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Sir Marmaduke Blennerhassett, 6th Baronet

Sir Marmaduke Blennerhassett, 6th Baronet,
born 20 Nov 1902.
Went as "Marmaduke" or "Charles".
See Wikitree and thepeerage.
He succ 1915.

He mar 1stly, 1926, to Winifred McFarlane [born 25 Oct 1897, Australia]. No issue.
It is an amazing story. She had left her husband and children in Australia.
She had not divorced her husband, so her marriage to Blennerhassett was bigamous.
Incredibly, she used a fake name, "Wynne M. Seaton-Roberts", at her marriage to Blennerhassett in the [GRO.UK].
It is unclear what exactly Blennerhassett knew about her when he married her.
Her real name and the bigamy were soon discovered. Marriage annulled 1927.

He mar 2ndly, 1938, to Gwenfra Morgan [Gwenfra Mary Morgan, born 1911].
She was dau of Harington Morgan and Lilian Elizabeth Lutley Sclater, dau of the zoologist Philip Lutley Sclater by his wife Jane Anne Eliza Hunter-Blair, dau of Sir David Hunter-Blair, 3rd Baronet by his 2nd wife Elizabeth Hay.
Elizabeth Hay descends from Lady Grizel Stewart, who descends from James V, King of Scotland and from Henry VII.
See mar cert.

6th Baronet was Lieutenant in Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in WW2.
Killed in action on 25 May 1940, age 37 yrs, in the Siege of Calais (22-26 May). The Siege of Calais ended in defeat and the Dunkirk evacuation (26 May to 4 June). 6th Baronet was on H.M.S. Greyhound, which took damage but was not sunk. (It was sunk later in the war.)
See his record at [CWGC].
See cuttings from The Times, 4 June 1940. This says his son was born on the day of his death.
He was bur St James Cemetery, Dover. See findagrave.
Gwenfra died 1956. Adrian was orphaned.
6th Baronet had issue by 2nd wife:

Sir Adrian Blennerhassett, 7th Baronet.
Marmaduke Adrian Francis William Blennerhassett. Went as "Adrian".
He was born 3.30 am, 25 May 1940, near Gwenfra's mother's house in Ayr, Scotland. See birth cert. And copy.
His father was killed on day he was born.
He became Baronet from birth.

Grave of 6th Baronet (KIA 1940).
St James Cemetery, Dover.
See full size. From findagrave.
See street view of gate.

References

[NA.UK]. Home Office: Registered Papers. "Baronets" series.
- HO 45/23138. Papers about the succession of the Blennerhassett Baronetcy, after the 6th Baronet was KIA in 1940. Official query on the successor by the Assistant Registrar of the Baronetage. Dates 1940-1949.
- See letter of 19 June 1940 from Assistant Registrar of the Baronetage, looking for Lady Blennerhassett. Notes they previously wrote to Churchtown House, Co.Kerry, from which Blennerhassett were long gone.
- All is in order. See entry for 7th Baronet in the Register of the Baronetage, 27 June 1940.

Unknown portraits inherited by the Blennerhassett Baronets

Unknown portraits inherited by the 7th Baronet.
Two portraits (dated 1857 and 1861) by James Butler Brenan (1825-1889). Also here.
Brenan lived and painted in Cork.

In both portraits, it looks like tartan draped over the army uniform. Looks like Scottish officer.
Note that Gwenfra Morgan had Scottish ancestors, Hunter-Blair.
But this does not look like Hunter-Blair. The Blennerhassett arms are on the 1861 portrait.
Also Brenan painted in Cork.
These clues say the portraits are probably Blennerhassett of Ireland.
But who? Hard to see who it could be in the Baronets branch at this time period.
Could it be Capt. Robert Rowland Conyers (born 1826)? He married in 1861, which would fit the date of the second portrait. Except that portrait has Blennerhassett arms.
Could it be the Ballyseedy Blennerhassett branch? (7th Baronet inherited their portraits.)
Perhaps the best candidate is Francis Barry Blennerhassett of the Ballyseedy branch (born 1815). He served in a Highland regiment, the 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot. He became a Major in 1857, which would fit the date of the first portrait.

Unknown portrait dated 1857.
See signature which reads: "J.B. Brenan. 1857."
See full size. See other shot.
As discussed above, this might be Francis Barry Blennerhassett of the Ballyseedy branch (born 1815), who became a Major in 1857.

Unknown portrait dated 1861.
See signature which reads: "J.B. Brenan. A.R.H.A. 1861." (Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy)
See full size. See other shot.
Could this also be Francis Barry Blennerhassett?
Blennerhassett arms on the frame says this must be a Blennerhassett.

Blennerhassett coat of arms on the frame of the 1861 portrait.
See larger and full size.
See wider shot.