Robert Hugh Wallace
Encyclopedia
Colonel Robert Hugh Wallace CB
CBE
PC(Ire)
(14 December 1860–23 December 1929) was a British
soldier and a lawyer and politician in Northern Ireland
.
Wallace was born in Downpatrick
, County Down
. He was educated at Harrow School
and Brasenose College, Oxford
. He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple
in 1886 and admitted a solicitor
of the High Court of Justice of Ireland in 1890. He was Grand Master of the Belfast Orangemen
for twenty years and a prominent Freemason and member of the Ulster Unionist Council.
In November 1879 he was commissioned into the Royal South Down Militia (later the 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles). He was promoted Lieutenant
in August 1880, Captain
in December 1882, Major
in December 1892, and Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1898. He commanded the battalion in the Second Boer War
, for which he was mentioned in despatches, appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), and promoted Honorary Colonel
in February 1900. He resigned his commission in January 1913, but returned to command the 19th (Reserve) Battalion of the regiment from 1915 to 1917, when he became camp commandant
of Donard Lodge Camp, Newcastle, County Down
.
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1920 and was appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland
in the honours for the opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
in July 1921, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable".
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CBE
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...
PC(Ire)
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(14 December 1860–23 December 1929) 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 and a lawyer and politician in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Wallace was born in Downpatrick
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
. He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1886 and admitted a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
of the High Court of Justice of Ireland in 1890. He was Grand Master of the Belfast Orangemen
Orange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
for twenty years and a prominent Freemason and member of the Ulster Unionist Council.
In November 1879 he was commissioned into the Royal South Down Militia (later the 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles). He was promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in August 1880, Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in December 1882, 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 December 1892, and Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1898. He commanded the battalion in the Second Boer 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...
, for which he was mentioned in despatches, appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), and promoted Honorary 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...
in February 1900. He resigned his commission in January 1913, but returned to command the 19th (Reserve) Battalion of the regiment from 1915 to 1917, when he became camp commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of Donard Lodge Camp, Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
.
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1920 and was appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
in the honours for the opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
in July 1921, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable".