Sir, – “Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead” is not an “aristocratic” title (“McGuinness rejects title after resignation from Commons”, Home News, January 3rd). It means something quite plebeian, roughly “manager”.
The history of it (and of the alternative title of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds) is that theoretically MPs are not permitted to resign, but that they render themselves ineligible to serve in the Commons if they hold “an office of profit under the Crown”. The two titles serve as legal fictions to permit an MP to resign.
Aristocratic titles are barons, viscounts, earls, marquesses and dukes (but not knights and dames), which until a few years ago carried the right to sit in the House of Lords.
Of course it’s bizarre, but there are bizarre things in Irish history too. – Yours, etc,