Posted on 12/12/2004 9:48:48 AM PST by martin_fierro
For those with everything, how about a lordship for Christmas?
Sat Dec 11, 5:36 PM ET
LONDON (AFP) - For that friend who has everything but aristocratic stock, how about offering the title of lord or lady for Christmas?
A British web site has put up for sale square-foot sections of the northeast Scottish estate of Glencairn, which come with the title of Lord or Lady of Glencairn.
Precise followers of pedigree will scorn the offer, since the title does not actually confer peerage, but is a rather fancy way of advertising one's ownership of the handkerchief-sized land parcel.
"The title of laird means 'land owner' and is the commonly accepted equivalent of lord or lady," http://www.Buyagift.com explains on its web site.
But just think, it argues, for just 29 pounds (56 dollars, 42 euros) this is "the ideal gift for anyone who aspires to greatness, a real lord or lady title to use before their name!"
Another website, lastminute.com, also offers the property sale and, in addition to charging a pound more, reminds over-eager shoppers that the land deed does not actually allow you to build on it.
An earl who has set up his own web site to sniff out title fakeries has laughed off the notion of the Scottish laird, and cast aspersions on any deal that pretends to sell a British peerage.
"All you have to do is to buy a square foot of land in Scotland, and you will be considered a laird; what a ridiculous concept. By that token most of the population of Scotland are lairds," says Richard, seventh Earl of Bradford.
Ping to m'luds and m'ladies.
(I'd ante up, but don't want to pay the concomitant property taxe$)
I'd rather spend the money on foodstuffs and needed gear for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
But as this does not put you in the Peerage why bother?
But I was gonna put a hotel on my plot.
Too bad peerages don't come with it. We could use more Tory peers in the Lords.
Regards, Ivan
I always am the slum lord. Buy cheap and charge outrageous rents.
I was under the impression that they didn't have much say.
They can slow down legislation, generally speaking. This can be a good thing as the difficulty in passing the fox hunting ban showed.
Regards, Ivan
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.