unproven

Fiddling around on Wikipedia the other day, I got interested in unproven baronetcies. I just did, and there it is. My second favourite is Mander of the Mount. My favourite is Hort of Castle Strange.

But, you are wondering, what the hell is this guy even talking about? Maybe this explanation from www.baronetage.org will help: 'It is a popular misconception that the heir apparent succeeds automatically to a baronetcy on the death of the current holder. Nothing could be further from the truth.'

So, there you are. NOTHING could be further from the truth. It is closer to the truth to say that on the death of the current holder of the Baronetcy of Castle Mattress, each of the world's giant squids (let's say they number 5 million) will inherit a five millionth of the title. Or that... Oh, I see you tire of facetiousness.

Anyway, the thing is that to be a proper baronet, you have to take all kinds of paper records to the Registrar of the Peerage & Baronetage, and then there is a Procedure, and ultimately your name is entered on the Official Roll. It seems as if Sir Andrew Edwin Fenton Hort of Castle Strange has rather jumped the gun, because he is officially unproven according to Baronetage, but he has told Burke's at least that he is the 9th Baronet and has been since 1995. The class system is crumbling about our ears.

My favourite baronet who hasn't failed to prove himself is Sir Cornelis Jacob Speelman, of the Netherlands. Take that, the Netherlands. You are only a very minor title, just like Eaton Square or Upper Brook Street.