Solicitors letter to Canon Maurice St.John from Royds & Rawstorne, 10th November 1899

Letter to Canon Maurice St.John, the heir presumptive to the titles of St.John and Bolingbroke, from his solicitors, Royds and Rawstorne, 10th November 1899. The letter was written shortly after the death of Henry 5th Viscount Bolingbroke earlier that month.

The Canon is advised not to assume the titles but to attend Lord Bolingbroke's funeral and wait for a week or so before deciding on a course of action. The letter suggests that Canon St.John had written to his family solicitor concerned that his assumption of the titles might be in jeopardy. How much the Canon knew about Lord Bolingbroke's marriage to Bessie Howard is not revealed in his solicitor's response. Perhaps he had only heard rumours of a difficulty at this stage.

On the same day, Royds and Rawstorne dispatched a letter to Kinneirs & Co. who they understood were the late Lord's solicitors. See Items of Interest below.