Nicholas Richard Michael Eliot (1914 - 1988)
Nicholas was the second child and first son of Montague Eliot and Helen Post, known to family and friends as Nick.
— "Morning Post" 27 Jan 1914:
BIRTHS.
Eliot.– On Monday, 26 January, at 2, Wyndham-place, W., the wife of Montague Eliot, of a son.
— "New York Times" 27 Feb 1914, page 4:
PRINCESS AS GODMOTHER.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Montagu Eliott
Is Christened in London.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
LONDON, Feb. 26.– The Crown Princess of Sweden acted by proxy as godmother of the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Montague Eliott, who was christened by Canon Edgar Sheppard, Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal, in St. Mary's Church, Bryanston Square, this afternoon. The Princess is a great friend of Mrs. Eliott, who was Miss Nellie Post of New York. The Grand Duke Michael of Russia and the Earl of St. Germans were godfathers. The child received the names Nicholas, Richard, and Michael. Those present included Lord and Lady Oranmore and Browne, Lady St. Germans, and Mrs. and Miss Post.
— "Western Morning News" 30 Aug 1923, page 5:
TALENTED AMATEURS.
St. Germans Effort for Church Funds.
A garden fete at Penmadown, the residence fo the Dowager Countess of St. Germans, in aid of the St. Germans Church funds, was opened yesterday by Lady St. Germans, the Hon. Montague Eliot, of Port Eliot, presiding.
The principal feature was the presentation by the St. Germans company of players of a burlesque entitled "Poll Bathic, or Lost in the Wash." Amusing local skits were well received, and the production was a gratifying sucess. Lieut.-Col. W.P. Drury was the author, and the company was trained by Mrs. Drury, who was also the producer. Miss Elizabeth and Master Nicholas Eliot were among the cast, and did exceedingly well in their first performance on a stage.
Tea was laid in the dining-room of the house. The organization was in the hands of the Parochial Church Council, with the vicar (Rev. C.S. Fleet) as chairman, and Mr. W.G. Broad as hon. secretary. Tideford Brass Band was in attendance, and the proceedings concluded with a dance in the Eliot Hall.
— Quote from a 2011 article by Marcus Binney:
He [Peregrine, 10th Earl St. Germans] continues "My Mother died when I was very young. My father, who had had a very tough war in Burma, became a professional gambler. He played backgammon against Greeks and Turks. He had a brilliant mathematical mind and would calculate the odds and double as soon as he saw an advantage."
As backgammon doubles can escalate rapidly, the sums to be won or lost are huge. One of his father's specialties was a chouette in which one player takes on five to six others simultaneously, dramatically multiplying the chances of winning or losing. But mainly his father won, enough to buy an ever larger series of yachts.
— "Coventry Evening Telegraph" 23 Sep 1947, page 15:
Lady (Helen Mary) Eliot, of Hyde Hall, Great Waltham, near Chelmsford, was granted a decree nisi by Mr. Commissioner Havers, in the Divorce Court, to-day, on the ground of the adultery of her husband, Lord Nicholas Richard Michael Eliot, heir to the Earl of St. Germans. Discretion of the court was granted to Lady Eliot in respect of adultery admitted by her and costs were awarded against Lord Eliot.
— "The Times" 20 May 1948, page 6:
FORTHCOMING MARRIAGES
Lord Eliot and Mrs. Eyston
A marriage has been arranged, and will shortly take place, between Nicholas Richard Michael, elder son of the Earl and Countess of St. Germans, of Port Eliot, St. Germans, Cornwall, and Margaret Eleanor Eyston, of 478, Park West, W.2, and Heathfield Lodge, Midhurst, Sussex, only daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel William Wyndham and of the late Mrs. Wyndham.
— "The Times" 18 Nov 1965, page 14:
MARRIAGES.
The Earl of St. Germans and Mrs. Mary Bridget Lotinga
The marriage took place on Monday, November 15, at the British Consulate in Marseilles, of the Earl of St. Germans and Mrs. Mary Bridget Lotinga, daughter of the late Sir Shenton Thomas and of Lady Thomas, of 5 Onslow Square, S.W.7.
— "Daily Mirror" 26 Nov 1968, page 25:
ELEPHANT HEAD UPSETS CHURCH MEN
A dispute over an elephant's head was taken to a court yesterday. Involved in the dispute were the Eliot family of St. Germans in Cornwall and the local eleventh century church. Links between the family – whose crest is an elephant's head – and the church have been strong for 400 years. But the present head of the family, the ninth Earl of St. Germans, and his brother, Mr. Robert Eliot, want to use a carved elephant's head to adorn a showcase in the church.
The showcase was to display a magnificent cope – a priest's cermonial cloak – which the brothers gave to the church as a memorial to their parents. The parish church council turned down their offer of a new bronze showcase – complete with elephant's head – and said it preferred to stick to a wooden one.
Yesterday, the brothers and the church council asked a church court to settle their differences. A member of the church council, Mr. John Turner, said the elephant's head was thought to be out of keeping with the outline of the showcase. It was also thought that the showcase might give the church the appearance of a museum. Both Lord St. Germans, 54, and Mr. Eliot live in Tangiers. Mr. Eliot, 45, flew to England specially for the hearing.
The Chancellor of the diocese, Mr. Peter Boydell, Q.C., gave the Eliots permission to install their showcase – with or without the 11in. elephant's head. About the head he said: "I think it is rather jolly. I am sure it will come to be accepted and, indeed, loved by this congregation."
— "The Times" 17 Mar 1988, page 16:
EARL OF ST. GERMANS
The 9th Earl of St. Germans, died on March 11, at the age of 74.
Nicholas Richard Michael Eliot was born on January 26, 1914, and educated at Eton. He was commissioned in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, with whom he served throughout the Second World War. In 1960 he inherited the title and the family estate in East Cornwall from his father, the 8th Earl, but made the estate over to his son and went into tax exile.
A supporter of the Turf in his day, as owner, trainer and bookmaker, the Earl of St. Germans was three times married, and leaves his widow, Bridget. The heir to the title is his son, Lord Eliot.
— "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar":
EARL OF ST. GERMANS
St Germans, 9th Earl of, the rt hon Nicholas Richard Michael of Penmadown, St. Clement, Truro, Cornwall, died 11 March 1988. Probate London 30 January. £69,895.
