James Walter Grimston, 4th Earl of Verulam (17 April 1880 – 29 November 1949) was a British peer,

electrical engineer Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

and businessman, sometimes identified with the fringes of the

intelligence service An intelligence agency is a government agency responsible for the collection, analysis, and exploitation of information in support of law enforcement, national security, military, public safety, and foreign policy objectives. Means of info ...

Early life and education

Verulam was the son of

James Grimston, 3rd Earl of Verulam James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince James ...

and Margaret Frances Graham. He was educated at Eton and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

. He succeeded to the earldom upon the death of his father in 1924.

Career

Verulam founded Enfield Cables Ltd and had many business interests in oil and telecommunications, including as a director of

British Thomson-Houston British Thomson-Houston (BTH) was a British engineering and heavy industry, heavy industrial company, based at Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Originally founded to sell products from the Thomson-Houston Electric Company, it soon became a manufac ...

. He reputedly allowed

MI6 The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...

the use of some of the premises on his estate and was a business associate and personal friend of

World War II 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 ...

internee Robert Liversidge.

Marriage and children

Verulam married Lady Violet Constance Maitland Brabazon (1886–1936), younger daughter of

Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl of Meath Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl of Meath (31 July 1841 – 11 October 1929) was an Irish politician and philanthropist. Life Reginald Brabazon was born into an old Anglo-Irish family in London, the second son of William Brabazon, 11th Earl of M ...

, on 27 October 1909. They had four sons, two of whom succeeded to the earldom and two of whom were killed in action 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 ...

. * James Brabazon Grimston, 5th Earl of Verulam (11 October 1910 - 19 October 1960) * John Grimston, 6th Earl of Verulam (17 July 1912 - 15 April 1973) *

Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr or S/L) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Squadron leader is immediatel ...

Hon Hon or HON may refer to: People Given name * Cho Hŏn (1544–1592), Joseon militia leader * Ho Hon (1885–1951), North Korean politician Surname * Han (surname) (Chinese: 韩/韓), also romanized Hon * Louis Hon (1924–2008), French fo ...

Brian Grimston, DFC (19 March 1914 -

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

4 April 1943) * Flight Lieutenant Hon Bruce David Grimston, DFC (8 December 1915 -

12 July 1944)Royal Air Force Commands, Database, Commonwealth Air Forces War Dead, Flight Lieutenant The Hon. Bruce David GRIMSTON (80850) of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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Death

Verulam died in November 1949 at the age of 69 and was succeeded in his titles by his son,

James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

References

Bibliography

* *Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990. {{DEFAULTSORT:Verulam, James Grimston, 4th Earl of 1880 births 1949 deaths 4

British electrical engineers 20th-century British businesspeople People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford