Rowland Thomas Baring, 2nd Earl of Cromer, (29 November 1877 – 13 May 1953), styled Viscount Errington between 1901 and 1917, was a British diplomat and courtier.

Early life

Baring was a member of the

Baring family The Baring family is a German and British family of merchants and bankers. In Germany, the family belongs to the '' Bildungsbürgertum'', and in England, it belongs to the aristocracy. History The family's earliest known ancestor is Peter Bari ...

and the son of

Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer, (; 26 February 1841 – 29 January 1917) was a British statesman, diplomat and colonial administrator. He served as the British controller-general in Egypt during 1879, part of the international control whic ...

and, his first wife, Ethel Errington. After his mother died in 1898, his father married Katherine Thynne in 1901. He had two brothers, the Hon. Windham Baring, who became a director of Baring Brothers bank; and

Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale (29 September 1903 – 10 March 1973), was Governor of Southern Rhodesia from 1942 to 1944, High Commissioner for Southern Africa from 1944 to 1951, and Governor of Kenya from 1952 to 1959. Baring play ...

, who was a High Commissioner for Southern Africa, and a Governor of Kenya. His father was the ninth son of

Henry Baring Henry Baring (18 January 1777 – 13 April 1848) was a British banker and politician. He was the third son of Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet, the founder of the family banking firm that grew into Barings Bank. His grandfather Johann Baring emi ...

(himself the third son of

Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet (18 April 1740 – 11 September 1810) was an English merchant banker, a member of the Baring family, later becoming the first of the Baring baronets. Early life He was born at Larkbeare House near Exeter, son ...

) and his second wife, Cecilia Anne (née Windham). Among his paternal family were uncles,

Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke Edward Charles Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke (13 April 1828 – 17 July 1897), was a British banker. Early life A member of the Baring banking family, "Ned" Baring was born on 13 April 1828. He was the second son of Henry Baring from his second ...

, diplomat Walter Baring, and banker Tom Baring. His maternal grandfather was Sir Rowland Errington, 11th Baronet.

Career

He was appointed to the

Diplomatic Service Diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. Diplomatic personnel obtain diplomatic immunity when they are accredited to o ...

as a

Third Secretary Diplomatic rank is a system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. A diplomat's rank determines many ceremonial details, such as the order of precedence at official processions, table seating ...

in July 1902. His diplomatic career took him to

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. 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 a subaltern in the

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

. From 1922 to 1938 he was

Lord Chamberlain of the Household Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

. As Lord Chamberlain, he was responsible "for the censorship of plays performed in Britain". During World War II, he was aide de camp to the Viceroy of India and served as equerry and assistant private secretary to King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

. After retiring as Lord Chamberlain, he became permanent Lord-in-Waiting to King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

, holding the same office after the ascension of the King's daughter, Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

Personal life

On 4 April 1908, Lord Cromer married Lady Ruby Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1886–1961), a daughter of

Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, (; 9 July 18451 March 1914), known as Viscount Melgund by courtesy from 1859 to 1891, was a British peer and politician who served as Governor General of Canada from 1898 to 1904, and Vi ...

and

Lady Mary Grey Lady Mary Keyes (née Grey; 20 April 1545 – 20 April 1578) was the youngest daughter of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, and Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, Frances Brandon, and through her mother had a succession to Elizabeth I of England, ...

. Together, they had three children: * Lady Rosemary Ethel Baring (1908–2004), who married Lt.-Col. J.D. Hills and had issue. * Lady Violet Mary Baring (b. 1911), who married Maj. Mervyn Vernon. * George Rowland Stanley Baring, 3rd Earl of Cromer (1918–1991), who married the Hon. Esmé Mary Gabriel Harmsworth (1922–2011) in 1942, daughter of

Esmond Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, 2nd Viscount Rothermere (29 May 1898 – 12 July 1978), was a British Conservative politician and press magnate. Early life Harmsworth was the third son of Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere, who had founded th ...

. Lord Cromer died in London on 13 May 1953. His widow, then the dowager Lady Cromer, died on 5 November 1961.

Media depictions

In the 2005 film ''

Mrs Henderson Presents ''Mrs Henderson Presents'' is a 2005 biographical musical comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Martin Sherman. It stars Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Kelly Reilly, and Will Young (in his acting debut). It tells the true story ...

'', Cromer is portrayed by actor

Christopher Guest Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born 5 February 1948), known professionally as Christopher Guest, is a British-American actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. Guest has written, directed, and starred in his series of comedy ...

. In the ''

Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. It first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV (TV network), ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United St ...

'' 2013 Christmas Special, he is portrayed, wearing Order of the Garter insignia despite not having been a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter, by the series' historical consultant, Alastair Bruce.

References

Sources

* * *

External links

* 1877 births 1953 deaths Earls in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Bailiffs Grand Cross of the Order of St John Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Permanent Lords-in-Waiting Grenadier Guards officers British Army personnel of World War I Assistant Private Secretaries to the Sovereign Rowland Presidents of the Marylebone Cricket Club {{UK-earl-stub