Edward Villiers, 5th Earl of Clarendon

Edward Hyde Villiers, 5th Earl of Clarendon, GCB, GCVO, TD, PC, DL (11 February 1846 – 2 October 1914), styled Lord Hyde between 1846 and 1870, was a British Liberal Unionist politician from the Villiers family. He served as Lord Chamberlain of the Household between 1900 and 1905.

The Right Honourable
The Earl of Clarendon
GCB GCVO PC DL
"The Lord Chamberlain". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1901.
Lord Chamberlain of the Household
In office
21 September 1900 – 4 December 1905
MonarchsVictoria
Edward VII
Prime MinisterThe Marquess of Salisbury
Arthur Balfour
Preceded byThe Earl of Hopetoun
Succeeded byThe Viscount Althorp
Personal details
Born11 February 1846
Died2 October 1914 (1914-10-03) (aged 68)
NationalityBritish
Political partyLiberal Unionist
Spouse(s)(1) Lady Caroline Agar
(d. 1894)
(2) Emma Hatch
Children2
Parent(s)George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon
Lady Katherine Grimston
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
Edward Villiers, 5th Earl of Clarendon in 1865 Punch

Background and education

Clarendon was the second but eldest surviving son of the prominent Liberal statesman George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon and his wife Lady Katherine Grimston, daughter of James Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam. He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge.[1]

Political career
Portrait of Clarendon in his uniform as Lord Chamberlain, c.1902.

Clarendon was elected to Parliament for Brecon in 1869, a seat he retained until the following year, when he succeeded his father in the earldom and took his seat in the House of Lords. In 1895 he was appointed a Lord-in-waiting in the Unionist administration of Lord Salisbury, a position he held until 1900, when he was promoted to Lord Chamberlain of the Household and admitted to the Privy Council. He retained this office also when Arthur Balfour became Prime Minister in 1902. The government fell in December 1905 and Clarendon was never to return to office.

Apart from his political career Lord Clarendon joined the Hertfordshire Yeomanry as a Troop Quartermaster in 1868, and was commissioned as a Cornet the following year. He was promoted captain in 1872 and to command the regiment in 1879 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was the regiment's longest-serving commanding officer, continuing in the position until 1901 and afterwards becoming its Honorary Colonel in 1908.[2][3] He was also Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire from 1893 to 1914.

Sporting career

Clarendon made one known appearance in first-class cricket for Cambridge University in 1865.[4] He was a right-handed batsman and a roundarm fast bowler. Four of his uncles James, Edward, Robert and Francis Grimston all played first-class cricket, as did his cousin Walter Grimston. Between 1890 and 1896, Lord Clarendon was a member of the Football Committee at West Hertfordshire Sports Club, chairing some of the meetings. During this period the club won three Herts Senior Cups in four years, not entering it in the other year. This football team was later to become known as Watford Football Club.[5]

Family

Lord Clarendon married firstly, Lady Caroline Agar, daughter of James Agar, 3rd Earl of Normanton, on 6 September 1876. After his first wife's death in 1894 he married secondly, Emma Hatch, on 5 August 1908. By his first marriage he had two children:

Lord Clarendon died in October 1914, aged 68, and was succeeded in the earldom by his only son George.

Artistic recognition

He was sculpted by Mary Pownall c.1900.[6]

Honours
British honours
Foreign honours

References
  1. "Hyde (Edward Hyde Villiers), Lord (HD862)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. Army List, various dates.
  3. Lt-Col J.D. Sainsbury, The Hertfordshire Yeomanry: An Illustrated History 1794–1920, Welwyn: Hart Books/Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Historical Trust, 1994, ISBN 0-948527-03-X, pp. 73–103.
  4. Arthur Haygarth, Scores & Biographies, Volume 9 (1865-1866), Lillywhite, 1867
  5. Phillips, Ollie (1991). The Official Centenary History of Watford FC. Watford Football Club. p. 176. ISBN 0-9509601-6-0.
  6. "Bonhams : Mary Pownall Bromet, British (exh. 1889-1932): A bronze figure of Edward Hyde Villiers, 5th Earl of Clarendon".
  7. "No. 27453". The London Gazette. 11 July 1902. p. 4441.
  8. "The Coronation Honours". The Times. No. 36804. London. 26 June 1902. p. 5.
  9. "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36908. London. 25 October 1902. p. 8.
  10. "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36068. London. 17 February 1900. p. 11.
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