Charles Wood, 2nd Earl of Halifax
Charles Ingram Courtenay Wood, 2nd Earl of Halifax (3 October 1912 – 19 March 1980), styled Lord Irwin between 1944 and 1959, was a British politician and peer.[1]
Early life and education
Wood was the son of E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, statesman and Foreign Secretary.
He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford from which he graduated in 1934 with a BA. He successfully captained the Oxford University Polo Team in the same year.[2]
Career
He gained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in 1934 in the service of the Royal Horse Guards.[1]
Like his father, Wood also entered politics, becoming Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of York in 1937, as a Conservative. In 1939, at the outbreak of World War II, Wood rejoined the Royal Horse Guards and served for three years in the Middle East. He continued as a Member of Parliament during this time. At the 1945 general election, he lost his seat to the Labour candidate, Dr John Corlett.
In 1978, his horse Shirley Heights won the Epsom Derby.[3]
Family
In 1936, he married Ruth Primrose (born 18 April 1916, died 1989), daughter of the Liberal politician Neil Primrose and granddaughter of Prime Minister Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery.
They had three children:[4]
- Lady Caroline Victoria Wood (born 10 September 1937, died 15 November 2014), married John Gosling in 1970.[5]
- Lady Susan Diana Wood (born 22 September 1938), married Brigadier Ian Darsie Watson in 1959.
- Charles Edward Peter Neil Wood, 3rd Earl of Halifax (born 14 March 1944)
Wood succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Halifax in 1959.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Charles Ingram Courtenay Wood, 2nd Earl of Halifax". thePeerage.com. Darryl Lundy. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ↑ "Oxford University Polo Club". Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- ↑ "Shirley Heights' Derby". The Age. 8 June 1978. p. 28. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- ↑ The Peerage, entry for Ruth Primrose
- ↑ The Daily Telegraph, Obituary of Lady Caroline Gosling, published 25 December 2014
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Halifax
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Roger Lumley |
Member of Parliament for the City of York 1937–1945 |
Succeeded by John Corlett |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Deramore |
Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire 1968–1974 |
Office abolished |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Edward Wood |
Earl of Halifax 1960–1980 |
Succeeded by Charles Wood |