Henry St John Halford

Sir Henry St John Halford, 3rd Baronet (9 August 1828 – 4 January 1897) was an English landowner and expert rifleman. ^[1]

He was born the son of Sir Henry Halford, 2nd Baronet, MP for Leicestershire South, whom he succeeded in 1868. He was educated at Eton College and Merton College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1849. On his father's death he inherited Wistow Hall in Leicestershire, where he thereafter lived.

In 1860 he took command of a company of the Leicestershire volunteers, becoming colonel of the battalion in 1862. He held the office, with a 10 year break, until 1891, when he was made honorary colonel. In 1886 he was awarded C.B.

He was pricked High Sheriff of Leicestershire for 1872 and in 1889 was appointed the first Chairman of Leicestershire County Council, a post he held until 1893.

His main interest was rifle shooting and the development of rifle technology. He was an excellent shot and won several tournaments. In 1877 he was captain of a team of eight who shot a match against an American team and also took part in similar matches in 1882 and 1883. He was for many years Chairman of the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom.

He was also a member of the government Small Arms Committee which recommended the adoption in the Army of the Lee-Metford rifle. Sir Henry had worked closely with William Ellis Metford, inventor of the rifle, establishing a workshop and firing range at Wistow Hall to help with the experimental work. Another collaborator on the project was his friend Thomas Fremantle, 3rd Baron Cottesloe, who was also an expert shot. The team made significant improvements in rifling and bullet design. ^[2]

He married Elizabeth Ursula, daughter of John Bagshawe but had no children. The baronetcy thereby passed briefly to his brother John Frederick, who died later the same year. Sir Henry left Wistow Hall in his will to Baron Cottesloe, whose descendants still own the property.

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