BEAUCLERK, AUBREY, 5TH DUKE OF ST. ALBANS, brother of Chambers Beauclerk (qv); b. 3 Jun 1740; adm. Jun 1746 (Hawkins'); in school list 1754; Queen’s Coll. Oxford, matr. 8 Apr 1758; MP Thetford 1761-8, Aldborough 1768-74; abroad in Italy 1778-81; succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Vere 1 Oct 1781 and his cousin as 5th Duke of St. Albans 15 Feb 1787; Hereditary Grand Falconer of England and Hereditary Registrar of the Court of Chancery; m. 4 May 1763 Lady Catherine Ponsonby, dau. of William Ponsonby, 2nd Earl of Bessborough (I) PC PC (I); d. 9 Feb 1802.

BECKFORD, PETER, only son of Julines Beckford (qv); b.; adm. (aged 8) Jan 1747/8 (Butler's); in school list 1752; New Coll. Oxford, matr. 12 Apr 1757; of Iwerne Stepleton, Dorset; travelling in Italy 1765-6; High Sheriff, Dorset 1780; MP Morpeth 1768-74; a man of many accomplishments, and a famous sportsman; hunted the country subsequently known as the South Dorset; went to live permanently in Italy 1783; author, Thoughts upon Hare and Fox Hunting, 1781, Essays on Hunting, 1781, and Familiar Letters from Italy to a Friend in England, 1805; m. 22 Mar 1773 Hon. Louisa Pitt, dau. of George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers; d. 18 Feb 1811. DNB.

Beechman, Nevil Alexander, son of Charles Beechman, of Hampstead, Middlesex, by Emily, daughter of S. Frankel, of Hampstead; b. Aug. 5, 1896; adm. Sept. 22, 1910 (H); migrated up Rigaud's; non-resident K.S. 1911; left (with Triplett) July 1915; Ball. Coll., Oxon., Domus Exhibitioner (Classics) 1915, matric. Michaelmas 1919; joint editor and founder of the Oiford Outlook 1919; Secretary of the Union Society 1920, President 1921; B.A. 1922; 2nd Lieut. E. Surrey Regt. May 28, 1915, attached 21st Batt. K. R. R. C.; Capt. July 20, 1917; served in France from Sept. 1916 until he was wounded Sept. 21, 1917; M.C. Sept. 26, 1917; called to the bar at the Inner Temple Jan. 26, 1923; K.C. 1947; M. P. for St. Ives 1937-50; Parliamentary Private Sec. to the Minister of Health 1941-2; Chief Whip of the Liberal National Party 1942-45; a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury 1943-5; m. July 11, 1953; Mary Gwendolen, widow of Capt. Garth Caradoc Williams, R.E.

Bell, William Cory Heward, son of William Heward Bell, of Seend, Wilts, by Hannah, eldest daughter of W. Cory, of London; b. Oct. 21, 1875; adm. as Q.S. Sept. 1889; left Jan. 1893; R.M.A. Woolwich Aug. 1893; 2nd Lieut. R. A. Nov. 2, 1895; Lieut. Nov. 2, 1898; Capt. Nov. 19, 1901; served in the South African War 1902; retired on half-pay Aug. 23, 1911; rejoined on mobilization Aug. 3, 1914, and in Nov. following went out to the western front, where he served with the Artillery of the 1st Div. until Jan. 1919; Major Nov. 16, 1915; Lieut.-Col. Dec. 22, 1917, placed in Reserve of Officers Dec. 29, 1918; mentioned in despatches L. G. Jan. 1, 1916, and Jan. 4, 1917; D.S.O. Jan. 1917; Croix de Guerre 1918; M. P. Wilts (Devizes) Dec. 1918 - Nov. 1923; High Sheriff of Wilts 1932; D. L. Wilts 1952; m. 1903, Violet Mary, daughter of Capt. James Devereux Bowley, R.E.; d. Feb. 25, 1961.

Benn, Anthony Neil Wedgwood, brother of Hon. Michael Julius Wedgwood Benn (qv); b. 3 Apr. 1925; adm. Sept. 1938 (B); left July 1942; New Coll. Oxf., matric. 1942, BA 1946, MA 1949, hon. Fellow 2005; RAFVR 1943-5, RNVR 1945-6; Pres. of Oxford Union 1947; producer BBC N. American Service 1949-50; MP (Lab. ) Bristol South-East Dec. 1950-60 and Aug. 1963-83, Chesterfield Mar. 1984-2001; succ. his father as 2nd Viscount Stansgate 17 Nov. 1960; unsuccessfully attempted to renounce his succession in 1955 and 1960, and after winning a by-election at Bristol South-East in May 1961 was disqualified from taking his seat; later instigated the Peerage Act 1963, and renounced the title for life; chmn. Fabian Soc. 1964; Postmaster-General 1964-6, founding the PO Giro; PC 1964; Min. of Technology 1966-70, assuming responsibility for Aviation in 1967, for Power 1969; hon. LLD Strathclyde Univ. 1969, hon. DTech Bradford Univ. 1969, hon. DSc Aston Univ., 1970; Sec. of State for Industry 1974-5, for Energy 1975-9; member NEC, Lab. Party 1959-60, 1962-93, chmn. 1971-2; pres., Campaign Group of Labour MPs 1987-2001; pres., Stop the War Coalition 2004-14; author of a number of works on political subjects; published nine volumes of his diaries; m. 17 June 1949 Caroline, d. of James Miltonn De Camp of Cincinnati, USA; d. 14 Mar. 2014.

Bennett, Sir Frederic Mackarness, brother of Francis Ernest Herman Bennett (qv); b. 2 Dec. 1918; adm. 20 Sept. 1932 (R); left Apr. 1936; RA 1940-6 (Maj.); called to the Bar (Lincoln's Inn) Nov. 1946, to the Southern Rhodesia Bar 1947; dipl. correspondent Birmingham Post 1950-2; MP (C) Reading North 1951-5, Torquay 1955-74, Torbay 1974-87; PPS to Under-Sec. of State, Home Office, 1953-5, to Rt Hon. Reginald Maudling as Min. of Supply 1956-7, Paymaster­ Gen. 1957-9, Pres. of Board of Trade 1959-61; Leader of UK Delegation and Chairman Coun­cil of Europe and WEU Assemblies 1979-87; dir. Kleinwort Benson Europe SA and many other financial companies and trusts; Kt 1964; PC 1985; m. March 1945 Marion Patricia, d. of Maj. Cecil Burnham OBE FRCS RAMC; d. 14 Sep. 2002

BENNETT, RICHARD HENRY ALEXANDER, only son of Bennett Alexander Bennett (qv); stepson of Richard Bull (qv); b.; adm. (aged 9) Jun 1752 (Morel's); in school list 1754; MP Newport (Cornwall) 12 Feb 1770-4; of North Court, Shorwell, Isle of Wight; FSA 20 Jun 1765; FRS 10 Dec 1767; m. 20 Jan 1766 Elizabeth Amelia, eldest dau. of Peter Burrell MP, Beckenham, Kent, Surveyor-Gen. of Crown Lands, and sister of Peter Burrell, 1st Baron Gwydir; d. 14 Mar 1814.

BENTINCK, LORD EDWARD CHARLES CAVENDISH, brother of William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (qv); b. 3 Mar 1744; in school list 1754; a boarder at Mrs Morel’s house, where he “occupied as many as two or three rooms” (Bentham, Works, x, 27); Christ Church, Oxford, matr. 7 Nov 1761; Grand Tour (France, Netherlands, Gemany) 1764-6; MP Lewes 23 Dec 1766-8, Carlisle 1768-74, Nottinghamshire 11 Jan 1775-96, Clitheroe 1796-1802; m. 23 Dec 1782 Elizabeth, eldest dau. of Richard Cumberland (qv); d. at Brussels 8 Oct 1819.

BERKELEY, HON. GEORGE, brother of Charles Berkeley, Viscount Dursley (qv); b. 24 Feb 1691/2; adm.; QS (Capt., aged 15) 1708; elected to Trinity Coll. Cambridge 1711, adm. pens. 31 May 1711, scholar 15 May 1712, readm. nob. 10 Feb 1713; MA 1713; adm. Inner Temple 1 Aug 1707; Clerk of the Privy Council 1716-26; MP Dover 20 Dec 1720-34, Hedon 1734-41, and from 4 Mar 1742; Master, Hospital of St. Katherine’s by the Tower, London, from 28 May 1738; m. 1 Jul 1735 [or 26 Jun ?] Henrietta, widow of Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk, and sister of John Hobart, 1st Earl of Buckinghamshire (qv); d. 29 Oct 1746. DNB.

BERTIE, BROWNLOW, 5TH DUKE OF ANCASTER AND KESTEVEN, brother of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven (qv); b. 1 May 1729; adm. Sep 1743 (Ludford's); left 1746; MP Lincolnshire 1761- 8 Jul 1779; succ. his nephew as 5th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven 8 Jul 1779; Lord Lieut., Lincolnshire, from 9 Aug 1779; m. 1st, 6 Nov 1762 Harriet, only dau. of George Morton Pitt MP, Twickenham, Middlesex, previously EICS Madras, Governor of Fort St. George; m. 2nd, 2 Jan 1769 Mary Anne, youngest dau. of Maj. Peter Layard, Sutton Friars, Canterbury, Kent; d. 8 Feb 1809.