Hugh Fortescue, 5th Earl Fortescue
| The Right Honourable Sir Earl Fortescue KG CB OBE MC PC | |
|---|---|
 The Viscount Ebrington in 1919 | |
| Conservative Chief Whip in the House of Lords | |
|
In office 1945–1957 | |
| Preceded by | The Lord Templemore |
| Succeeded by | The Earl St Aldwyn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Hugh William Fortescue 14 June 1888 St George Hanover Square, London, England |
| Died |
14 June 1958 (aged 70) Castle Hill, North Devon |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service |
1907-1918 1939-1944 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Royal Scots Greys, Royal Corps of Signals |
| Commands | Royal Devon Yeomanry |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards |
Military Cross Knight of the Order of the Garter Companion of the Order of the Bath |
Colonel Hugh William Fortescue, 5th Earl Fortescue KG CB OBE MC PC (14 June 1888 – 14 June 1958), styled Viscount Ebrington from 1905 until 1932, was a British peer, military officer and Conservative politician.
Biography
Early life and education
Hugh William Fortescue was the eldest son of Hugh Fortescue, 4th Earl Fortescue, and his wife, the Hon. Emily (née Ormsby-Gore), daughter of William Ormsby-Gore, 2nd Baron Harlech.[1]
He was educated at Eton College from 1901 to 1905, followed by the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[2]
Military service
In 1907, Fortescue joined the Royal Scots Greys. After the First World War began in 1914, he was sent to France, where he served as a regimental officer for the Scots Greys, followed by the Royal Corps of Signals. Fortescue was twice wounded in battle and received the Military Cross in 1917.[2][3]
Following the war, he went to India, where he served as an instructor at the Cavalry School at Sangor. He then served as aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief in India Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson.[2]
Fortescue returned to England in 1922, joining the Royal Devon Yeomanry. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in Command in 1924 and Colonel in 1930, and in 1935 he became colonel commandant of the Honourable Artillery Company.[2]
When the Second World War began in 1939, Fortescue joined the General Staff. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for war services in 1942 and Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1946 Birthday Honours.[2]
Political career
Fortescue succeeded his father in the earldom in 1932. He served under Stanley Baldwin, Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill as a Lord-in-Waiting (government whip in the House of Lords) from 1936 to 1945 and under Churchill as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (chief government whip in the House of Lords) in 1945. During the Labour stay in power from 1945 to 1951, he was Chief Opposition Whip in the House of Lords. He was again Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms under Churchill from 1951 to 1955 and under Sir Anthony Eden from 1955 to 1957. He was admitted to the Privy Council in 1952 and made a Knight of the Garter in 1951.[2]
Personal life
He married the Hon. Margaret Beaumont on 8 February 1917 in London. Margaret was the daughter of Wentworth Beaumont, 1st Viscount Allendale and Alexandrina, daughter of the Fifth Marquess of Londonderry.[2] They had four children:
- Hon. Diana Margaret Fortescue (17 May 1919 – 6 April 1920)
- Hugh Peter Fortescue, Viscount Ebrington (1920–1942), killed in action at the First Battle of El Alamein, unmarried.
- Lady Margaret Fortescue[4] (13 December 1923 – 25 May 2013), married Bernard van Cutsem and had issue.
- Lady Elizabeth Fortescue (1 October 1926 – 17 January 2010), married William Lloyd Baxendale and had issue.
After succeeding to the earldom, he moved to the family seat in Castle Hill, Filleigh. He served as president of both the British Horse Society and Royal Agricultural Society.[5]
Death
He died on his 70th birthday in June 1958, four days after the death of his wife, whose funeral he was too ill to attend.[5] As he had no surviving male issue, he was succeeded by his younger brother, Denzil.
Although the title passed to his brother on his death, the 5th Earl left his principal seat, Castle Hill, Filleigh in North Devon, to his elder surviving daughter, Lady Margaret Fortescue. It is now the home of her daughter Eleanor, Countess of Arran. The other historic family residence, Ebrington Manor, Gloucestershire, remains the seat of the Earls Fortescue.
References
- ↑ Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage. London: Dean & Son, Limited. 1902. p. 343.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Obituary: Earl Fortescue". The Times (The Times Digital Archive). 16 June 1958. p. 10.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29886. p. 33. 1 January 1917.
- ↑ "Obituary: Lady Margaret Fortescue". The Daily Telegraph. 22 June 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Earl Fortescue". The New York Times. 16 June 1958. p. 23.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl Fortescue
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava |
Lord-in-Waiting 1937–1945 |
Succeeded by The Marquess of Normanby |
| Preceded by The Lord Snell |
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms 1945 |
Succeeded by The Lord Ammon |
| Preceded by The Lord Shepherd |
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms 1951–1957 |
Succeeded by The Earl St Aldwyn |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Templemore |
Conservative Chief Whip in the House of Lords 1945–1957 |
Succeeded by The Earl St Aldwyn |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Mildmay of Flete |
Lord Lieutenant of Devon 1936–1958 |
Succeeded by The Lord Roborough |
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Hugh Fortescue |
Earl Fortescue 1932–1958 |
Succeeded by Denzil Fortescue |