He was succeeded by his younger brother, thethird Baron. He sat as aConservativeMember of Parliament for Wenlock for 46 years, and wasFather of the House from 1873 to 1874. His nephew, the fifth baron, also represented Wenlock in Parliament as aConservative. Both his son, the sixth baron, and grandson, the seventh baron, served as mayor ofWenlock. As of 2017[update], the title is held by the latter's grandson, the ninth baron, who succeeded his father in 2004.
The family were anciently hereditaryforesters ofWellington Hay in Mount Gilbert Forest, and lived at Wellington or at Watling Street Hall (later Old hall), where they had a halfvirgate of land held by keeping the Hay. John Forester (died c. 1521) leased Wellington Hay from perhaps 1512, and another John Forester bought its freehold in 1555.[2] The family became gentry and several of the family became Members of Parliament forWenlock.Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, was a great-great-granddaughter of the 1st Baron Forester.
The family seat since 1811 is Willey Hall, nearWilley, Shropshire. The estate was inherited byBrooke Forester through his wife, Elizabeth Weld, and has remained in the Weld-Forester family for over two centuries.[3]
Sir William Forester (1655–1718), his son, inherited Dothill from his half-brother, Richard Steventon (died 1659), in about 1675 and became a Member of Parliament in 1678.
William Forester (1690–1758), his son, served as MP for Wenlock (with substantial gaps) from 1715 until his death.
Brooke Forester (1717–1774), his eldest son was its member continuously from 1734 to 1761. He married the heiress of George Weld of Willey Park and inherited that estate.
George Forester (1735–1811) sat for Wenlock (with gaps) from 1758 to 1790, when he was replaced by his cousin and heir, Cecil, later 1st Baron Forester.
Francis Forester (1774–1861), the younger son of Cecil Forester and brother to the 1st Baron Forester, held the same seat from 1820 to 1826.
Cecil George Wilfred Weld-Forester, 7th Baron Forester (1899–1977), served during theFirst World War as a lieutenant in theGuards Machine Gun Regiment, educated for some time atDurham University (apparently without taking a degree), and eventually became colonel in the Royal Horse Guards. Succeeded as the 7th Baron on 10 October 1932.[4]
^'Wellington: Manors and other estates', A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 11: Telford (1985), pp. 215–221.Shropshire manor. Date accessed: 20 May 2008.
