Charles Ingram Courtenay Wood, 2nd Earl of Halifax, (3 October 1912 – 19 March 1980), styled Hon. Charles Wood from 1925 until 1944 and Lord Irwin from 1944 until 1959, was a British peer,

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, Lord Lieutenant of Humberside and High Steward of

York Minster York Minster, formally the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. The minster is the seat of the archbishop of York, the second-highest of ...

Early life and education

Wood was the son of Edward Wood M.P., a Conservative politician, later created

Earl of Halifax Earl of Halifax is a title that has been created four times in British history—once in the Peerage of England, twice in the Peerage of Great Britain, and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The name of the peerage refers to the town of ...

Viceroy of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the Emperor of ...

, and Foreign Secretary, by his marriage to Lady Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow, a daughter of

William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow, (7 March 1853 – 23 October 1911), was a British Conservative politician. He held several governmental positions between 1880 and 1905 and was also Governor of New Zealand between 1889 and 1892. B ...

, a former Governor-General of New Zealand. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church,

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, graduating in 1934 with a B.A. degree. He captained the Oxford University Polo Team in the same year.

Career

In 1934, Wood was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Royal Horse Guards. Like his father, in 1937 he entered politics as a

, becoming Member of Parliament for the

City of York The City of York, officially simply "York", is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. ...

. In 1939, at the outbreak of 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 ...

, he rejoined the Royal Horse Guards and served for three years in the Middle East, continuing as a member of parliament during this time. At the 1945 general election, he lost his seat to the Labour candidate, John Corlett. Wood was styled Lord Irwin between 1944 and 1959, when he succeeded his father as Earl of Halifax and joined 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 ...

. He was a Deputy Lieutenant of the East Riding in Yorkshire between 1955 and 1968, and Lord-Lieutenant of Humberside between 1974 and 1980. He was also High Steward of

between 1972 until 1980. In 1978, his horse Shirley Heights won the

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

. The 2nd Earl of Halifax died in 1980 and was buried at All Saints' Church, Kirby Underdale, where a Halifax family memorial is to be found.

Family

In 1936, he married Ruth Alice Hannah Mary Primrose (18 April 1916 – 1989), daughter of the Liberal politician Captain Neil James Archibald Primrose and Lady Victoria Alice Louise Primrose, née Stanley, a granddaughter of the Prime Minister

Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of 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 h ...

. They had three children: * Lady Caroline Victoria Wood (born 10 September 1937, died 15 November 2014), married, firstly, Randle J. Feilden in 1958 (divorced in 1970), secondly, John V. Gosling in 1970. **Virginia Mary Feilden (born 6 June 1959, died 24 March 1994) **Randle Charles Roderick Feilden (born 19 January 1961) **Fiona Caroline Feilden (born 26 January 1965) * Lady Susan Diana Wood (born 22 September 1938), married

Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

Ian Darsie Watson in 1959. **David Charles Darsie Watson (born 29 July 1960) **Richard Ian Watson (born 30 January 1962) * The Rt Hon. Charles Edward Peter Neil Wood, 3rd Earl of Halifax (born 14 March 1944) **The Hon James Charles Wood, Lord Irwin (born 24 August 1977)

Heir Apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...

to the earldom. ***Hon. Rex Patrick Wood (born 12 August 2010) ***Hon. Audrey Nancy Wood (born 23 January 2013) **Lady Joanna Victoria Wood (born 15 January 1980)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Halifax, Charles Wood, 2nd Earl of 1912 births 1980 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford British racehorse owners and breeders Owners of Epsom Derby winners Wood, Charles Lord-lieutenants of the East Riding of Yorkshire Royal Horse Guards officers Wood, Charles UK MPs who inherited peerages British Army personnel of World War II

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 ''* ...

Conservative Party (UK) hereditary peers Earls of Halifax