The Elwes Baronetcy () of

Stoke-by-Clare Stoke-by-Clare is a small village and civil parish in Suffolk located in the valley of the River River Stour, Suffolk, Stour, about two miles west of Clare, Suffolk, Clare. In 1124 Richard de Clare, 1st Earl of Hertford, moved the Benedictine ...

in the County of Suffolk, was a title in the

Baronetage of England Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier, existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain. To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary ...

held by the Elwys family, whose name through the years has alternately been spelled Helwish, Helewise, Helwys, Elwaiss and Elwaies. The baronetcy was created on 22 June 1660 by King Charles II for Gervase Elwes, Member of Parliament for Sudbury and

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

. The second Baronet was Member of Parliament for Suffolk. John Elwes was the nephew of the second Baronet. The title possibly became either extinct or dormant following the death of the third Baronet on 26 November 1778, under unclear circumstances. The third Baronet left three sons—Henry, William, and Thomas—the eldest of whom, Henry, was assumed to have become the fourth baronet; however there is no record that he did so, putting into question whether or not the sons were legitimate. In 1779, William and Thomas were recorded proving their father's will, indicating he may have died shortly after his father. However, after the death of the third Baronet's widow, Johanna Elwes (''née'' Bobulia), none of the sons appeared to prove her will, lending credence that she was not their mother. According to The ''Complete Baronetage'' (1904), the third Baronet ''dspm legit'' (''decessit sine prole mascula legitima'' – "died without legitimate male issue"). According to Burke's, the baronetcy became extinct upon the death of the third Baronet in 1778. Some sources, however, record a fourth Baronet, Sir Henry Elwes, who was believed to be the younger brother of the third Baronet. He died without heirs in 1787, at which point the baronetcy likely became extinct. According to the

Standing Council of the Baronetage The Standing Council of the Baronetage is a United Kingdom organisation which deals with the affairs of baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a ...

, the Elwes baronetcy is not among the vacant or dormant baronetcies.

Elwes baronets, of Stoke-by-Clare (1660)

* Sir Gervase Elwes, 1st Baronet (1628–1706) ** Gervase Elwes, junior, (–), '' d.s.p.'' * Sir Hervey Elwes, 2nd Baronet (1683–1763) * Sir William Elwes, 3rd Baronet (died 1778), '' d.s.p.m.l.'' *''Sir Henry Elwes, 4th Baronet'' (died 1787)

References

{{Reflist, 30em Extinct baronetcies in the Baronetage of England 1660 establishments in England