Question for my UK friends

[dreamflower]

I need a title for a person in a story I am working on, a crossover set in the late 1940s. I need a British character to have a minor title; it needs to be something sort of ancient and that would draw respect, but also not to be so high up that the person would get a lot of attention-- he'd be able to mostly maintain a low profile outside his home community, so I don't want him to be a Duke or anything like that.

So what kind of title would be suitable, and what would be the correct form of address for it? It does not actually need to be attached to a real place, as I will be inventing that.

Comments

[ramblin_rosie]

I'm pretty sure the most ancient of the minor hereditary titles is baron. Baronet is newer. Knighthood's not hereditary. But I'm sure you have UK friends who would know even better than I!

[dreamflower]

I think it may be baron as well-- but what I know about titles is mostly overlaid with SCA tradition, which is not exactly historically accurate, LOL!

The same goes for forms of address. I really need a refresher.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Barons are addressed as lords. I would suggest a lord as most towns have or had lord someone or other who owned a big house and usually with his wife was involved in good works like opening church fetes and being on committees for orphanages or something.You would address him as your lordship, my lord or sir.

A knight or baronet would be another possibility addressed as Sir George or whatever his name was.


Untitled people who were respected would be the vicar,doctor, solicitor, teacher or bank manager.

Copied from Wikipedia
Lord is used as a generic term to denote members of the peerage. Five ranks of peer exist in the United Kingdom, in descending order these are duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. The appellation 'Lord' is used most often by barons who are rarely addressed by their formal and legal title of "Baron", a notable exception being during a baron's introduction into the House of Lords when he begins his oath by stating "I, Baron X...of Y...". The correct style is 'Lord (X)', for example, Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, is commonly known as 'Lord Tennyson'. The ranks of marquess, earl and viscounts are commonly also addressed as lord. Dukes use the style 'Duke of (X)', and are not correctly referred to as 'Lord (X)'. Dukes are formally addressed as 'Your Grace', rather than 'My Lord'. In the Peerage of Scotland, the members of the lowest level of the peerage have the substantive title 'Lord of Parliament' rather than baron.

For senior members of the peerage, the appellation of lord is used as a courtesy title for some or all of their children; for example the younger sons of dukes and marquesses are entitled to use the style 'Lord (first name) (surname)'. The titles are courtesy titles in that the holder is not deemed thereby to hold a peerage, and is a commoner, according to Law of the United Kingdom.

[dreamflower]

THANK you! It was more or less what I thought, but I needed to be absolutely sure that I had it right!

[harrowcatliz.livejournal.com]

1940. How about a Lord Lieutenant of a County (a Shire). The real version of the Thain. He is the representative of the Monarch, a magistrate, (judge) and is still a valid role today. He would be addressed as Lord Lieutenant. I can find out more if you are interested. Or if you want a more ceremonial rank we still have lots of Earls.

[dreamflower]

Thanks! That's definitely a thought!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Don't hesitate to ask any time about British stuff!