Evelyn Seymour, 17th Duke of Somerset
Encyclopedia
Evelyn Francis Edward Seymour, 17th Duke of Somerset, etc. KStJ
DSO
OBE
(1 May 1882 – 26 April 1954) was a British Army
officer
, landowner, peer
, and for eight years Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
. He was also a baronet
.
, by his marriage to Rowena Wall, Seymour was born in Colombo
, Ceylon
. He returned to England and was educated at Blundell's School
, Tiverton, and later at the Royal Military Academy
, Sandhurst. He was gazetted a second lieutenant
on the Unattached List in January 1901, before being attached to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
and received the Queen’s medal
with five clasps. He took part in the operations in the Aden Protectorate
in 1903.
In April 1913, Seymour, then of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was appointed adjutant
of the 25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion the London Regiment
, in which posting he continued until 1916, before returning to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers to take command of its 10th Battalion. In December 1917, he was promoted Acting Lieutenant Colonel. In 1918, he was awarded the DSO
and in 1919 served in the Adjutant General's department
of the War Office
. He was appointed OBE
in 1919 and retired the service in 1920. He succeeded to his father's dukedom in 1931.
During World War II
, Somerset returned to the army
. With effect from 1 November 1939, he was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel of the Devonshire Regiment, in which he commanded a battalion, and later held an appointment as a full colonel
on the General Staff
.
for many years, having first joined it in 1907, after becoming a pupil of the magician Ernest Noakes. He became the organization's President in 1935, after the death of Lord Ampthill.
On 12 May 1937, he bore the Sceptre with the Cross
at the Coronation
of King George VI
.
On his retirement from active service with the Army, Somerset returned to Maiden Bradley to take charge of his estates in Wiltshire
and Somerset
.
On 4 May 1942 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
, succeeding Sir Ernest Wills
.
On 19 March 1949, "having exceeded the age limit", he relinquished his commission as an honorary Colonel of the Devon Regiment on retired pay.
In 1950, he was appointed a knight
of the Venerable Order of Saint John
.
He was a member of the Army and Navy Club
, the Naval & Military Club
, and the Marylebone Cricket Club
.
on 3 January 1906, he married Edith Mary Parker (d. Maiden Bradley
, Wiltshire
, 19 April 1962), daughter of William Parker, of Whittington Hall
, Derbyshire
, England
, and wife, and had four children:
Somerset died in London
on 26 April 1954.
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
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...
(1 May 1882 – 26 April 1954) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
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...
, landowner, peer
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....
, and for eight years Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire. From 1750, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Wiltshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Wiltshire:*William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1551 – 17 March 1570...
. He was also a baronet
Seymour Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Seymour, two in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
.
Early life
The son of Edward Seymour, 16th Duke of SomersetEdward Seymour, 16th Duke of Somerset
Brigadier-General Edward Hamilton Seymour, 16th Duke of Somerset KBE, CB, CMG was the son of Reverend Francis Payne Seymour and wife Jane Margaret Dallas . He was also a baronet....
, by his marriage to Rowena Wall, Seymour was born in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. He returned to England and was educated at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
, Tiverton, and later at the Royal Military Academy
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, Sandhurst. He was gazetted a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on the Unattached List in January 1901, before being attached to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
Military career
Seymour served throughout the South African WarSecond 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...
and received the Queen’s medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
with five clasps. He took part in the operations in the Aden Protectorate
Aden Protectorate
The Aden Protectorate was a British protectorate in southern Arabia which evolved in the hinterland of Aden following the acquisition of that port by Britain in 1839 as an anti-piracy station, and it continued until the 1960s. For administrative purposes it was divided into the Western...
in 1903.
In April 1913, Seymour, then of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was appointed adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the 25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion the London Regiment
London Regiment
The London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform. The Volunteer Force was merged with the Yeomanry in 1908...
, in which posting he continued until 1916, before returning to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers to take command of its 10th Battalion. In December 1917, he was promoted Acting Lieutenant Colonel. In 1918, he was awarded the DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and in 1919 served in the Adjutant General's department
Adjutant-General to the Forces
The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General , is one of the most senior officers in the British Army. He is in charge of administration, personnel and organisational matters. The Adjutant-General usually holds the rank of General or Lieutenant-General...
of the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
. He was appointed 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...
in 1919 and retired the service in 1920. He succeeded to his father's dukedom in 1931.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Somerset returned to the army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. With effect from 1 November 1939, he was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel of the Devonshire Regiment, in which he commanded a battalion, and later held an appointment as a full colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
on the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
.
Civilian life
Somerset was a member of The Magic CircleThe Magic Circle
The Magic Circle is a British organisation, founded in London in 1905, dedicated to promoting and advancing the art of magic.- History :The Magic Circle was founded in 1905 after a meeting of 23 amateur and professional magicians at London's Pinoli's Restaurant...
for many years, having first joined it in 1907, after becoming a pupil of the magician Ernest Noakes. He became the organization's President in 1935, after the death of Lord Ampthill.
On 12 May 1937, he bore the Sceptre with the Cross
Sceptre with the Cross
The Sceptre with the Cross, also known as the St Edward's Sceptre, the Sovereign's Sceptre or the Royal Sceptre, is a sceptre of the British Crown Jewels. It was originally made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661. In 1905, it was redesigned after the discovery of the Cullinan Diamond...
at the Coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
.
On his retirement from active service with the Army, Somerset returned to Maiden Bradley to take charge of his estates in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.
On 4 May 1942 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire. From 1750, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Wiltshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Wiltshire:*William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1551 – 17 March 1570...
, succeeding Sir Ernest Wills
Sir Ernest Wills, 3rd Baronet
Sir Ernest Salter Wills, 3rd Baronet CStJ JP was Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from 1930 to 1942.-Life:The son of Sir Edward Payson Wills, 1st Baronet, KCB and of Lady Wills Sir Ernest Salter Wills, 3rd Baronet CStJ JP (30 November 1869 - 14 January 1958) was Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from 1930...
.
On 19 March 1949, "having exceeded the age limit", he relinquished his commission as an honorary Colonel of the Devon Regiment on retired pay.
In 1950, he was appointed a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of the Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
.
He was a member of the Army and Navy Club
Army and Navy Club
The Army and Navy Club in London is a gentlemen's club founded in 1837, also known informally as The Rag.-Foundation and membership:...
, the Naval & Military Club
Naval & Military Club
The Naval and Military Club is a gentlemen's club in London, England. It was founded in 1862 because the three then existing military clubs in London - the United Service, the Junior United Service and the Army and Navy - were all full. The membership was long restricted to military officers...
, and the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
.
Succession
In LondonLondon
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...
on 3 January 1906, he married Edith Mary Parker (d. Maiden Bradley
Maiden Bradley
Maiden Bradley with Yarnfield is a small Wiltshire civil parish near the Somerset border and the home of the Duke of Somerset. The B3092 road that joins Frome to Mere runs through the middle of the village of Maiden Bradley....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, 19 April 1962), daughter of William Parker, of Whittington Hall
Whittington Hall
Whittington Hall, near Whittington, Lancashire, was built ca. 1831-1836 on the site of an earlier house, in the "Jacobethan" style for Thomas Greene, M.P. for Lancaster 1824-1856, by George Webster...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and wife, and had four children:
- Lord Francis William Seymour (28 December 1906 – 14 May 1907)
- Lord Algernon Francis Edward Seymour (22 July 1908 – 14 February 1911)
- Percy Hamilton Seymour, 18th Duke of SomersetPercy Seymour, 18th Duke of Somersetthumb|right|200px|Portrait by [[Allan Warren]]Sir Percy Hamilton Seymour, 18th Duke of Somerset, etc. was the son of Evelyn Seymour, 17th Duke of Somerset and Edith Parker....
(27 September 1910 – 15 November 1984) - Lady Susan Mary Seymour (CrowboroughCrowboroughThe highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
, 26 April 1913 – 23 May 2004), unmarried and without issue.
Somerset died in 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...
on 26 April 1954.