Earl of Plymouth

Earl of Plymouth is a title that has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation was in 1675 for Charles FitzCharles, illegitimate son of King Charles II by his mistress Catherine Pegge. He died without heirs in 1680, when the title became extinct.

The second creation came in 1682 in favour of Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 7th Baron Windsor. The Windsor family descends from Sir Andrew Windsor, who notably fought at the Battle of the Spurs in 1513, where he was knighted. In 1529 he was summoned to Parliament as Baron Windsor, of Stanwell in the County of Buckingham. His grandson, the third Baron, fought at the Battle of St Quentin in 1557. His grandson, the sixth Baron, was a Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy. On his death in 1641 the barony fell into abeyance.

The abeyance was terminated in 1660 in favour of his nephew, the seventh Baron. He was the son of the Hon. Elizabeth Windsor, and her husband Dixie Hickman, and assumed the additional surname of Windsor. Windsor notably served as Governor of Jamaica and as Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire. In 1682 he was created Earl of Plymouth in the Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his grandson, the second Earl. He notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Denbigh and Flint. His grandson, the fourth Earl, was Lord Lieutenant of Glamorganshire.

On the death of his childless grandson, the sixth Earl, in 1833, the barony and earldom separated. The barony fell into abeyance between his sisters Lady Maria, wife of Arthur Hill, 3rd Marquess of Downshire, and Lady Harriet, wife of the Hon. Robert Henry Clive, second son of Edward Clive, 1st Earl of Powis (see below for further history of the barony). He was succeeded in the earldom by his uncle, the seventh Earl. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his younger brother, the eighth Earl. He was childless and on his death in 1843 the earldom became extinct.

The barony of Windsor remained in abeyance until 1855 when the abeyance was terminated in favour of the younger sister Lady Harriet, who became the thirteenth Baroness. The same year she assumed by Royal license the additional surname of Windsor. She was succeeded by her grandson, the fourteenth Baron. He was a prominent Conservative politician and held office as Paymaster-General and First Commissioner of Works. In 1905 the earldom of Plymouth was revived when he was created Viscount Windsor, of St Fagans in the County of Glamorgan, and Earl of Plymouth, in the County of Devon. These titles were in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

He was succeeded by his second and only surviving son, the second Earl. He was also a Conservative politician and served as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies and Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. As of 2010 the titles are held by his eldest son, the third Earl, who succeeded in 1943. As a male-line descendant of the first Earl of Powis he is also in remainder to this peerage and its subsidiary titles.

Another member of the Windsor family was the Hon. Thomas Windsor, younger son of Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth, who was created Viscount Windsor in 1699.

The family seat is Oakly Park, Bromfield near Ludlow, Shropshire.

The unusual forename 'Other' is traditional in the family and derives from a legendary Viking ancestor 'Otho' or 'Othere'.