Francis Edward Fitzherbert-Stafford, 12th Baron Stafford, DSO (28 August 1859 – 18 September 1932) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

peer and

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer, holding the title

Baron Stafford Baron Stafford, referring to the town of Stafford, is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of England. In the 14th century, the barons of the first creation were made earls. Those of the fifth creation, in the 17th century ...

. His lifetime marked the point where the Stafford barony first came into contact with ''Fitzherbert'' as a surname.

Background

Francis Edward's father was Basil Thomas Fitzherbert and his mother was Emily Charlotte Stafford-Jerningham. It was through his mother's side of the family that he gained the Stafford barony; his uncle Fitzherbert Edward Stafford-Jerningham, 11th Baron Stafford had died without issue in 1913. Fitzherbert-Stafford also descended from Genoese nobility as his great grandfather was John Vincent Gandolfi, 12th Marquis Gandolfi. A

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

, he was educated at

Beaumont College Beaumont College was between 1861 and 1967 a Public school (UK), public school in Old Windsor, Old Windsor in Berkshire. Founded and run by the Society of Jesus, it offered a Roman Catholic public school education in rural surroundings, while l ...

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Military Career and Public Offices

Fitzherbert was commissioned in 1877 into the

1st Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster's Own) The 1st Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster's Own) was an auxiliary regiment raised in the county of Lancashire in North West England during the 17th Century. Primarily intended for home defence, it saw active service in Ireland under ...

, which from 1881 became the 3rd (1st Royal Lancashire Militia) Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). He was promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

on 5 February 1900, and the following week left with the battalion to serve in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

. He fought in South Africa from his arrival in March 1900 to 1902, and 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 ...

(DSO) in 1900. He became honorary lieutenant-colonel in 1901, and renounced his militia commission in 1903. He was also commissioned into his native county's

Staffordshire Yeomanry The Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) was a mounted auxiliary unit of the British Army raised in 1794 to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion. It continued in service after the Napoleonic Wars, frequently being called out ...

in 1885, and promoted Major in that regiment in 1898. 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 ...

he served purely on home defence duties, becoming Colonel commanding the Staffordshire Volunteer Regiment of the

Volunteer Training Corps The Volunteer Training Corps was a voluntary home defence reserve force in the United Kingdom during World War I. Early development After war had been declared in August 1914, there was a popular demand for a means of service for those men who wer ...

. He was a Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for Staffordshire and hereditary Lord High Steward of the Borough of Stafford.

Marriage and later life

On 20 April 1903 Fitzherbert-Stafford married Dorothy Hilda Worthington, the daughter of

Albert Octavius Worthington Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert Computers, Inc., a computer manufacturer in the 1980s * Albert Czech Republic, a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street mar ...

. Together the two did not parent any children. He died at the family seat of

Swynnerton Hall Swynnerton Hall is an 18th-century country mansion house, the home of Lord Stafford, situated at Swynnerton near Stone, Staffordshire. It is a Grade I listed building. History The manor of Swynnerton was owned by the eponymous family for severa ...

at age 73.

Notes

References

Francis Edward Fitzherbert, 12th Baron Stafford
. ThePeerage.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-21. *
Francis Edward Fitzherbert-Stafford, 12th Baron Stafford
. GeneAll.net. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
Fitzherbert Stafford-Jerningham, 11th Baron Stafford
. GeneAll.net. Retrieved on 2008-03-21. {{DEFAULTSORT:Stafford, Francis Fitzherbert-Stafford, 12th Baron 1859 births 1932 deaths British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British Army personnel of World War I King's Own Royal Regiment officers English justices of the peace Lancashire Militia officers People from Stafford English Roman Catholics Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Deputy lieutenants of Staffordshire Staffordshire Yeomanry officers People educated at Beaumont College 12

Francis Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...