was educated at Nautical College Pangbourne. In early life, as David Kennedy, he worked as a steam locomotive fireman and, as Marquess, ran the Isle of Man Railway as lessee for the 1967–1971 seasons. He was a lieutenant in the Scots Guards and lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Scots Fusiliers ( TA). In 1956, his father, Lord Angus, succeeded his childless elder brothers as the 6th Marquess of Ailsa, at which point Archibald became known by the courtesy title Earl of Cassillis. His father died exactly 365 days later on 1 June 1957, and Archibald succeeded as the 7th Marquess. Personal life He ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marquess
A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or widow) of a marquess is a marchioness () or marquise (). These titles are also used to translate equivalent Asian styles, as in Imperial China and Imperial Japan. Etymology The word ''marquess'' entered the English language from the Old French ("ruler of a border area") in the late 13th or early 14th century. The French word was derived from ("frontier"), itself descended from the Middle Latin ("frontier"), from which the modern English word ''March (territory), march'' also descends. The distinction between governors of frontier territories and interior territories was made as early as the founding of the Roman Empire when some provinces were set aside for administration by the senate and more unpacified or vulnerable provinces were adm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iain Murray, 10th Duke Of Atholl
George Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl, DL (19 June 1931 – 27 February 1996), known as ''Wee Iain'', was a Scottish peer and landowner. He was also Marquess and Earl of Atholl, Marquess and Earl of Tullibardine, and Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle. Background and education Murray was the only surviving child of Lieutenant-Colonel George Anthony Murray, who was killed in action in the Second World War, and the Honourable Angela Pearson, daughter of Weetman Pearson, 2nd Viscount Cowdray. He was a great-grandson of Sir George Murray, a grandson of the Right Reverend George Murray, son of the Right Reverend Bishop Lord George Murray, second son of John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl, who was the eldest son of the Scottish Jacobite Lord George Murray. Through his American great-grandfather, Brigadier General Daniel M. Frost of the Confederate States Army, he was a descendant of the Winthrop family and a distant cousin to former Secretary of State John Kerry. The young M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sir George Dick-Lauder, 12th Baronet
Sir George Andrew Dick Lauder, 12th Baronet of the Fountainhall creation (17 November 1917 – 11 August 1981), was a British author and soldier. He succeeded to the baronetcy in 1958 on the death of his father Sir John North Dalrymple Dick-Lauder, 11th Baronet. Education Dick-Lauder was educated at Stowe and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Originally of Fountainhall, his family sold that estate. Career He served in the 1939–45 war in Palestine; East Africa; and the Middle East. He also served, with the 52nd Middle East Commandos, in Sudan and Crete (where taken prisoner). He entered the Black Watch Regiment as a lieutenant in 1937, and was promoted Major in 1945. He served in Cyprus and Berlin, where his two sons were born, and was promoted second-in-command of the Black Watch (1955 – 1956). He was then seconded as second-in command to the 11th battalion King's African Rifles in Nairobi (1957–1960). He retired from the British Army in 1960. Marriage and death ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sir Fitzroy Maclean, 1st Baronet
Sir Fitzroy Hew Royle Maclean, 1st Baronet (11 March 1911 – 15 June 1996), was a British Army officer, writer and politician. A Unionist Member of Parliament (MP) from 1941 to 1974 Maclean was one of only two soldiers who during the Second World War enlisted in the British Army as a private and rose to the rank of brigadier, the other being future fellow Conservative MP Enoch Powell. Maclean wrote several books, including '' Eastern Approaches'', in which he recounted three extraordinary series of adventures: travelling, often incognito, in Soviet Central Asia; fighting in the Western Desert campaign, where he specialised in commando raids behind enemy lines; and living rough with Josip Broz Tito and his Yugoslav Partisans while commanding the Maclean Mission there. It has been widely speculated that Ian Fleming used Maclean as one of his inspirations for James Bond. Early life Maclean was born in Cairo, Egypt to Major Charles Wilberforce Maclean (1875–1953), a member o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baronet
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th century; however, in its current usage it was created by James VI and I, James I of England in 1611 as a means of raising funds for the crown. Baronets rank below barons, but seemingly above all grand cross, knights grand cross, knight commander, knights commander and knight bachelor, knights bachelor of the British order of chivalry, chivalric orders, that are in turn below in chivalric United Kingdom order of precedence, precedence than the most senior British chivalric orders of the order of the Garter, Garter and the order of the Thistle, Thistle. Like all British knights, baronets are addressed as "Sir" and baronetesses as "Dame". They are conventionally seen to belong to the lesser nobility, although William Thoms in 1844 wrote tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Stirling
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, (15 November 1915 – 4 November 1990) was a Scottish officer in the British Army and the founder and creator of the Special Air Service (SAS). Under his leadership, the SAS carried out hit-and-run raids behind the Axis lines of the North African campaign. He saw active service during the Second World War until he was captured in January 1943. He spent the rest of the war in captivity, despite making several attempts to escape. Stirling left the Regular Army in 1947. He founded the Capricorn Africa Society, which aimed to fight racial discrimination in Africa, but Stirling's preference to a limited, elitist voting franchise over universal suffrage limited the movement's appeal. He subsequently formed various private military companies and was linked with a failed attempt to overthrow the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in the early 1970s. He also attempted to organise efforts to undermine trades unionism and to overthrow the Br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
