Geoffrey Cecil Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 18th Baron Saye and Sele (3 August 1858 – 2 February 1937) was an English soldier and Liberal politician from the Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes family. He served as

Comptroller of the Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of ...

between 1912 and 1915.

Early life and education

Saye and Sele was born in

Kensington Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...

, the eldest son of John Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 17th Baron Saye and Sele, and his wife, Lady Augusta Sophia Hay, daughter of

Thomas Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull Thomas Robert Hay-Drummond, 11th Earl of Kinnoull (5 April 1785 – 18 February 1866), styled Viscount Dupplin between 1787 and 1804, was a Scottish peer. His titles were Earl of Kinnoull, Viscount Dupplin and Lord Hay of Kinfauns in the Peerage ...

. Sir Eustace Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 1st Baronet, was his younger brother. 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 ...

Military career

Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes was gazetted into the 108th Foot of the Oxfordshire Militia on 22 January 1879, the date of the

Battle of Isandlwana The Battle of Isandlwana (alternative spelling: Isandhlwana) on 22 January 1879 was the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Eleven days after the British invaded the Zulu Kingdom, Zululand ...

. His father, who was anxious for his eldest son to see active service in the

Anglo-Zulu War The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in present-day South Africa from January to early July 1879 between forces of the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Two famous battles of the war were the Zulu victory at Battle of Isandlwana, Isandlwana and th ...

, had him transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, and he was sent to South Africa to "avenge" the massacre at Isandlwana. Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes acted as secretary to Sir Henry Bulwer, then the Governor of Maritzburg, and accompanied the column that captured Sikukuni. The next year, he joined the 1st Battalion of his regiment at

Secunderabad Secunderabad () is a twin cities, twin city of Hyderabad and one of the six zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It is the headquarters of the South ...

, British India, and returned to England eight months later. He was promoted to captain in 1887. In 1890, he made adjutant of the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, of which he was later to be Hon. Colonel, and retired in 1899. On 2 June 1902, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the 3rd (

Militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

) Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, based in Ayr. He was appointed an Honorary Colonel of the Battalion in 1907. During 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 as an Area Commandant in

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

. He was also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 3rd Battalion of the Middlesex County Regiment.

Business and political career

After retiring from the Army in 1899, Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes entered private industry, spending the next few years as a salesman for a well-known brewing firm. He travelled frequently to South Africa, Malta, and Mediterranean stations occupied by British troops. In 1907, he succeeded his father in the barony and entered 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 ...

, where he was a staunch Liberal. He promoted a School Attendance Bill and a Bill dealing with the abuses of the traffic in worn-out horses. From 1912 to 1915 he served under

H. H. Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928) was a British statesman and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. He was the last ...

. He was an active member of the Home Counties Liberal Federation, and was chairman of the National Land and Home League. He was also on the Standing Joint Committee of the

Oxfordshire County Council Oxfordshire County Council is the county council (upper-tier local authority) for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire in the South East of England. Established in 1889, it is an elected body responsible for most strategic local government ...

, and in 1930 he became High Steward of the City of Oxford.

Family

Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes married Marion Ruperta Murray, daughter of Major Robert Bartholomew Lawes, on 20 February 1884. They had five sons and two daughters: * Geoffrey Rupert Cecil Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 19th Baron Saye and Sele (27 December 1884 – 18 February 1949), died unmarried * Ivo Murray Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 20th Baron Saye and Sele (15 December 1885 – 21 October 1968) married Hersey Cecilia Hester Butler, daughter of Capt. Sir Thomas Dacres Butler, and had issue * Evelyn Idonia Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (12 January – 28 July 1887) * G. Capt. Hon. Laurence John Evelyn Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (4 October 1890 – 16 May 1962), died unmarried * Ingelram Robert Nathaniel (5 January 1895 – 28 December 1896) * Hon. Allen Rupert Ingelram Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (25 September 1897 – 10 October 1920), killed in a motorcycle accident * Hon. Cicely Marion Violet Joan Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (22 November 1900 – 14 August 1985), married John William Dunne, son of Gen. Sir John Hart Dunne He died at the family seat of Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire in February 1937, aged 78, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, Geoffrey. Lady Saye and Sele died 27 July 1946, aged 82.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saye and Sele, Geoffrey Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 18th Baron 1858 births 1937 deaths People educated at Eton College British Army personnel of the Anglo-Zulu War Royal Scots Fusiliers officers British Army personnel of World War I Geoffrey 18