Arthur Meade, 5th Earl of Clanwilliam
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Arthur Vesey Meade, 5th Earl of Clanwilliam MC
(14 January 1873 – 23 January 1953) was an army officer and politician.
Arthur Meade was the second, but eldest surviving, son of Admiral of the Fleet Richard Meade, 4th Earl of Clanwilliam
, GCB KCMG and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Arthur Kennedy
GCMG CB, governor of various colonies including Queensland, Hong Kong and Vancouver Island.
He was educated at Eton
and joined the Royal Horse Guards
, becoming a captain in 1900. In the following year he was seconded to serve with the 30th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry
, in the South African war
, as major and second-in-command. He was mentioned in despatches, and was severely wounded, after which he served as Assistant Provost Marshal and Staff Captain. After a short time in India as an extra ADC to the viceroy, Lord Curzon
, he returned to England in 1904 and served as adjutant of the Royal Horse Guards until 1907, retiring and becoming a captain on the Reserve of Officers on his marriage in 1909. Since the death of his brother in 1905 he had borne the title of Lord Gillford and two years later, on the death of his father, he became the fifth Earl of Clanwilliam
.
After his retirement he divided his time between his property in Ireland (Montalto, Ballynahinch, co. Down) and London. When war broke out in 1914 he returned to the Army and served in France with his regiment from 1915 to 1919 with distinction, being mentioned in dispatches and gaining the Military Cross. On returning to London he succeeded Lord Kintore as chairman of the Carlton Club
.
During the 1939–45 war he was for some time an unpaid assistant Whip in the House of Lords
with a seat on the Front Bench. Although not a very frequent speaker in the Upper Chamber, he was a valuable member of committees, both as chairman and member.
Clanwilliam died on 23 January 1953 at his home in Bagshot, Surrey
.
He married in 1909 Muriel, daughter of the late Russell Stephenson and widow of the Hon. Oliver Howard. She died in June 1952. There were one son and two daughters of the marriage, and the title devolved upon the son, Major John Meade, Lord Gillford, (1914–1989).
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(14 January 1873 – 23 January 1953) was an army officer and politician.
Arthur Meade was the second, but eldest surviving, son of Admiral of the Fleet Richard Meade, 4th Earl of Clanwilliam
Richard Meade, 4th Earl of Clanwilliam
Admiral of the Fleet Richard James Meade, 4th Earl of Clanwilliam, GCB, KCMG , styled Lord Gillford until 1879, was a British Royal Navy officer and peer.-Background:...
, GCB KCMG and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Arthur Kennedy
Arthur Edward Kennedy
Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy GCMG CB was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of a number of British colonies, namely Sierra Leone, Western Australia, Vancouver Island, Hong Kong and Queensland....
GCMG CB, governor of various colonies including Queensland, Hong Kong and Vancouver Island.
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"....
and joined the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
, becoming a captain in 1900. In the following year he was seconded to serve with the 30th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
, in the South African war
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, as major and second-in-command. He was mentioned in despatches, and was severely wounded, after which he served as Assistant Provost Marshal and Staff Captain. After a short time in India as an extra ADC to the viceroy, Lord Curzon
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
, he returned to England in 1904 and served as adjutant of the Royal Horse Guards until 1907, retiring and becoming a captain on the Reserve of Officers on his marriage in 1909. Since the death of his brother in 1905 he had borne the title of Lord Gillford and two years later, on the death of his father, he became the fifth Earl of Clanwilliam
Earl of Clanwilliam
Earl of Clanwilliam is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for John Meade, 1st Viscount Clanwilliam. The Meade family descends from John Meade, who represented Dublin University and County Tipperary in the Irish House of Commons and served as Attorney-General for Ireland...
.
After his retirement he divided his time between his property in Ireland (Montalto, Ballynahinch, co. Down) and London. When war broke out in 1914 he returned to the Army and served in France with his regiment from 1915 to 1919 with distinction, being mentioned in dispatches and gaining the Military Cross. On returning to London he succeeded Lord Kintore as chairman of the Carlton Club
Carlton Club
The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London which describes itself as the "oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs." Membership of the club is by nomination and election only.-History:...
.
During the 1939–45 war he was for some time an unpaid assistant Whip in 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....
with a seat on the Front Bench. Although not a very frequent speaker in the Upper Chamber, he was a valuable member of committees, both as chairman and member.
Clanwilliam died on 23 January 1953 at his home in Bagshot, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
.
He married in 1909 Muriel, daughter of the late Russell Stephenson and widow of the Hon. Oliver Howard. She died in June 1952. There were one son and two daughters of the marriage, and the title devolved upon the son, Major John Meade, Lord Gillford, (1914–1989).