Posted by Karen
on 5/10/2009, 20:36:42, in reply to "Re: Britain's 'Favourite Granny' or 'Alf Garnett in a tiara' ?"
77.99.97.248
The 9th Earl of Strathmore was a Representative Peer for Scotland. In the 18th Century Scottish peers did not have an automatic right to sit in the House of Lords, but had to be elected by their fellow peers to do so. Lord Strathmore married a great Durham heiress, Miss Mary Eleanor Bowes and on the request of the bride's father assumed his wife's name. This change of name required an Act of Parliament. Mary Eleanor was the daughter of Sir George Bowes of Streadam Castle and Gibside. The Bowes were a family of ancient and honourable descent, Sir Robert Bowes being Elizabeth I's ambassador to Scotland from 1577 to 1583.
The 10th Earl was also a Representative Peer, but was given the title of Lord Bowes which entitled him to a seat in the Lords without election. It was later the surname Lyon was reincorporated to form the present name of Bowes-Lyon. He also quartered the arms of Bowes with his own. The former were also punning arms - three bows 'proper' on an ermine background, and so the family are a great rarity in having punning arms for both their surnames on the same shield.