Charles William Slingsby "Sim" Duncombe, 3rd Earl of Feversham DSO (2 November 1906 – 4 September 1963), styled the Hon. Charles Duncombe until 1915 and then Viscount Helmsley until he succeeded his father in 1916, was a British

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician.

Early life

Feversham was the eldest son of

Charles Duncombe, 2nd Earl of Feversham Lieutenant-Colonel Charles William Reginald Duncombe, 2nd Earl of Feversham (8 May 1879 – 15 September 1916), known as Viscount Helmsley from 1881 to 1915, was a British Conservative Party politician and soldier. Origins Charles Duncombe w ...

, and his wife Lady Marjorie Blanche Eva, daughter of

Francis Greville, 5th Earl of Warwick Francis Richard Charles Guy Greville, 5th Earl of Warwick (9 February 1853 – 15 January 1924), styled Lord Brooke until 1893, was a Conservative Party (UK), British Conservative politician. Early life Greville was the son of George Greville, 4 ...

, and was educated at Eton. He succeeded in the earldom in 1916, aged only nine, when his father was killed in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Professional life

Feversham took his seat on the Conservative benches in the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

and served under

Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British statesman and politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The first two of his governments belonged to the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, where he led ...

and

Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (3 August 186714 December 1947), was a British statesman and Conservative politician who was prominent in the political leadership of the United Kingdom between the world wars. He was prime ministe ...

as 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 ...

(government whip in the House of Lords) from 1934 to 1936 and under Baldwin and later

Neville Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain (; 18 March 18699 November 1940) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from ...

Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries was a junior ministerial office in the British government, serving under the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. The title changed to Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry o ...

and Deputy Minister of Fisheries from 1936 to 1939. Feversham was also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the

13th/18th Royal Hussars The 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 13th Hussars and the 18th Royal Hussars in 1922 and, after service in the Second World War, it amalgamated wit ...

and an Honorary

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

in the Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry and fought in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, where he was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

in 1945. Feversham was Treasurer of the

University of Leeds The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1874 as the Yorkshire College of Science. In 1884, it merged with the Leeds School of Medicine (established 1831) and was renamed Y ...

from 1959 to his death. During the passing of the

Children and Young Persons Act 1963 A child () is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking countries, the legal definition of ''child ...

reference was made to Feversham's experience as a probation officer, and later position as the President of the Association of Probation Officers.

Personal life

Lord Feversham married Lady Anne Dorothy Wood, daughter of E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, in 1936. The marriage was not a love match; diarist Chips Channon described the ceremony as "hideous" and "cynical". Over the course of their unhappy marriage, both took lovers. They had one daughter: * Lady Clarissa Duncombe, DL (11 October 1938 – 23 July 2021) m. Nicholas Spencer Compton Collin as his second wife. The couple had two children, Frederick (b. 30 Oct 1967) and Laura (b. 25 Aug 1969). Lady Clarissa served as High Sheriff and Deputy Lieutenant of

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

. The family lived at

Pockley Pockley is a small village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is about 1 mile north-east of Helmsley turning north from the A170 road. Its short, winding lane passes six thatched cottages in a quarter mile before turning back towa ...

. Although it was thought an heir to the title might be born, Anne Feversham "was disinclined to endure another pregnancy, not least if it meant forfeiting a hunting season".

Death

Feversham died in September 1963, aged 56. On his death the earldom and viscountcy of Helmsley became extinct while he was succeeded in his junior title of Baron Feversham by his fourth cousin Peter Duncombe. The Countess of Feversham was made an MBE in 1950 and a

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1979. She died in 1995.

References

External links

*
Charles Duncombe, 3rd Earl of Feversham, at the National Portrait Gallery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Feversham, Charles Duncombe, 3rd Earl of 13th/18th Royal Hussars officers 1906 births 1963 deaths British Army personnel of World War II Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Conservative Party (UK) hereditary peers

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...

Earls in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Ministers in the Chamberlain peacetime government, 1937–1939 People educated at Eton College Place of birth missing Place of death missing