William Mansfield, 1st Viscount Sandhurst (21 August 1855 – 2 November 1921) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

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 and colonial governor. He was

Governor of Bombay Until the 18th century, Bombay consisted of seven islands separated by shallow sea. These seven islands were part of a larger archipelago in the Arabian sea, off the western coast of India. The date of city's founding is unclear—historians tr ...

between 1895 and 1900 and

Lord Chamberlain of the Household Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

between 1912 and 1921.

Background and early life

Mansfield was the son of

William Mansfield, 1st Baron Sandhurst General William Rose Mansfield, 1st Baron Sandhurst (21 June 1819 – 23 June 1876) was a British military commander who served as Commander-in-Chief of India from 1865 to 1870. In Bombay now Mumbai, there is local train station named after B ...

, and

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

, daughter of Robert Fellowes, and a noted suffragist. He served in the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

, achieving the rank of lieutenant.thepeerage.com William Mansfield, 1st and last Viscount Sandhurst
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Political career

Mansfield succeeded his father as Baron Sandhurst in 1876, aged 20, and was entitled to a seat in 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 ...

from his 21st birthday a few months later. When the Liberals came to power under

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

in 1880, he was appointed a

Lord-in-waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (without ...

, a post he held until 1885 when the Liberals left office. He was

Under-Secretary of State for War The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean (appointed in 1794). In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for ...

in Gladstone's brief 1886 administration and again from 1892 to 1895 under Gladstone and

Lord Rosebery Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, 1st Earl of Midlothian, (7 May 1847 – 21 May 1929) was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from March 1894 to June 1895. Between the death of ...

. In 1895 he was made

, a post he held until February 1900. After he had stepped down, he was appointed an extra Knight Grand Commander of the

Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...

(GCSI) on 9 March 1900. Lord Sandhurst did not initially serve in the Liberal administrations headed by

Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (né Campbell; 7 September 183622 April 1908) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. He served as the prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 190 ...

and

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 ...

but was sworn of the

Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

in 1907. He did return to ministerial office in 1912 when Asquith appointed him

(succeeding his brother-in-law Lord Spencer). He continued in this post until his death in 1921, the last five years under the premiership of

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...

. In 1917 he was made Viscount Sandhurst, of Sandhurst in the County of Berkshire. According to the historian

David Gilmour David Jon Gilmour ( ; born 6 March 1946) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and member of the rock band Pink Floyd. He joined as guitarist and co-lead vocalist in 1967, shortly before the departure of founding member Syd Barrett. P ...

, Sandhurst was "regarded by his brother officers in the Coldstream Guards as ‘incurably dense’ ndconsidered by officials in his presidency to be almost illiterate."

Family

Lord Sandhurst married, firstly, Lady Victoria, daughter of

Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer, KG, CB, PC (14 April 1798 – 27 December 1857), styled The Honourable Frederick Spencer until 1845, was a British naval commander, courtier, and Whig politician. He initially served in the Royal Navy and ...

, on 20 July 1881. They had two children, who both died in infancy: The Honourable John Robert Mansfield (4 September 1882–5 September 1882) and the Honourable Elizabeth Mansfield (9 June 1884–17 October 1884). After his first wife's death in March 1906 he married secondly Eleanor, younger daughter of

Matthew Arnold Matthew Arnold (24 December 1822 – 15 April 1888) was an English poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the celebrated headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold, lite ...

and widow of Armine Wodehouse, on 5 July 1909. There were no children from this marriage. Lord Sandhurst died in 1921, aged 66. The viscountcy became extinct on his death while the barony was inherited by his brother, John Mansfield. Lady Sandhurst died in December 1934.

Arms

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandhurst, William Mansfield, 1st Viscount 1855 births 1921 deaths Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Governors of Bombay Liberal Party (UK) Lords-in-Waiting Members of London County Council Progressive Party (London) politicians Members of the London School Board Members of the Bombay Legislative Council Eldest sons of British hereditary barons Viscounts created by George V