Christopher Vane, 10th Baron Barnard
Encyclopedia
Christopher William Vane, 10th Baron Barnard CMG
, OBE
, MC
, TD
(28 October 1888 to 19 October 1964) was a British peer
and military officer
.
and the Lady Catharine Sarah Cecil, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Exeter
at Barnard Castle
in County Durham
. Following in the footsteps of his father, he attended Eton College
, but unlike many of his ancestors studied at Trinity College
at the University of Cambridge
for a B.A.
rather than attending the University of Oxford
.
as a Major
in the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry
in which he was awarded the Military Cross
and wounded in action twice. His eldest brother, the Hon. Henry Cecil Vane
, heir apparent
to the barony of Barnard, also served in the Great War but was subsequently wounded and died of those wounds shortly thereafter, leaving his younger brother heir apparent to the title of Baron Barnard
.
In 1922, Lord Barnard gained the rank of Major
in the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry
and served with distinction in the battalion until 1931.
. He was also a County Commissioner for the Durham Boy Scouts Association. He was a keen horticulturist.
He was a member of Brooks's
gentleman's club and resided at Raby Castle
. Unlike his father, he did not keep a London
season home at 20 Belgrave Square
, SW.
, and had three children:
in 1955.
. He died on 19 October 1964 at the Royal Victoria Infirmary
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MC
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....
, TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
(28 October 1888 to 19 October 1964) was a British peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and military officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
.
Education
Lord Barnard was born on the 28 October 1888 as the second son of Henry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron BarnardHenry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron Barnard
Henry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron Barnard FSA, JP, Hon. DCL Durham was a British peer and masonic grand master.-Education:...
and the Lady Catharine Sarah Cecil, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Exeter
Marquess of Exeter
Marquess of Exeter is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1525 for Henry Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon...
at Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
. Following in the footsteps of his father, he attended Eton College
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"....
, but unlike many of his ancestors studied at Trinity College
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
for a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
rather than attending the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Military
Upon the completion of his degree, he entered the armed services, participating in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry
Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry
The Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry was a Yeomanry , Cavalry Regiment of the British Army formed in 1828. They were a part of the Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War and would remain in Great Britain for the first years of the Great War but went to sail for France in 1917 to fight in the...
in which he was awarded the Military Cross
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....
and wounded in action twice. His eldest brother, the Hon. Henry Cecil Vane
Henry Cecil Vane
Major Hon. Henry Cecil Vane was the son and heir apparent of Henry de Vere Vane, 9th Baron Barnard of Raby Castle. He was wounded in World War I and died of those wounds shortly after, leaving his younger brother, Christopher Vane, 10th Baron Barnard as hair to the Raby estates.-Education:The Hon...
, heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to the barony of Barnard, also served in the Great War but was subsequently wounded and died of those wounds shortly thereafter, leaving his younger brother heir apparent to the title of Baron Barnard
Baron Barnard
Baron Barnard, of Barnard Castle in the Bishopric of Durham, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1698 for Sir Christopher Vane, who had previously served as a Member of Parliament for County Durham and Boroughbridge. Vane was the son of Sir Henry Vane the Younger and grandson of...
.
In 1922, Lord Barnard gained the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry
Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
and served with distinction in the battalion until 1931.
Civilian
Upon his retirement from the armed services, Lord Barnard took a number of roles, mostly in the service of County Durham. Between 1920 and 1963 he was Master and, subsequently, Joint Master of the Zetland Hunt and between the years 1958 and 1964 the Lord Lieutenant of DurhamLord Lieutenant of Durham
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Durham.*Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland 1552–?*Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon 2 August 1586 – 1595*vacant...
. He was also a County Commissioner for the Durham Boy Scouts Association. He was a keen horticulturist.
He was a member of Brooks's
Brooks's
Brooks's is one of London's most exclusive gentlemen's clubs, founded in 1764 by 27 men, including four dukes. From its inception, it was the meeting place for Whigs of the highest social order....
gentleman's club and resided at Raby Castle
Raby Castle
Raby Castle is situated near Staindrop in County Durham and is one of the largest inhabited castles in England. The Grade I listed building has opulent eighteenth and nineteenth century interiors inside a largely unchanged, late medieval shell. It is the home and seat of John Vane, 11th Baron...
. Unlike his father, he did not keep a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
season home at 20 Belgrave Square
Belgrave Square
Belgrave Square is one of the grandest and largest 19th century squares in London, England. It is the centrepiece of Belgravia, and was laid out by the property contractor Thomas Cubitt for the 2nd Earl Grosvenor, later the 1st Marquess of Westminster, in the 1820s. Most of the houses were occupied...
, SW.
Marriage and issue
In 1920 he married Sylvia Mary Straker the daughter of Hubert Straker, a commonerCommoner
In British law, a commoner is someone who is neither the Sovereign nor a peer. Therefore, any member of the Royal Family who is not a peer, such as Prince Harry of Wales or Anne, Princess Royal, is a commoner, as is any member of a peer's family, including someone who holds only a courtesy title,...
, and had three children:
- The Hon. Rosemary Myra Vane (1921–1999)
- Harry John Neville Vane, 11th Baron Barnard (b. 1923)
- The Hon. Gerald Raby Vane (b. 1926)
Honors and accolades
Lord Barnard received many honours in his lifetime. In 1930 he was invested as a Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and gained the honourary rank of Colonel in the service of the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry, his former unit. He was invested as an as an Officer of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1955.
Decline and death
In 1964 he gave up the Lord Lieutenancy of County Durham. Notably, a few years before his death he divested himself of all but 1713 acres (693.2 ha) of the 53000 acres (21,448.4 ha) Raby estate. He also resigned from the presidency of the County Territorial Army and Air Force AssociationAir Force Association
The Air Force Association is an independent, 501 non-profit, civilian education organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia...
. He died on 19 October 1964 at the Royal Victoria Infirmary
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Originally founded as the Newcastle Infirmary in 1751, the Royal Victoria Infirmary , in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, was opened on 11 July 1906 by Edward VII on of Town Moor given by the Corporation and Freemen. The fully furnished and equipped hospital, containing twenty wards, a nurses' home,...
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.