Talk:Dafydd Elis-Thomas

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[edit] Two questions on an odd sentence...

"...and changed his surname from Thomas to Elis-Thomas by deed poll, enabling him to take the title Baron Elis-Thomas, of Nant Conwy in the County of Gwynedd..."

Two things about this are puzzling:

  • Why would he need to change his name to take the title? Can't a peerage title be anything the sovereign chooses? There are plenty of peers whose titles don't match their surnames.
  • Why was he so keen on that specific title rather than just the surname he was born with? --Jfruh (talk) 16:18, 18 November 2007 (UTC)
Successive Garter Principal King of Arms have sometimes objected to peerage titles including forenames, resulting in the individual formally changing their surname - Baron Ritchie-Calder and Baron George-Brown are amongst the better known cases. I believe the objection is because "Lord Forename Surname" is the younger son of a Duke or Marquis and a title like this can confuse.
As for why that title, I presume there was already a "Lord Thomas" title in existance. And if Elis Thomas was best known as that, then it made sense rather than hoping people would know which Lord Thomas is which. Timrollpickering (talk) 18:31, 23 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Privy Councillor

Surley he made made a privy councillor in 1992 when he became a lord? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.246.186.167 (talk) 16:21, 23 January 2008 (UTC)