Lord Stiffupperlip

Just in case anyone was feeling jealous about my travels, let me tell you:

I spent eight hours yesterday reading endnotes and bibliographies (you know, the small print at the end of academic books that no one really reads).  If I were made god for a day, I would make endnotes illegal, opting for the much more user friendly footnotes.

I've spent my entire morning (well, except for the 30 minutes I spent writing a complaint to the British Library for not letting me bring my tiny little violin case into the library because it didn't fit in the little carry on luggage measuring thing.  I mean, you can bring in a 30lb carry-on suitcase, but my little violin is 4 inches too tall) listing the Colonial Secretaries and Home Secretaries from 1768 to 1868.

What made this last thing so tedious is the fact that almost all these secretaries were aristocrats with a gajillion different titles.

For example, take the second son of James Smith, Marquess of Stiffupperlip aka Lord Stiffupperlip

First he is the Honorable John Smith, second son of the Marquess of Stiffupperlip,
Then, his older brother, Robert Smith, Earl of Pratville (courtesy title) dies and John Smith becomes John Smith, Earl of Pratville aka Lord Pratville.
Then, his father dies and he becomes John Smith, Marquess of Stiffupperlip aka Lord Stiffupperlip.
Then, after long service to his country, he is made John Smith, Duke of Richland aka Lord Richland.

So in the course of one life, he is called Hon. Mr. John Smith, Lord Pratville, Lord Stiffupperlip, and Lord Richland.

How is one supposed to keep all this in one's head?