Adelbert Brownlow-Cust, 3rd Earl Brownlow
Encyclopedia
Adelbert Wellington Brownlow-Cust, 3rd Earl Brownlow GCVO
, PC, VD
, DL
, JP
(19 August 1844 – 17 March 1921), was a British
soldier, courtier and Conservative
politician.
, eldest son and heir apparent of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow
. His mother was Lady Marianne Margaret, daughter of Spencer Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton
. His father died when he was seven years old. He was educated at Eton
.
for North Shropshire
. However, he was forced to resign his seat already the following year when he succeeded in the earldom of Brownlow on the death of his older brother, and entered the House of Lords
. He held office under Lord Salisbury
as Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board
from 1885 to 1886, as Paymaster-General
from 1887 to 1889 and as Under-Secretary of State for War
from 1889 to 1892 and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1887.
Apart from his political career he was also Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
from 1867 to 1921, a Deputy Lieutenant
for Hertfordshire
and a Justice of the Peace
for Shropshire
and Hertfordshire.
and achieved the rank of lieutenant in 1863, and was later commanding officer of the Bedfordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade between 1889 and 1892. He was made an Honorary Colonel of the Hertfordshire Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment
, of the 4th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment and of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry
and was awarded the Volunteer Decoration
.
Brownlow was a Volunteer Aide-de-Camp
to Queen Victoria, Edward VII
and George V
. He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
(GCVO) in the 1921 New Year Honours for his services to the Royal Household.
, in 1868. They had no children. She died in March 1917, aged 73. Lord Brownlow survived her by four years and died in March 1921, aged 75. On his death the earldom and viscountcy of Alford became extinct while he was succeeded in his barony and baronetcy by his second cousin, Adelbert Cust.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, PC, VD
Volunteer Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was created by Royal Warrant under command of Queen Victoria on 25 July 1892 to reward 'efficient and capable' officers of the Volunteer Force who had served for twenty years...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(19 August 1844 – 17 March 1921), was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier, courtier and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Background and education
Brownlow was the second son of John Egerton, Viscount AlfordJohn Egerton, Viscount Alford
John Hume Egerton, Viscount Alford was a British Tory Member of Parliament.Born John Hume Cust, he was the eldest son of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow by his first wife Sophia Hume, daughter of Sir Abraham Hume, 2nd Baronet and Lady Amelia Egerton, great-granddaughter of John Egerton, 3rd Earl of...
, eldest son and heir apparent of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow
John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow
John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow, GCH was a British Peer and Tory politician.Cust was the eldest son of the 1st Baron Brownlow and his second wife, Frances. In 1802, he was elected as MP for Clitheroe and held the seat until he succeeded to his father's title in 1807. In May, 1805 he was elected a...
. His mother was Lady Marianne Margaret, daughter of Spencer Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton
Spencer Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton
Spencer Joshua Alwyne Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton , known as Lord Compton from 1796 to 1812 and as Earl Compton from 1812 to 1828, was a British nobleman and patron of science and the arts....
. His father died when he was seven years old. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
.
Political career
In 1866 Brownlow was elected to the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for North Shropshire
North Shropshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Shropshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From its first creation in 1832 to the abolition of the first creation in 1885 it elected two Knights of the Shire...
. However, he was forced to resign his seat already the following year when he succeeded in the earldom of Brownlow on the death of his older brother, and entered the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He held office under Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
as Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board was, from 1871 – 1919, a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom subordinate to the President of the Local Government Board...
from 1885 to 1886, as Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
from 1887 to 1889 and as Under-Secretary of State for War
Under-Secretary of State for War
The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean . In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies...
from 1889 to 1892 and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1887.
Apart from his political career he was also Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. Since 1660, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Lincolnshire.*Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln 1550/1552–?*Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland 1551–1563?...
from 1867 to 1921, a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
and Hertfordshire.
Military career
Brownlow served with the Foot GuardsFoot Guards
-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Regular Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist. The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the Household Brigade in existence from 1900-1901...
and achieved the rank of lieutenant in 1863, and was later commanding officer of the Bedfordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade between 1889 and 1892. He was made an Honorary Colonel of the Hertfordshire Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army originally formed in 1688...
, of the 4th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment and of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry
Lincolnshire Yeomanry
The Lincolnshire Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry unit of the British Army from 1794–1920.-Boer War:On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made...
and was awarded the Volunteer Decoration
Volunteer Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was created by Royal Warrant under command of Queen Victoria on 25 July 1892 to reward 'efficient and capable' officers of the Volunteer Force who had served for twenty years...
.
Courtier
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Queen Victoria, Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
and George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(GCVO) in the 1921 New Year Honours for his services to the Royal Household.
Family
Lord Brownlow married Lady Adelaide Chetwynd-Talbot, daughter of Henry Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of ShrewsburyHenry Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury
Admiral Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury, 3rd Earl Talbot, 18th Earl of Waterford, CB, PC , styled Viscount Ingestre between 1826 and 1849 and known as The Earl Talbot between 1849 and 1858, was a British naval commander and Conservative politician.-Background:Shrewsbury was the...
, in 1868. They had no children. She died in March 1917, aged 73. Lord Brownlow survived her by four years and died in March 1921, aged 75. On his death the earldom and viscountcy of Alford became extinct while he was succeeded in his barony and baronetcy by his second cousin, Adelbert Cust.