Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers

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English Flag
Lord Somers
England (Eng)
Lord Somers
Batting style Right-handed batsman
Bowling type unknown
First-class record
Matches 17
Runs scored 390
Batting average 13.44
100s/50s 0/1
Top score 52
Balls bowled 12
Wickets 0
Bowling average -
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best Bowling -
Catches/Stumpings 10/0
First class debut: 21 June 1906
Last first class game: 5 June 1925
Source: CricInfo

Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers, KCMG, DSO, MC (20 March 1887, Freshwater, Isle of Wight14 July 1944, Eastnor Castle, Hereford), son of Herbert Haldane Somers-Cocks by Blanche Margaret Standish Clogstoun, was a British administrator and served as the 16th Governor of the State of Victoria, Australia between 1926 and 1931.

He was appointed as Chief Scout of the British Empire in March 1941, on the death of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement, who had been Chief Scout of the World.[1] He served until his death in 1944. He was succeeded by Lord Rowallan.

Lord Somers married Daisy Finola Meeking in 1921 and had issue, an only daughter:

  • Hon. (Violet) Elizabeth Verena Somers-Cocks (1922-1986), who married Brigadier Benjamin Alexander Frederick Hervey-Bathurst (1920-1997), 2nd son of Sir Frederick Edward William Hervey-Bathurst, 5th Bt.

In 1929, at his own expense, he brought together teenage boys from different backgrounds to what was named Lord Somers' Camp and Power House, a youth organization which continues to this day. Somers revisited Australia and his camp in 1933, and again in 1937 when, as president of the Marylebone Cricket Club, he accompanied the English touring team.

He was also an able cricketer: he made 115 for Charterhouse against Westminster as a schoolboy in 1904, and made his first-class debut two years later for MCC against Worcestershire. He rarely had enough time to play cricket, but in the 1920s he made a further 16 first-class appearances for Worcestershire, his highest score being 52 against Essex in May 1925. Lord Somers became both a vice-president of Worcestershire CCC and, in 1936, President of MCC.[2]

He should not be confused with the Arthur Somers-Cocks who played ten games for Barbados around the turn of the twentieth century.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Meet the Chiefs. The Scout Information Centre (October 2004). Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
  2. ^ Obituaries, 1944. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1945.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Honorary titles
Preceded by
Sir John Cottrell, Bt
Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire
1933 – 1944
Succeeded by
Sir Richard Cottrell, Bt
Political offices
New title
New government
Lord-in-Waiting
1924 – 1926
Succeeded by
The Earl of Airlie
Government offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Stradbroke
Governor of Victoria
1926 – 1931
Succeeded by
The Lord Huntingfield
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Philip Cocks
Baron Somers
1899 – 1944
Succeeded by
Arthur Somers-Cocks
The Boy Scouts Association
Preceded by
Robert Baden-Powell
Chief Scout
of the British Empire

1941 – 1944
Succeeded by
Lord Rowallan


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