Charles Torquil de Montalt Fraser (born 2 October 1960) was

High Sheriff of West Sussex The High Sheriff of West Sussex is annually appointed as the sovereign's representative in West Sussex county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order. History of the office high sheriff The oldest office ...

in 2006–07.

Biography

Fraser, the son of Major Michael Quintin Fraser, was educated at

Temple Grove School Temple Grove School was a preparatory school (United Kingdom), preparatory school for boys, and after 1984 also for girls, originally at Parsons Green, London, later at East Sheen, London, still later at Eastbourne, and finally at Heron's Ghyll, a ...

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. Up ...

and the

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of ...

. On graduation from Sandhurst in 1980 he was commissioned into the Life Guards as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

. He saw operational duty in Northern Ireland in 1982, and was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

. He left the

army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

in 1986. Since 1995 he has been heavily involved in the administration of polo in Great Britain. He was a steward of the Governing Body of Hurlingham Polo Club from 1995 to 2006. He has served on various committees within the sport, being chairman of the handicap committee and chairman of the development committee, overseeing the entire programme of youth polo in Great Britain, including Young England National Team SUPA. He still serves on the disciplinary committee and is on the council. He was chairman of the Cowdray Park Polo Club from 1997 to 2001.

Family background

Fraser comes from a multi-generational polo-playing family with ties to British India. His father Major Michael Quintin Fraser of Nashes Farm, Penshurst, Kent, England was once an adviser to the Sultan of Oman in the 1970s. He was married in July 1988 to the former Hon. Lucy Pearson (b. 11 April 1954), third daughter of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray (1910–1995), and his eldest child and elder daughter by his second wife Elizabeth Georgiana Mather-Jackson, daughter of Sir Anthony Henry Mather Mather-Jackson, 6th Baronet. Lucy was the wife of polo player Luis Hector Juan Sosa Basualdo between 1974 and 1980, and had two children by her first marriage, who subsequently took the name Pearson. Charles and Lucy Fraser had four daughters together. They bought Blackdown Park, near

Petworth Petworth is a small town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Chichester (district), Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 road, A272 east–west road from Heathfield, East Sussex ...

, West Sussex, in 1996.Penny Churchill
"Spectacular country houses ripe for restoration"
19 June 2008 He has been involved in many Sussex organisations including: * Governor,

Midhurst Grammar School Midhurst Grammar School was a grammar school and later a comprehensive upper school in Midhurst, West Sussex. The school served pupils aged 11 to 18 who usually joined the school from one of the local intermediate schools. It was replaced in 200 ...

* Chairman of the Governors, Conifers School * Chairman, Lurgashall Cricket Club * Trustee, Arundel Castle Trust * Instructor,

Duke of Edinburgh Award The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (commonly abbreviated DofE) is a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, that has since expanded to 144 nations. The awards recognise adolescents and young ...

* Vice President, Cowdray Park Polo Club *

Sussex Wildlife Trust The Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) is a conservation charity which aims to protect natural life in Sussex. It was founded in 1961 and is one of 46 wildlife trusts across the UK and the Isle of Man and Alderney. , it has 33,000 members and manages ...

* The Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt * Winstons Wish Charity

References

* Article Polo Times 15 June 1999: "Who's Who – Charles T de M Fraser" * Hurlingham Polo Association Magazine Summer 2007: "View from the Top, Charles Fraser reflects upon his 12 years as an HPA Steward" * Etc. Magazine (Chichester Observer), February 2007: "On Her Majesty’s Service, a description of the youngest holder of the historic High Sheriff post in the country" * SCM, The Outside Issue: "A Friend in Need, an article about the bereavement charity Winston’s Wish which Charles Fraser is very involved with" * Country Life Magazine, 10 August 2006: "Interview of the week with the High Sheriff of West Sussex" * Sussex Depicted, Views and Descriptions 1600–1800, book written by John Farrant, entry 133: "Description of Blackdown House 1790" * The Land of Lod, book written about West Sussex by John Rickman: "Chapter fifteen, Blackdown House"

External links

Charles Fraser entry at ThePeerage.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torquil De Montalt Fraser, Charles 1960 births Living people Lord-Lieutenants of West Sussex High Sheriffs of Sussex British nonprofit executives British Life Guards officers