Captain Edward Algernon FitzRoy, 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....

 (24 July 1869–3 March 1943) was a British 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 who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1928 until his death.

FitzRoy was the second son of the 3rd Baron Southampton

Charles FitzRoy, 3rd Baron Southampton

Charles FitzRoy, 3rd Baron Southampton was a British peer.The son of George FitzRoy, 2nd Baron Southampton, he succeeded his father in 1810. On 23 February 1826, he married Harriet Stanhope, granddaughter of William Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Harrington; they had no children...

. As a boy, he served as a Page of Honour

Page of Honour

While a page is a comparatively low-ranking servant, a Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page...

 to Queen Victoria

Victoria of the United Kingdom

Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....

.

A member of Northamptonshire County Council from 1896 to 1921, FitzRoy first entered Parliament in 1900 as Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 (MP) for Northamptonshire South. During World War I

World 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...

, whilst still an MP, he served in the military as a Captain of the 1st Regiment of Life Guards

1st Regiment of Life Guards

The 1st Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 1st Troop of Horse Guards and 1st Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated with the 2nd Regiment of Life Guards to form the Life...

, was injured at the First Battle of Ypres

First Battle of Ypres

The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...

 and commanded the mounted troops of the Guards Division

Guards Division

The Guards Division is an administrative unit of the British Army responsible for the administration of the regiments of Foot Guards and the London Regiment.-Introduction:...

 from 1915-16. In 1918, he was elected for the seat of Daventry

Daventry (UK Parliament constituency)

Daventry is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a strongly Conservative seat.- Boundaries :The constituency covers the west of Northamptonshire and is named for the market town of Daventry...

. Prior to his election as Speaker, he served as Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means

Committee of Ways and Means

The Committee of Ways and Means is a government body that is charged with reviewing and making recommendations for government budgets. The term "Ways and Means" originated with the English Parliament and refers to the provision of revenue to meet national expenditure requirements and to forward...

, briefly during 1923 and from 1924-28. In 1931, he was awarded a Doctor of Laws degree from 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...

 and an honorary Doctor of Civil Law

Doctor of Civil Law

Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....

 degree from 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...

 in 1934. In 1935, there was considerable controversy when the Labour Party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 decided to stand a candidate against him in the general election.

On 9 May 1935, during the Silver Jubilee

Silver Jubilee

A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...

 of King George V, FitzRoy addressed the King in Westminster Hall "...while standing only a few feet from the place where his own ancestor, Charles I

Charles I of England

Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...

, had been tried for his life and found guilty."

FitzRoy's widow Muriel (whom he had married on 19 November 1891) was given a Viscountcy (the customary retirement honour for Speakers) as Viscountess Daventry

Viscount Daventry

Viscount Daventry, of Daventry in the County of Northampton, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 6 May 1943 for Muriel FitzRoy , in honour of her late husband, the Hon. Edward FitzRoy, Speaker of the House of Commons from 1928 until his death in 1943...

, and the title is still extant. He died aged 73 in Westminster

City of Westminster

The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...

.

External links