Geoffrey Cecil Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 18th Baron Saye and Sele (3 August 1858 – 2 February 1937) was an English soldier and

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

politician from the

Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes family The Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes family are the descendants of the 16th Baron Saye and Sele who was born Frederick Benjamin Twistleton and adopted the surname Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes in 1849 by Act of Parliament. He was the grandson of Thomas Twi ...

. He served as

Comptroller of the Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of t ...

between 1912 and 1915.

Early life and education

Saye and Sele was born in

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

, the eldest son of

John Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 17th Baron Saye and Sele John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

, and his wife, Lady Augusta Sophia Hay, daughter of

Thomas Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull Thomas Robert Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull (5 April 1785 – 18 February 1866), styled Viscount Dupplin between 1787 and 1804, was a Scottish peer. His titles were Earl of Kinnoull, Viscount Dupplin and Lord Hay of Kinfauns in the Peerage ...

Sir Eustace Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 1st Baronet Sir Eustace Edward Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 1st Baronet (29 February 1864 – 9 February 1943), known as Sir Eustace Fiennes, was a British soldier, Liberal politician and colonial administrator. Background Fiennes was born in Reading, Berks ...

, was his younger brother. 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, C ...

Military career

Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes was gazetted into the 108th Foot of the

Oxfordshire Militia The Oxfordshire Militia was a militia regiment in the United Kingdom from 1759 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Oxfordshire Light Infantry. The regiment was organised in 1759. It was embodied in 1778, at which time it was ranked the 8th ...

on 22 January 1879, the date of the

Battle of Isandlwana The Battle of Isandlwana (alternative spelling: Isandhlwana) on 22 January 1879 was the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Eleven days after the British commenced their invasion of Zulul ...

. His father, who was anxious for his eldest son to see active service in the

Anglo-Zulu War The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following the passing of the British North America Act of 1867 forming a federation in Canada, Lord Carnarvon thought that a similar political effort, coupl ...

, had him transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the

Royal Scots Fusiliers The Royal Scots Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1678 until 1959 when it was amalgamated with the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) to form the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Mar ...

, and he was sent to South Africa to "avenge" the massacre at Isandlwana. Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes acted as secretary to Sir

Henry Bulwer (William) Henry Lytton Earle Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer GCB, PC (13 February 180123 May 1872) was a British Liberal politician, diplomat and writer. Background and education Bulwer was the second son of General William Bulwer and hi ...

, then the Governor of Maritzburg, and accompanied the column that captured

Sikukuni Sekhukhune I (Matsebe; circa 1814 – 13 August 1882) was the paramount King of the Marota, more commonly known as the Bapedi, from 21 September 1861 until his assassination on 13 August 1882 by his rival and half-brother, Mampuru II. As the Pedi ...

. The next year, he joined the 1st Battalion of his regiment at

Secunderabad Secunderabad, also spelled as Sikandarabad (, ), is a twin cities, twin city of Hyderabad and one of the six zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It ...

, British India, and returned to England eight months later. He was promoted to captain in 1887. In 1890, he made adjutant of the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, of which he was later to be Hon. Colonel, and retired in 1899. On 2 June 1902, he was appointed

Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

in command of the 3rd (

Militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

) Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, based in

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire council area and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population ...

. He was appointed an Honorary Colonel of the Battalion in 1907. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he served as an Area Commandant in

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...

. He was also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 3rd Battalion of the Middlesex County Regiment.

Business and political career

After retiring from the Army in 1899, Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes entered private industry, spending the next few years as a salesman for a well-known brewing firm. He travelled frequently to South Africa, Malta, and Mediterranean stations occupied by British troops. In 1907, he succeeded his father in the barony and entered the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

, where he was a staunch Liberal. He promoted a School Attendance Bill and a Bill dealing with the abuses of the traffic in worn-out horses. From 1912 to 1915 he served under

H. H. Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928), generally known as H. H. Asquith, was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom f ...

. He was an active member of the Home Counties Liberal Federation, and was chairman of the National Land and Home League. He was also on the Standing Joint Committee of the

Oxfordshire County Council Oxfordshire County Council is the county council (upper-tier local authority) for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire in the South East of England. It is an elected body responsible for some local government services in the county, includ ...

, and in 1930 he became High Steward of the City of Oxford.

Family

Lord Saye and Sele married Marion Ruperta Murray, daughter of Major Robert Bartholomew Lawes, on 20 February 1884. They had five sons and two daughters: * Geoffrey Rupert Cecil Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 19th Baron Saye and Sele (27 December 1884 – 18 February 1949), died unmarried * Ivo Murray Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 20th Baron Saye and Sele (15 December 1885 – 21 October 1968) married Hersey Cecilia Hester Butler, daughter of Capt. Sir

Thomas Dacres Butler Sir Thomas Dacres Butler (3 October 1845 – 29 December 1937) was a British Army officer and senior civil servant. Biography Butler was born in Hambledon, Hampshire, the son of Colonel Thomas Butler and Arabella Dacres. He attended the ...

, and had issue * Evelyn Idonia Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (12 January – 28 July 1887) * G. Capt. Hon. Laurence John Evelyn Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (4 October 1890 – 16 May 1962), died unmarried * Ingelram Robert Nathaniel (5 January 1895 – 28 December 1896) * Hon. Allen Rupert Ingelram Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (25 September 1897 – 10 October 1920), killed in a motorcycle accident * Hon. Cicely Marion Violet Joan Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (22 November 1900 – 14 August 1985), married

John William Dunne John William Dunne (2 December 1875 – 24 August 1949) was a British soldier, aeronautical engineer and philosopher. As a young man he fought in the Second Boer War, before becoming a pioneering aeroplane designer in the early years of the 20th ...

, son of Gen. Sir John Hart Dunne He died at the family seat of

Broughton Castle Broughton Castle is a medieval fortified manor house in the village of Broughton, which is about two miles south-west of Banbury in Oxfordshire, England, on the B4035 road (). It is the home of the Fiennes (in full Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes) ...

in Oxfordshire in February 1937, aged 78, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, Geoffrey. Lady Saye and Sele died 27 July 1946, aged 82.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saye and Sele, Geoffrey Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 18th Baron 1858 births 1937 deaths People educated at Eton College British Army personnel of the Anglo-Zulu War Royal Scots Fusiliers officers British Army personnel of World War I Geoffrey Barons Saye and Sele