Baron Petre - History

History

The first Baron was succeeded by his son, William Petre, 2nd Baron Petre. He sat as Member of Parliament for Essex. His grandson, William Petre, 4th Baron Petre, was one of the accused in the Titus Oates plot and died in the Tower of London in 1684. His younger brother, Thomas Petre, 6th Baron Petre, was Lord Lieutenant of Essex. His great-grandson, Robert Petre, 9th Baron Petre, who succeeded his father the year of his birth, married Anne Howard, daughter of Philip Howard, younger brother of Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk. On her uncle's death in 1777 Anne became co-heiress to the baronies of Howard, Furnivall, Strange of Blackmere, Talbot, Braose of Gower, Dacre of Gillesland, Greystock, Ferrers of Wemme, Giffard of Brimsfield and Verdon.

Their great-great-grandson, Bernard Petre, 14th Baron Petre, married Etheldreda, daughter of William Robinson Clark. In 1913 (five years after the death of Lord Petre) the abeyance of the ancient barony of Furnivall was terminated by the King in favour of their daughter Mary Frances Katherine Petre, who became the nineteenth Baroness Furnivall (see the Baron Furnivall for more information). Petre was succeeded by his younger brother, Philip Petre, 15th Baron Petre. As of 2010 the title is held by the latter's great-grandson, John Petre, 18th Baron Petre, who succeeded his father, Joseph William Lionel Petre, 17th Baron Petre in 1989. Lord Petre is Lord Lieutenant of Essex since 2002.

Another member of the Petre family was Father Sir Edward Petre, 3rd Baronet, the unpopular chaplain and advisor to James II. James made him Clerk of the Closet and asked the Pope to make him a bishop and later a Cardinal but was refused both requests.

The Petre family have been staunchly loyal to Roman Catholicism. It was the first Baron who publicly acknowledged his Catholicism. At least twelve members of the family have been Jesuits. The family has also produced two bishops, Francis (1692–1775) and Benjamin (1672–1758). These two were coadjutor bishops of, respectively, Bishop Dicconson and Bishop Challoner.

The feudal Lordship of Writtle had for centuries been the possession of the de Brus family and early chroniclers give the manor there as the birthplace of Robert the Bruce.