Desmond Llowarch Edward Flower, 10th Viscount Ashbrook (9 July 1905 – 5 December 1995) was an Anglo-Irish peer and soldier. Flower was the only son of Llowarch Flower, 9th Viscount Ashbrook and his wife Gladys Lucille Beatrice, daughter of

George Higginson General Sir George Wentworth Alexander Higginson, (21 June 1826 – 1 February 1927) was a British Army officer and veteran of the Crimean War who served more than 30 years in the Grenadier Guards. Early life Higginson was born in 1826 in Marlo ...

. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and went then to

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...

, where he graduated

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

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 (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 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 (United Kingdom), Territorial Army (TA). Formed just before World War II, it fought in the B ...

, 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 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 1949 Flower was nominated a Deputy Lieutenant for the county of

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

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 an estate of the British sovereign. The estate has its origins in the lands held by the medieval Dukes of Lancaster, which came under the direct control of the monarch when Henry Bolingbroke, the then duke of Lancast ...

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

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...

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 Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

. 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