Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun

Marjorie Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun[fn 1][2] (born 18 October 1930) is a Scottish peer. Until her retirement on 12 December 2014, she was the only holder of a lordship of Parliament who had a seat in the House of Lords as an elected hereditary peer. Lady Saltoun is the Chief of the Name and Arms of Clan Fraser since 1 May 1984, by decree of the Court of the Lord Lyon. She is also the head of the Scottish lowland family the Frasers of Philorth.

The Right Honourable

The Lady Saltoun
Coat of arms of Lady Saltoun, Chief of the Name and Arms of Fraser: Azure three fraises (cinquefoils) argent
BornMarjorie Flora Fraser
(1930-10-18) 18 October 1930[1]
Edinburgh, Scotland
Spouse(s)
Alexander Ramsay of Mar
(m. 1956; his death 2000)
Issue
Katharine Fraser, Mistress of Saltoun
Hon. Alice Ramsay
Hon. Elizabeth Ramsay
HeirKatharine Fraser
ParentsAlexander Fraser, 20th Lord Saltoun
Dorothy Geraldine Welby

Biography

Flora Fraser was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, as the daughter of Alexander Fraser and Dorothy Geraldine Welby. Her maternal grandfather was Charles Glynne Earle Welby, 5th Baronet. She had an elder brother, Alexander Simon Fraser, Master of Saltoun. In 1933, her father became the 20th Lord Saltoun and she was styled the Hon. Flora Fraser. Her brother received the Military Cross and was killed in action in March 1944 while serving with the Grenadier Guards, making Flora heir presumptive to the Lordship.[3]

In 1979, when Lord Saltoun died, Flora became the 21st Lady Saltoun, and also gained a seat in the House of Lords. In 1999, because of the House of Lords Act 1999, 662 hereditary peers were removed from the House. However, Lady Saltoun was one of the ninety hereditary peers who were elected to remain in the House.

On 6 October 1956 at Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Lady Saltoun married Alexander Ramsay of Mar (1919–2000), a grandson of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, keeping her maiden surname after marriage.

Saltoun's children are:

  • The Hon. Katharine Fraser, Mistress of Saltoun[fn 2] (born Katharine Ingrid Mary Isabel Ramsay (11 October 1957), Deputy Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire since 2005; married, on 3 May 1980, Capt. Mark Malise Nicolson (b. 24 September 1954)
    • Louise Alexandra Patricia Nicolson (2 September 1984); married, on 25 May 2013, Charles Morshead. They have two sons:
      • Rory Thomas Malise Morshead (27 May 2015)
      • Frederick Charles Merlin Morshead (15 March 2018)
    • Juliet Victoria Katharine Nicolson (3 March 1988) married Simon Alexander Rood on 11 July 2015
      • Albert Alexander Gordon Rood (born 7 June 2018)
    • Alexander William Malise Fraser (5 July 1990)
  • The Hon. Alice Elizabeth Margaret Ramsay (8 July 1961); married David Alan Ramsey (b. 17 September 1960).
    • Alexander David Ramsey (17 December 1991)
    • Victoria Alice Ramsey (7 April 1994)
    • George Arthur Ramsey (28 September 1995)
    • Oliver Henry Ramsey (28 September 1995)
  • The Hon. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Ramsay (15 April 1963)

Titles
  • 18 October 1930 – 19 June 1933: Miss Flora Fraser
  • 19 June 1933 – 1944: The Honourable Flora Fraser
  • 1944 – 31 August 1979: Mistress of Saltoun
  • 31 August 1979 –present: The Right Honourable The Lady Saltoun

Footnotes
  1. It has recently been determined that Margaret Abernethy succeeded her brother, Alexander Abernethy, 9th Lord Saltoun, in 1668, but only survived him by about 10 weeks and had not previously been counted in the title's numbering. This new information has resulted in the ordinals in subsequent Saltoun Lords being revised. As a result, Flora Fraser is sometimes listed as the 20th Lady Saltoun.
  2. Katharine is the heir presumptive to her mother's peerage and the leadership of the Clan Fraser. Lord Lyon King Arms officially recognized her use of the surname Fraser in 1973. Her son was also given this surname. Katherine holds the title "Mistress of Saltoun" as the heir to her mother's peerage.

References
  1. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 3510. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  2. "History". Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun. Retrieved 10 July 2007.
  3. Burke 2003, p. 3514
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by
Alexander Fraser		 Lady of Saltoun
1979–present		 Incumbent
Heir:
Mistress of Saltoun
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