Acland Baronets

Acland Baronets

There have been four baronetcies created for members of the Acland family, two in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.

The Acland Baronetcy, of Colum John in the County of Devon, was created in the Baronetage of England on 24 June 1644 for John Acland, a supporter of Charles I. However, the letters patent were lost in the confusion of the Civil War. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baronet. He died as a minor and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Baronet. On his death the title passed to his son, the fourth Baronet. He also died young and was succeeded by his uncle, the fifth Baronet. On 21 January 1678 he was granted new letters patent, confirming him in the title, with the precedence of 1644. Acland later represented Barnstaple and Tiverton in the House of Commons. He was succeeded by his grandson, the sixth Baronet. He sat as Member of Parliament for Barnstaple. When he died the title passed to his son, the seventh Baronet. He represented Devon and Somerset in Parliament. Acland married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Dyke.

He was succeeded by his grandson, the eighth Baronet. He died as a child and was succeeded by his uncle, the ninth Baronet. When he died the title passed to his eldest son, the tenth Baronet. He was a successful politician. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the eleventh Baronet. He was also a prominent politician as well as an advocate of educational reforms. On his death the title passed to his eldest son, the twelfth Baronet. He was a Liberal politician and held minor ministerial office under William Ewart Gladstone. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the thirteenth Baronet. He was also a Liberal politician and like his elder brother held minor ministerial office. His eldest son, the fourteenth Baronet, was also a Liberal politician and notably served as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. On his death the title passed to his eldest son, the fifteenth Baronet. He was one of the founder members of the socialist Common Wealth Party. As of 2009 the title is held by his grandson, the seventeenth Baronet, who succeeded his father in 2009.

Several other members of this branch of the family have also gained distinction. Sir Wroth Palmer Acland, son of Arthur Palmer Acland, younger son of the sixth Baronet, was a Lieutenant-General in the Army. John Acland, younger son of the sixth Baronet, was a clergyman and writer on social issues. Colonel John Dyke Acland, eldest son of the seventh Baronet and father of the eighth Baronet, fought in the American Revolutionary War. Arthur Nugent Floyer-Acland (1885–1980), son of John Edward Acland, son of Arthur Henry Dyke Troyte (who assumed the surname of Troyte in lieu of his patronymic by Royal license in 1852), second son of the tenth Baronet, was a Lieutenant-General in the Army. Edward Leopold Dyke Acland (1878–1968), grandson of Reverend Peter Leopold Dyke Acland, fifth son of the tenth Baronet, was a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy. The Right Reverend Richard Dyke Acland, grandson of Reverend Peter Leopold Dyke Acland, fifth son of the tenth Baronet, was a noted clergyman. John Barton Arundell Acland (1823–1904), sixth son of the tenth Baronet, was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council. His fourth son Sir Hugh Thomas Dyke Acland (1874–1956), was a prominent surgeon in New Zealand. His son Sir Hugh John "Jack" Dyke Acland (1904–1981) was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives.

The Acland Baronetcy, of St Mary Magdalen in Oxford, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom on 16 June 1890 for the leading physician and scientist Henry Wentworth Acland. He was the fourth son of the tenth Baronet of the 1644/1678 creation. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baronet. He was an Admiral in the Royal Navy. On his death the title passed to his eldest son, the third Baronet. He was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Devon Yeomanry and a Major in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force. He died without male issue and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fourth Baronet. He was a Captain in the Royal Navy. As of 2007 the title is held by his grandson, the sixth Baronet, who succeeded his father in 1983. As a descendant of the tenth Baronet of the 1644/1678 creation he is also in remainder to this title.

Several other members of this branch of the family have also gained distinction. Sir Reginald Brodie Dyke Acland (1856–1924), fifth son of the first Baronet, was a prominent barrister. Kenneth Francis Dyke Acland (1890–1975), son of Francis Edward Dyke Acland, sixth son of the first Baronet, was a Captain in the Royal Navy. Peter Bevil Edward Acland (1902–1993), second son of Alfred Dyke Acland, seventh son of the first Baronet, was a temporary Brigadier in the Army and served as Deputy Lieutenant and Vice-Lord-Lieutenant of Devon. He was the father of 1) Sir John Hugh Bevil Acland (1928–2006), a Major-General in the Scots Guards, and 2) Sir Antony Arthur Acland, British Ambassador to the United States from 1986 to 1991.

The Palmer-Acland, later Fuller-Palmer-Acland Baronetcy, of Fairfield in the County of Somerset, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom on 9 December 1818 for John Palmer-Acland. He was the son of a younger son of the sixth Baronet of the 1644/1678 creation. The second Baronet assumed the additional surname of Fuller. The title became extinct on his death in 1871.