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Helen Alexandra Briscoe Roche (née Gully, formerly Frewen; born 8 June 1934), styled as The Honourable Lady Roche, is a British politician and former magistrate. A member of the Conservative Party, she served as a parish councillor and serves as the president of the Wharfedale Conservatives. Lady Roche served on the West London bench as a magistrate for forty years. She is an honorary patron of the Queen Charlotte's Ball and served on the ethics committee for St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Charing Cross Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and Cromwell Hospital. She was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire during the 2017 New Year Honours for voluntary services.

Early life and family

Lady Roche was born The Honourable Helen Alexandra Briscoe Gully on 8 June 1934 to Royal Naval Reserve officer Lieutenant-Commander Thomas Sutton Evelyn Gully, 3rd Viscount Selby and his wife, Veronica Catherine George. Through her paternal grandmother, Dorothy Evelyn Grey, she is a great-granddaughter of Sir William Grey, who served as Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal and as Governor of Jamaica, and is a descendant of the House of Grey. She is also a descendant of William Court Gully, 1st Viscount Selby, who served as Speaker of the House of Commons prior to his elevation to the peerage. She is a relative of three British Prime Ministers, Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon; and, by marriage, Sir Winston Churchill; and Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel.

Adult life

In September 2019, Lady Roche and her second husband hosted Queen Charlotte's Ball at Lancaster House. She is an honorary patron of the ball, and of the non-profit organization The London Season, founded by Jennie Hallam-Peel.

Lady Roche served as a magistrate on the West London Bench for forty years and is the president of the Wharfedale branch of the Conservative Party. She has served as a volunteer with the Red Cross, served as a school governor, served on her local parish council, and served on the ethics committee for St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Charing Cross Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and Cromwell Hospital.

She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for voluntary services during the 2017 New Year Honours.

Marriages and issue

Alexandra Gully first married Roger d'Hauteville Moreton Frewen di Tuttavilla, the son of Hugh Moreton Frewen and Donna Maria Elena Nunziante di Mignano, a daughter of Don Mariano Nunziante, Duca di Mignano, in 1952. Her husband was the grandson of the businessman Moreton Frewen and a nephew of the artist Clare Sheridan. During this marriage, she had five children;

• Jonathan Briscoe Moreton Frewen di Tuttavilla (born 4 November 1953)
• Selina Veronica Clara Frewen di Tuttavilla (born 3 May 1955, died 11 July 1972)
• Robert Edward Jerome Frewen (born 10 May 1957)
• Charles Grey Justin Frewen (born 13 February 1959)
• Emma Catherine Gully Frewen (born 18 August 1964)

She and Frewen di Tuttavilla divorced in 1966. She married, secondly, Sir David O'Grady Roche, 5th Baronet on 24 June 1971. Her second husband, the son of Sir Standish O'Grady Roche, 4th Baronet, is Deputy Chairman of the Standing Council of the Baronetage. She and her second husband had three children:

• Standish George O'Grady Roche (born 28 April 1972, died 17 July 1974)
• David Alexander O'Grady Roche (born 28 January 1976)
• Cecilia Evelyn Jonnë Roche (born 23 May 1979)

She and Sir David live at Bridge House in Starbotton, North Yorkshire and at Lancaster Mews, London W2 3QE.

References

1. ^ "Lady Roche of Starbotton awarded MBE for voluntary services". Craven Herald. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
2. "The London Season Committee". The London Season. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
3. "Voluntary sector professionals celebrated in 2017 New Year honours list". The Guardian. 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
4. "New Year's Honours list 2017". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
5. Morris, Susan (2020-04-20). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage 2019. eBook Partnership. ISBN 978-1-9997670-5-1.
6. "Standing Council of the Baronetage". Archived from the original on 2018-09-17. Retrieved 2022-10-24.

• Living people
• 1934 births
• 20th-century British philanthropists
• 20th-century English women politicians
• 20th-century women philanthropists
• 21st-century women philanthropists
• 21st-century English women politicians
• Conservative Party (UK) councillors
• Daughters of viscounts
• English justices of the peace
• Members of the Order of the British Empire
• People from Maidenhead
• Wives of baronets
• Women councillors in England
• Gully family
• Roche family