Rowland Hood, 3rd Viscount Bridport
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Rowland Arthur Herbert Nelson Hood, 3rd Viscount Bridport, 6th Duke of Bronte (22 May 1911 – 25 July 1969), of Castello di Maniace, near Bronte, Sicily, was a British naval commander and
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
politician.


Origins

He was born on 22 May 1911 in
Walhachin Walhachin is an unincorporated community in the Thompson Country region of south central British Columbia, Canada. The place is on a south shore bench of the Thompson River between Brassey and Jimmie creeks. The locality, off BC Highway 1, is by ...
, near
Kamloops Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the North Thompson River, North and South Thompson Rivers, which join to become the Thompson River in Kamloops, and east of Kamloops Lake. The city is the ad ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, Canada, the son of Lt. Hon. Maurice Henry Nelson Hood (1881-1915), who was killed in action aged 34 during
World War I 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 ...
at
Gallipoli The Gallipoli Peninsula (; ; ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east. Gallipoli is the Italian form of the Greek name (), meaning ' ...
, the 2nd and eldest surviving son and
heir apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...
of Col. Arthur Wellington Alexander Nelson Hood, 2nd Viscount Bridport (1839–1924). His mother was Ethel Rose Kendall (c.1890-1931), an actress under the stage-name "Eileen Orme", a daughter of Charles Kendall of Wokingham in Berkshire and a cousin of the actress
Denise Orme Jessie Smither, Duchess of Leinster (25 August 1885 – 20 October 1960),Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd (2003), p. 2300 known by her stage name Denise Orme, was a ...
(1885-1960) (Jessie Smither, Duchess of Leinster).


Hon. Maurice Henry Nelson Hood

Having left school his father Hon. (Maurice Henry) Nelson Hood (1881-1915) joined the Merchant Marine and in 1895 (aged 14) and 1900 was an apprentice on the ''Brilliant'', an iron-hulled sailing ship based in Aberdeen. In 1902 he qualified as a second mate of a foreign-going ship. Having in 1907 been invalided out of the Royal Naval Reserve, he started a career as an insurance broker, but in 1910 was declared bankrupt due to "living beyond his means; inability to find work; illness; and losses by betting and otherwise". He then moved to Walhachin, near Kamloops, British Columbia, where he resumed work in insurance, and where his son the future 3rd Viscount was born. He later moved to Vancouver where in 1912 he became a provisional lieutenant and signalling officer with the 72nd Highlanders of Canada. At the start of
World War I 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 joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and later served with the Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division (named after his illustrious three-times great-grandfather Admiral
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood (12 December 1724 – 27 January 1816) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. As a junior officer he saw action during the War of the Austrian Succession. While in temporary command ...
(1724-1816), or after the latter's brother Admiral
Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport Admiral Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport, KB (2 December 17262 May 1814) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Origins He was a younger son of the Rev. Samuel Hood (1691/2 †...
(1726-1814), or after their first cousin once removed Admiral
Sir Samuel Hood, 1st Baronet Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, 1st Baronet, (27 November 1762 – 24 December 1814) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Westminster in 1806. He is not to be confused with his father's first cous ...
(1762-1814)). He was last seen alive at
Gallipoli The Gallipoli Peninsula (; ; ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east. Gallipoli is the Italian form of the Greek name (), meaning ' ...
on 4 June 1915 when with 20 other men he came under heavy fire in a trench subsequently re-occupied by Turkish soldiers and is commemorated at the
Helles Memorial The Helles Memorial is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission war memorial near Sedd el Bahr, in Turkey, on the headland at the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula overlooking the Dardanelles. It includes an obelisk which is over high. The memorial i ...
.


Career

In 1915, when Rowland was aged 4, his father was killed in action during World War I. In 1924, aged 13, he succeeded his grandfather in the Viscountcy. He served in the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
and achieved the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. From 1939 to 1940 he held political office as a
Lord-in-waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (without ...
(government whip in 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 ...
) in the National Government of
Neville Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain (; 18 March 18699 November 1940) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from ...
.


Duke of Bronte

In 1937 he became the 6th Duke of Bronte, a Sicilian title inherited from his childless and unmarried great-uncle
Alexander Hood, 5th Duke of Bronte Sir Alexander Nelson Hood, 5th Duke of Bronte, , (28 June 1854 – 1 June 1937), of ''Castello di Maniace'', Bronte, Sicily, Bronte, and ''La Falconara'' (now "Villa Nelson"), Taormina, both in Sicily, and of 13 Pelham Crescent, South Kensingt ...
(1854-1937) (a younger son of the 1st Viscount Bridport, 4th Duke of Bronte) of Castello di Maniace, Bronte and "La Falconara" (aliter "Villa Nelson"),
Taormina Taormina ( , , also , ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Messina, on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy. Taormina has been a tourist destination since the 19th century. Its beaches on the Ionian Sea, incl ...
, both in Sicily. He took up residence at the
Castello di Maniace The Castello di Maniace (or ''Castello Bronte'' and ''Castello dei Nelson'' 'Castle of the Nelsons') is a manor house built on the site of a former ancient monastery 3 km south of the centre of the small village of Maniace and 8 km n ...
. On 27 April 1948 he sold Villa "La Falconara" to Gaetano Marzotto, Count Marzotto (d.1972), of
Valdagno Valdagno is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Vicenza, north-eastern Italy. The town was the birthplace of the textile manufacturing company Marzotto, and home to the Italian hotel chain "Jolly Hotels". Etymology The word "Valdagno" is th ...
near
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
, one of Italy's leading textile manufacturers (see Marzotto Group) and wine-makers, founder of the Jolly Hotels chain and father of the racing driver Gianni Marzotto. Its name was then changed to ''Villa Marzotto'',As printed on picture postcards sent by the Count and his guests until its sale in 1973. It was offered for sale in 2020 (variously as "La Falconara" and "Villa Nelson") for 15 million Euros, fully furnished with antique contents.


Marriages & issue

He married twice: *Firstly in 1934 to Pamela Aline Mary Baker, a daughter of Charles J. Baker, from whom he was divorced in 1945; *Secondly in 1945 he married Sheila Jeanne Agatha van Meurs (d.1996), a daughter of Johan Hendrik van Meurs, by whom he had issue including: ** Alexander Nelson Hood (b. 1948), 7th Duke of Bronte, son and heir.


Death and succession

He died in July 1969, aged 58, and was succeeded by his son from his second marriage, Alexander Nelson Hood, 4th Viscount Bridport (b. 1948).


References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990. *
www.thepeerage.com


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bridport, Rowland Hood, 3rd Viscount 1911 births 1969 deaths Royal Navy officers Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Rowland Ministers in the Chamberlain wartime government, 1939–1940 Ministers in the Chamberlain peacetime government, 1937–1939 British expatriates in Canada Dukes of Bronte