Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough
Encyclopedia
Captain Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough (27 October 1880 10 March 1956) was a British
businessman and politician
who served as Governor General of Canada
, the 14th since Canadian Confederation
.
Ponsonby was born and educated in England
, obtaining a degree in law from the University of Cambridge
, and then entered the political field wherein he served as a member of the London County Council
before being in 1910 elected to the British House of Commons. Upon the death of his grandfather, ten years later, Ponsonby became the Earl of Bessborough and took his place in the House of Lords
until 1931. He was in 1931 appointed as governor general by George V
, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of Canada
Richard Bennett
, to replace the Earl of Willingdon
as viceroy
, and occupied that post until succeeded by the Lord Tweedsmuir
in 1935. Ponsonby strongly promoted the new communication technologies and offered support to the Canadian populace during the Great Depression
.
After the end of his viceregal tenure, he returned to the United Kingdom, where he continued to practice business and also work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
, before his death in March 1956.
, United Kingdom
, the first son and third child of Edward
and Blanche Ponsonby (herself the daughter of John Josiah Guest, Baronet
, the great-uncle of Winston Churchill
). They enrolled Vere at Harrow School
, from where he graduated and then attended Trinity College
at the University of Cambridge
. By 1903 he had started a career in law, and, upon the death of his grandfather in 1906, Ponsonby, as the then eldest son of the Earl of Bessborough, used the courtesy title
of Viscount Duncannon. Six years later, on 25 June, Ponsonby married Roberte de Neuflize
, with whom he had four children: Frederick
, born 29 March 1913; Desmond, born 4 August 1915; Moyra Blanche Madeleine
, born 2 March 1918; and George, born 14 August 1931. Desmond, however, did not live past the age of ten, dying on 8 April 1925 from a riding accident, and George, who was born in Canada and given the middle name St. Lawrence (after the river
), would also predecease his father on 16 May 1951.
Prior to his marriage, Ponsonby had entered the realm of politics, holding a seat on the London County Council
between 1907 and 1910, before being elected on 10 February 1910 to the British House of Commons as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Cheltenham. He lost that seat in the election of 19 December that same year, but re-entered the commons in 1913 as the MP for Dover
. By the following year, however, the First World War
erupted, and Ponsonby enlisted, by 1917 serving as a temporary captain and earned appointment, on 17 October, into the Order of St. Anna
as a Member Third Class.
After the death of his father on 1 December 1920, Ponsonby succeeded to the Earldom of Bessborough
, in the Irish peerage
. Ponsonby thus on 17 December appointed as Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern
so that he miight resign his place in the commons and instead take up his seat in the House of Lords
. The Earl also pursued a successful business career, holding directorships in several large commercial firms, including acting as head of both the São Paulo Railway
and the Margarine Union, as well as deputy chairman of De Beers Consolidated Mines
.
had, by commission under the royal sign-manual
and signet, approved the recommendation of his British prime minister
, Ramsay MacDonald
, with input from Canadian prime minister
Richard Bennett
, to appoint Ponsonby as his representative; this came as somewhat of a surprise, as Ponsonby was the only businessman to have ever been appointed governor general. He would also be the last of Canada's governors general appointed by the King of the United Kingdom, as the Statute of Westminster
came into effect on 11 December 1931, ending the British government's ability to legislate for Canada, except with the Canadian government's expressed consent.
After being sworn into the King's British privy council on 20 March 1931, Ponsonby travelled to Canada and was sworn in as governor general on 4 April, right in the midst of the Great Depression
. In his ensuing travels as viceroy, Ponsonby witnessed the struggles of Canadians during this period, and praised their tenacity; in Shawbridge, Quebec
, he stated in a speech: "There is nothing more encouraging and cheering than the calm steady way Canadians have pursued their daily tasks during the difficult period with a supreme faith in the destiny of their country." As a sign of his sympathy with the majority of the populace, Ponsonby gave up 10% of his salary.
Despite the economic situation, Canada was gaining international stature, and Ponsonby acted as host to the leaders who, in July 1932, converged on Ottawa
for the Imperial Economic Conference
and he presided over the opening of the Welland Canal
the same year. The Governor General also received a number of foreign dignitaries, including Prince Takamatsu
and his wife, Princess Takamatsu
; King Rama VII
of Siam
and his consort, Queen Ramphaiphanni
; and Winston Churchill
, then a member of the British parliament. There were also a number of techological firsts that took place during Ponsonby's tenure: his installation ceremony was the first to be broadcast by radio; in 1932, from the governor general's study at Rideau Hall
, Ponsonby inaugurated the first trans-Canada telephone line by calling each of the lieutenant governors; and, as Governor-in-Council
, he created the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. Ponsonby was also the first Canadian viceroy to fly the new standard dedicated to that office
, created in 1931.
The Earl's tenure as governor general coincided with the celebrations in May 1935 for the Silver Jubilee
of the King's reign, part of which included Ponsonby launching the King's Jubilee Cancer Fund with a radio broadcast from Rideau Hall, and also initiated a campaign to increase the membership of the Scouts
. But the most prominent mark that Ponsonby left on Canada was the Dominion Drama Festival
, which was developed with the assistance of future governor general Vincent Massey
and Henry C. Osborne and first held in April 1933, and awarded the Bessborough Trophy to the best amateur theatrical company in the country.
, Ponsonby returned to the UK and to the business world, and on 2 June 1937 was created the Earl of Bessborough in the British peerage
for his viceregal services, and as such took part in the coronation ceremony of King George VI
. His activities were not all business related, however; during the Second World War
, Ponsonby helped in the establishment of a department in the British Foreign Office
dedicated to the welfare of the French
refugee
s in the United Kingdom.
In 1956, the Earl returned once more to Canada staying at Rideau Hall as a guest of the then governor general, the aforementioned Vincent Massey before he died the following year at the manor
he had purchased in 1924, Stansted House
.
United Kingdom
Canada
Ponsonby's style and title as governor general of Canada was, in full, and in English
: His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, Earl of Bessborough, Viscount Duncannon, Baron Bessborough, Baron Ponsonby of Sysonby, Baron Duncannon, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces of Canada, Captain of the Militia of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and in French
: Son Excellence le très honorable Sir Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, comte de Bessborough, vicomte Duncannon, baron Bessborough, baron Ponsonby de Sysonby, baron Duncannon, chevalier grand-croix de le très distingué ordre de Saint-Michel et Saint-George, gouverneur générale et commandant en chef de la milice et les forces navales et aérienne du Canada, capitaine de la milice du Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Norde.
Bessborough's post-nominal letters
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: PC, GCMG, BA Cantab, LLD(hc) Alb, LLD(hc) Tor, LLD(hc) Ott, LLD(hc) McGill
Appointments 13 February 1931 10 March 1956: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
(GCMG) 20 March 1931 10 March 1956: Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (PC) 4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Chief Scout for Canada 4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club
22 June 1934 10 March 1956: Knight of Justice of the Venerable Order of Saint John
(KStJ)
Medals 1919: 1914-15 Star
1919: British War Medal
1919: Victory Medal
1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
Foregin honours
17 October 1917: Member Third Class with Swords and Bow of the Order of St. Anna
4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
, Doctor of Laws (LLD): University of Toronto
, Doctor of Laws (LLD): University of Ottawa
, Doctor of Laws (LLD): McGill University
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Buildings: Bessborough Armoury
, Vancouver
: Delta Bessborough, Saskatoon
Schools: Bessborough Hall, Clear Water Academy
, Calgary
: Bessborough School
, Moncton
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...
businessman and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, the 14th since Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
.
Ponsonby was born and educated in 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...
, obtaining a degree in law 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 then entered the political field wherein he served as a member of the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
before being in 1910 elected to the British House of Commons. Upon the death of his grandfather, ten years later, Ponsonby became the Earl of Bessborough and took his place 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....
until 1931. He was in 1931 appointed as governor general by George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Richard Bennett
R. B. Bennett
Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, PC, KC was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Canada from August 7, 1930, to October 23, 1935, during the worst of the Great Depression years...
, to replace the Earl of Willingdon
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Major Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 22nd.Freeman-Thomas was born in England and...
as viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, and occupied that post until succeeded by the Lord Tweedsmuir
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir was a Scottish novelist, historian and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation....
in 1935. Ponsonby strongly promoted the new communication technologies and offered support to the Canadian populace during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
After the end of his viceregal tenure, he returned to the United Kingdom, where he continued to practice business and also work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, before his death in March 1956.
Early life, education, and career
Ponsonby was born 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...
, United Kingdom
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...
, the first son and third child of Edward
Edward Ponsonby, 8th Earl of Bessborough
Edward Ponsonby, 8th Earl of Bessborough, KP, CB, CVO was a British peer.-Biography:Ponsonby was the eldest son of Rev. Walter Ponsonby and his wife, Louisa, the daughter of Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans...
and Blanche Ponsonby (herself the daughter of John Josiah Guest, Baronet
John Josiah Guest
Sir Josiah John Guest, 1st Baronet, known as John Josiah Guest, was a Welsh engineer and entrepreneur.-Life:Born in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, as the son of Thomas Guest, a partner in the Dowlais Iron Company...
, the great-uncle of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
). They enrolled Vere 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...
, from where he graduated and then attended Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
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...
. By 1903 he had started a career in law, and, upon the death of his grandfather in 1906, Ponsonby, as the then eldest son of the Earl of Bessborough, used the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Viscount Duncannon. Six years later, on 25 June, Ponsonby married Roberte de Neuflize
Roberte Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough
Roberte de Neuflize Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough, GCSt.J, JP , was the daughter of the Parisian Baron Jean de Neuflize, CVO.-Marriage:On 25 June 1912, she married Vere Ponsonby, Viscount Duncannon Roberte de Neuflize Ponsonby, Countess of Bessborough, GCSt.J, JP (18921979), was the daughter of...
, with whom he had four children: Frederick
Frederick Ponsonby, 10th Earl of Bessborough
Frederick Edward de Neuflize "Eric" Ponsonby, 10th Earl of Bessborough , known as Viscount Duncannon from 1920 to 1956, was a British diplomat, businessman, playwright, Conservative politician, and peer....
, born 29 March 1913; Desmond, born 4 August 1915; Moyra Blanche Madeleine
Lady Moyra Browne
Lady Moyra Blanche Madeleine Browne, DBE is a former nurse and the only daughter of Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough and his wife, Roberte....
, born 2 March 1918; and George, born 14 August 1931. Desmond, however, did not live past the age of ten, dying on 8 April 1925 from a riding accident, and George, who was born in Canada and given the middle name St. Lawrence (after the river
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
), would also predecease his father on 16 May 1951.
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
between 1907 and 1910, before being elected on 10 February 1910 to the British House of Commons as the 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 Cheltenham. He lost that seat in the election of 19 December that same year, but re-entered the commons in 1913 as the MP for Dover
Dover (UK Parliament constituency)
Dover is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. By the following year, however, the First World War
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...
erupted, and Ponsonby enlisted, by 1917 serving as a temporary captain and earned appointment, on 17 October, into the Order of St. Anna
Order of St. Anna
The Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
as a Member Third Class.
After the death of his father on 1 December 1920, Ponsonby succeeded to the Earldom of Bessborough
Earl of Bessborough
Earl of Bessborough is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1739 for Brabazon Ponsonby, 2nd Viscount Duncannon, who had previously represented Newtownards and County Kildare in the Irish House of Commons...
, in the Irish peerage
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
. Ponsonby thus on 17 December appointed as Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern
Chiltern Hundreds
Appointment to the office of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham is a sinecure appointment which is used as a device allowing a Member of the United Kingdom Parliament to resign his or her seat...
so that he miight resign his place in the commons and instead take up his seat 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....
. The Earl also pursued a successful business career, holding directorships in several large commercial firms, including acting as head of both the São Paulo Railway
São Paulo Railway
São Paulo Railway was a privately owned British railway company in Brazil, which operated the gauge railway from the seaport at Santos via São Paulo to Jundiaí...
and the Margarine Union, as well as deputy chairman of De Beers Consolidated Mines
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
.
Governorship general
It was announced in early 1931 that King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
had, by commission under the royal sign-manual
Royal sign-manual
The royal sign manual is the formal name given in the Commonwealth realms to the autograph signature of the sovereign, by the affixing of which the monarch expresses his or her pleasure either by order, commission, or warrant. A sign-manual warrant may be either an executive actfor example, an...
and signet, approved the recommendation of his British prime minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
, with input from Canadian prime minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Richard Bennett
R. B. Bennett
Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, PC, KC was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Canada from August 7, 1930, to October 23, 1935, during the worst of the Great Depression years...
, to appoint Ponsonby as his representative; this came as somewhat of a surprise, as Ponsonby was the only businessman to have ever been appointed governor general. He would also be the last of Canada's governors general appointed by the King of the United Kingdom, as the Statute of Westminster
Statute of Westminster 1931
The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Passed on 11 December 1931, the Act established legislative equality for the self-governing dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom...
came into effect on 11 December 1931, ending the British government's ability to legislate for Canada, except with the Canadian government's expressed consent.
After being sworn into the King's British privy council on 20 March 1931, Ponsonby travelled to Canada and was sworn in as governor general on 4 April, right in the midst of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In his ensuing travels as viceroy, Ponsonby witnessed the struggles of Canadians during this period, and praised their tenacity; in Shawbridge, Quebec
Prévost, Quebec
Prévost is a town within the La Rivière-du-Nord Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada, and the administrative region of Laurentides in the Laurentian Mountains, north of Montreal. It was created in 1973 from the amalgamation of the former villages of Shawbridge and Lesage with old Prévost...
, he stated in a speech: "There is nothing more encouraging and cheering than the calm steady way Canadians have pursued their daily tasks during the difficult period with a supreme faith in the destiny of their country." As a sign of his sympathy with the majority of the populace, Ponsonby gave up 10% of his salary.
Despite the economic situation, Canada was gaining international stature, and Ponsonby acted as host to the leaders who, in July 1932, converged on Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
for the Imperial Economic Conference
British Empire Economic Conference
The British Empire Economic Conference was a 1932 conference of British colonies and the autonomous dominions held to discuss the Great Depression. It was held between 21 July and 20 August in Ottawa.The conference saw the group admit the failure of the gold standard and abandon attempts to...
and he presided over the opening of the Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
the same year. The Governor General also received a number of foreign dignitaries, including Prince Takamatsu
Prince Takamatsu
was the third son of HIM Emperor Taishō and HIM Empress Teimei and a younger brother of the HIM Emperor Shōwa . He became heir to the Takamatsu-no-miya , one of the four shinnōke or branches of the imperial family entitled to inherit the Chrysanthemum throne in default of a direct heir...
and his wife, Princess Takamatsu
Princess Takamatsu
Princess Takamatsu of Japan, , known informally as Princess Kikuko, was a member of the Japanese imperial family. The Princess was the widow of Prince Takamatsu , the third son of the Emperor Taishō and the Empress Teimei...
; King Rama VII
Prajadhipok
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Prajadhipok Phra Pok Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VII was the seventh monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was the last absolute monarch and the first constitutional monarch of the country. His reign was a turbulent time for Siam due to huge political...
of Siam
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and his consort, Queen Ramphaiphanni
Ramphaiphanni
align=right|Queen Rambhai Barni of Siam , formerly Her Serene Highness Princess Rambhai Barni Svastivatana , was the wife and Queen Consort of King Prajadhipok of Siam.-Early life:...
; and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, then a member of the British parliament. There were also a number of techological firsts that took place during Ponsonby's tenure: his installation ceremony was the first to be broadcast by radio; in 1932, from the governor general's study at Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
, Ponsonby inaugurated the first trans-Canada telephone line by calling each of the lieutenant governors; and, as Governor-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, he created the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. Ponsonby was also the first Canadian viceroy to fly the new standard dedicated to that office
Flag of the Governor General of Canada
The Flag of the Governor General of Canada was adopted in 1981. It features Canada's royal crest; a crowned lion holding a red maple leaf in its paw, standing on a wreath of the official colours of Canada , on a blue background...
, created in 1931.
The Earl's tenure as governor general coincided with the celebrations in May 1935 for 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 the King's reign, part of which included Ponsonby launching the King's Jubilee Cancer Fund with a radio broadcast from Rideau Hall, and also initiated a campaign to increase the membership of the Scouts
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
. But the most prominent mark that Ponsonby left on Canada was the Dominion Drama Festival
Dominion Drama Festival
The Dominion Drama Festival was an organisation in Canada that sought to promote amateur theatre across the country. It lasted, in one form or another, from 1932 until 1978.- Founding :...
, which was developed with the assistance of future governor general Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey
Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation....
and Henry C. Osborne and first held in April 1933, and awarded the Bessborough Trophy to the best amateur theatrical company in the country.
Post-viceregal life
After CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Ponsonby returned to the UK and to the business world, and on 2 June 1937 was created the Earl of Bessborough in the British peerage
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
for his viceregal services, and as such took part in the coronation ceremony 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...
. His activities were not all business related, however; during the Second World War
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...
, Ponsonby helped in the establishment of a department in the British Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
dedicated to the welfare of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s in the United Kingdom.
In 1956, the Earl returned once more to Canada staying at Rideau Hall as a guest of the then governor general, the aforementioned Vincent Massey before he died the following year at the manor
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
he had purchased in 1924, Stansted House
Stansted Park
Stansted Park is near the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. It lies within the parish of Stoughton, near the village of Rowland's Castle over the border in Hampshire....
.
Titles
United KingdomUnited 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...
- 27 October 1880 1903: Mister Vere Ponsonby
- 1903 1906: Vere Ponsonby, Esquire
- 1906 1 December 1920: Viscount Duncannon
- 1 December 1920 4 April 1931: The Right Honourable the Earl of Bessborough
- 4 April 1931 11 December 1931: His Excellency the Right Honourable the Earl of Bessborough, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces of Canada
- 11 December 1931 10 March 1956: The Right Honourable the Earl of Bessborough
CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- 11 December 1931 2 November 1935: His Excellency The Right Honourable the Earl of Bessborough, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces of Canada
Ponsonby's style and title as governor general of Canada was, in full, and in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: His Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, Earl of Bessborough, Viscount Duncannon, Baron Bessborough, Baron Ponsonby of Sysonby, Baron Duncannon, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces of Canada, Captain of the Militia of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Son Excellence le très honorable Sir Vere Brabazon Ponsonby, comte de Bessborough, vicomte Duncannon, baron Bessborough, baron Ponsonby de Sysonby, baron Duncannon, chevalier grand-croix de le très distingué ordre de Saint-Michel et Saint-George, gouverneur générale et commandant en chef de la milice et les forces navales et aérienne du Canada, capitaine de la milice du Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Norde.
Bessborough's post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: PC, GCMG, BA Cantab, LLD(hc) Alb, LLD(hc) Tor, LLD(hc) Ott, LLD(hc) McGill
Honours
| Ribbon bars of the Earl of Bessborough | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Appointments 13 February 1931 10 March 1956: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
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....
(GCMG) 20 March 1931 10 March 1956: Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (PC) 4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Chief Scout for Canada 4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
22 June 1934 10 March 1956: Knight of Justice 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...
(KStJ)
Medals 1919: 1914-15 Star
1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 .Recipients of this medal also...
1919: British War Medal
British War Medal
The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
1919: Victory Medal
Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at...
1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the coronation of King George V.-Issue:...
1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
King George VI Coronation Medal
The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to each of...
Foregin honours
17 October 1917: Member Third Class with Swords and Bow of the Order of St. Anna
Order of St. Anna
The Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
Honorary military appointments
4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Horse GuardsThe Governor General's Horse Guards
The Governor General's Horse Guards is an armoured reconnaissance regiment in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Based in Toronto, it is the most senior reserve regiment in Canada, and the only Household Cavalry regiment of...
4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Governor General's Foot Guards
The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada."Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is...
4 April 1931 2 November 1935: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards is the second most senior and oldest infantry regiment in the Reserve Force of the Canadian Forces. Located in Montreal, its primary role is the provision of combat-ready troops in support of Canadian regular infantry...
Honorary degrees
1932: University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD): University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD): University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD): McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Honorific eponyms
Awards: Bessborough Trophy (renamed Calvert Trophy)Buildings: Bessborough Armoury
Bessborough Armoury
Bessborough Armoury is a Canadian Forces armoury located at 2025 West 11th Avenue in Vancouver, British Columbia.- History :Construction of the armoury began in September 1932 and was completed in the following spring. The architect was Richard T. Perry, who was also the Commanding Officer of the...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
: Delta Bessborough, Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
Schools: Bessborough Hall, Clear Water Academy
Clear Water Academy
Clear Water Academy is a private university preparatory school located in Calgary, Alberta. It is one of the few private Catholic schools in Alberta, and is dedicated to its four pillars for Catholic formation: Intellectual Formation, Character Formation, Apostolic Formation, and Spiritual Formation...
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
: Bessborough School
Bessborough School
Bessborough School, more commonly referred to as Bessborough, is a combined elementary-middle school in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. It is located in Moncton's New West End.-Clubs and activities:...
, Moncton
External links
- Website of the Governor General of Canada entry for Vere Ponsonby
- The Canadian Encyclopedia entry for Vere Ponsonby
- The Mill at Britannia Mine > Mill Physical Plan > Archival Footage of Mill > Video Player > Film Footage from BC Archives and Zero One Design > BC Archives Footage 1932 Visit Earl of Bessborough