Barry Owen Somerset Maxwell, 12th Baron Farnham (7 July 1931 – 22 March 2001), was a British peer and baron.

The 12th Lord Farnham was the son of The Honourable Somerset Arthur Maxwell, and grandson of the 11th Baron Farnham. He was educated at Eton and Harvard Business School. On his grandfather's death, he succeeded as the 12th Baron Farnham (and 15th of his family Baronetcy). He was a high ranking freemason[1] and held office in the United Grand Lodge of England as Senior Grand Warden 1977–78, Assistant Grand Master 1982–89, Deputy Grand Master 1989–91, and Pro Grand Master 1991–2001.

Lord Farnham was due to retire on or about his 70th birthday; a few months beforehand, he died, and was succeeded in the barony by his brother, Simon Kenlis Maxwell, who lived in England.

His wife, Diana, was a Lady of the Bedchamber (1987–2021) to Queen Elizabeth II.[2] Lady Farnham rode alongside the Queen on the way to the Diamond Jubilee service on 5 June 2012 in the absence (through illness) of the Duke of Edinburgh.[3] His sister Sheelin, Viscountess Knollys, served as Chair of South Norfolk District Council and as High Sheriff of Norfolk.[4]

What is now the Farnham Estate Hotel was the on-site replacement to the family seat and its main structure was commissioned around 1780 by the 1st Earl of Farnham and designed by James Wyatt. Its conversion was enabled when Lady Farnham sold it to a local entrepreneur.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Time to lift the apron: Pressure is mounting for the Freemasons in big business to reveal all". The Independent. 19 September 1992.
  2. ↑ "Ladies in Waiting and Equerries". Official website of the Royal Family.
  3. ↑ "Lady-in-waiting Diana Lady Farnham Accompanying The Queen at The..." Getty Images.
  4. ↑ "Obituary: 'Exceptional' Viscountess Knollys OBE dies aged 84". www.edp24.co.uk. Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "National Library of Ireland – Collection List No. 95 – Farnham Papers" (PDF). National Library of Ireland. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
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