Desmond Llowarch Edward Flower, 10th Viscount Ashbrook (9 July 1905 – 5 December 1995) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

peer and soldier. Flower was the only son of Llowarch Flower, 9th Viscount Ashbrook and his wife Gladys Lucille Beatrice, daughter of George Higginson. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...

and went then to Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

in 1927. Ashbrook worked as a chartered accountant, succeeding to his father's titles on 30 August 1936. Before the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, he joined

79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery The 79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (79th (HY) HAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA). Formed just before World War II, it fought in the Battle of France, the Swansea Bli ...

, of the Territorial Army, ending the war as a major. After the end of the war in 1945, he was appointed a Member of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. In 1949 Flower was nominated a Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Cheshire and in 1961 vice lord-lieutenant. From 1946, he represented the county also as a Justice of the Peace, retiring from these posts in 1968. Flower joined the council of the

Duchy of Lancaster The Duchy of Lancaster is the private estate of the British sovereign as Duke of Lancaster. The principal purpose of the estate is to provide a source of independent income to the sovereign. The estate consists of a portfolio of lands, properti ...

in 1957. He was invested as a Knight Commander of the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

in 1977 on his retirement from the Council of the

and was director of the Country's Gentlemen Association.

Family

On 8 November 1934, he married Elizabeth (1911-2002), daughter of Captain John Egerton-Warburton; they had three children, two sons and a daughter. Flower died in 1995 and was succeeded in the viscountcy by his older son Michael. In 2022, a new rose variety, the 'Elizabeth Ashbrook', was named in the late Lady Ashbrook's honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashbrook, Desmond Flower, 10th Viscount 1905 births 1995 deaths People from County Laois Irish expatriates in England English people of Irish descent Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford British Army personnel of World War II Deputy Lieutenants of Cheshire Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Members of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Eton College Royal Artillery officers Viscounts in the Peerage of Ireland English justices of the peace