Peerage Record – 2942

     Hon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley is the daughter of Lt.-Col. Wilfred William Ashley, 1st and last Baron Mount Temple and Amalia Mary Maud Cassel.¹ She married, firstly, Captain Alec Stratford Cunningham-Reid, son of Reverend Arthur Morse Reid and Agnes Celina Flower, on 12 May 1927.¹ She and Captain Alec Stratford Cunningham-Reid were divorced in 1940.¹ She married, secondly, Major Ernest Laurie Gardner on 3 September 1940.¹ She and Major Ernest Laurie Gardner were divorced in 1943.¹ She married, thirdly, Thomas Pitt Hamilton Cholmondeley, 4th Baron Delamere of Vale Royal, son of Hugh Cholmondeley, 3rd Baron Delamere of Vale Royal and Lady Florence Anne Cole, on 15 June 1944.¹ She and Thomas Pitt Hamilton Cholmondeley, 4th Baron Delamere of Vale Royal were divorced in 1955.²
     Hon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley usually went by her middle name of Mary.³ From 12 May 1927, her married name became Cunningham-Reid. From 3 September 1940, her married name became Gardner. After her marriage, Hon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley was styled as Baroness Delamere of Vale Royal on 15 June 1944. From 15 June 1944, her married name became Cholmondeley.

     Captain Alec Stratford Cunningham-Reid was the son of Reverend Arthur Morse Reid and Agnes Celina Flower. He married Helena Taylor-Smith.¹ He married, firstly, Hon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley, daughter of Lt.-Col. Wilfred William Ashley, 1st and last Baron Mount Temple and Amalia Mary Maud Cassel, on 12 May 1927.² He and Hon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley were divorced in 1940.² He married, secondly, Angela Williams in 1944.¹ He and Angela Williams were divorced circa 1949.³ He died on 26 March 1977.¹
     He gained the rank of Captain.⁴ He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.)⁴ He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.¹ He was educated at University College School, Hampstead, London, England^G.¹ He fought in the First World War, with teh Royal Engineers and Royal Flying Corps.¹ He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Unionist) for Warrington between 1922 and 1923.¹ He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Unionist) for Warrington between 1924 and 1929.¹ He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Conservative) for St. Marylebone between 1932 and 1945.¹

     Major Ernest Laurie Gardner married Hon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley, daughter of Lt.-Col. Wilfred William Ashley, 1st and last Baron Mount Temple and Amalia Mary Maud Cassel, on 3 September 1940.¹ He and Hon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley were divorced in 1943.¹
     Major Ernest Laurie Gardner usually went by his middle name of Laurie.¹

     Charlotte Philadelphia Horsley was the daughter of Robert Horsley.¹ She married John Horsley-Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies, son of William Beresford, 1st Baron Decies and Elizabeth FitzGibbon, on 26 July 1810.² She died on 9 March 1852.²
     From 26 July 1810, her married name became Horsley-Beresford.² After her marriage, Charlotte Philadelphia Horsley was styled as Baroness Decies on 6 September 1819.

     Robert Horsley lived at Bolam, Northumberland, England^G.²

     Hon. Mary Leigh was born on 27 August 1826.² She was the daughter of Chandos Leigh, 1st Baron Leigh of Stoneleigh and Margarette Willes.³ She was baptised on 5 September 1826 at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England.² She married Reverend Hon. Henry Pitt Cholmondeley, son of Thomas Cholmondeley, 1st Baron Delamere of Vale Royal and Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn, on 4 May 1848 at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England^G.⁴ She died on 24 August 1906 at age 79.¹
     Her married name became Cholmondeley.

     Thomas Cholmondeley, 1st Baron Delamere of Vale Royal was born on 9 August 1767.¹ He was the son of Thomas Cholmondeley and Dorothy Cowper.¹ He married Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn, daughter of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Bt. and Charlotte Grenville, on 17 December 1810.¹ He died on 30 October 1855 at age 88.¹
     He held the office of Sheriff of Cheshire from 1792 to 1793.¹ He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Tory) for Cheshire between 1796 and 1812.¹ He was created 1st Baron Delamere of Vale Royal, co. Chester [U.K.] on 17 July 1821.¹

     Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn was the daughter of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Bt. and Charlotte Grenville.^1,2 She married Thomas Cholmondeley, 1st Baron Delamere of Vale Royal, son of Thomas Cholmondeley and Dorothy Cowper, on 17 December 1810.³ She died on 18 August 1852.³
     Her married name became Cholmondeley. After her marriage, Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn was styled as Baroness Delamere of Vale Royal on 17 July 1821.

     Hugh Cholmondeley, 2nd Baron Delamere of Vale Royal was born on 3 October 1811.¹ He was the son of Thomas Cholmondeley, 1st Baron Delamere of Vale Royal and Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn.¹ He married, firstly, Lady Sarah Hay-Drummond, daughter of Thomas Robert Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull and Louisa Burton Rowley, on 23 March 1848.² He married, secondly, Augusta Emily Seymour, daughter of Rt. Hon. Sir George Hamilton Seymour and Hon. Gertrude Trevor, on 27 December 1860 at St. James’s, Westminster, London, England^G.³ He died on 1 August 1887 at age 75.¹
     He gained the rank of Lieutenant in the 1st Life Guards.¹ He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Denbighshire between 1840 and 1841.¹ He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Montgomeryshire between 1841 and 1847.¹ He succeeded as the 2nd Baron Delamere of Vale Royal, co. Chester [U.K., 1821] on 30 October 1855.¹ He gained the rank of Honorary Colonel in the 3rd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment.¹

     Lady Sarah Hay-Drummond was born on 4 December 1828 at London, England^G.² She was the daughter of Thomas Robert Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull and Louisa Burton Rowley.¹ She married Hugh Cholmondeley, 2nd Baron Delamere of Vale Royal, son of Thomas Cholmondeley, 1st Baron Delamere of Vale Royal and Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn, on 23 March 1848.¹ She died on 17 February 1859 at age 30 at 29 Portman Square, London, England^G, without issue.¹
     Her married name became Cholmondeley. After her marriage, Lady Sarah Hay-Drummond was styled as Baroness Delamere of Vale Royal on 30 October 1855.