Walter FitzUryan Rice, 7th Baron Dynevor (17 August 1873 – 8 June 1956) was a British military officer, civil servant 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 A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. He was the only son and heir of the 6th Baron Dynevor.

Early life and family

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 ...

. On graduating from Oxford, he served in the part-time Royal Carmarthen Artillery for twelve years, rising to the rank of captain. On 12 October 1898, he married Lady Margaret Child Villiers (8 October 1875 – 1 April 1959), daughter of Victor Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey, and Margaret (née Leigh), Countess of Jersey. The 7th Baron had the following children: * Charles Arthur Uryan Rhys, 8th Baron Dynevor (1899–1962) *The Honourable Elwyn Villiers Rhys (19 December 1900 – 10 January 1966), married Diana Sloane Stanley *Hon. Imogen Alice Rhys (27 August 1903 – March 2001), married David Brand, 5th Viscount Hampden. *Captain Hon. David Reginald Rhys (18 March 1907 – 1991), married Anne Rhys, 7th Duchess of Ciudad Rodrigo. He became Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo and Grandee of Spain.

Political career

From 1899 to 1903, the Hon. Walter Rice served as assistant private secretary to Lord George Hamilton, the Secretary of State for India. From 1903 to 1905, he was assistant secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Selborne. After the

government resigned in 1905, Rice travelled extensively in the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

and the

Orient The Orient is a term referring to the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of the term ''Occident'', which refers to the Western world. In English, it is largely a meto ...

. In January 1910, he was elected MP for

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, being re-elected in December. His majority of 4,000 was, he was to comment later, unusually high in a period when average electorates were not large. In 1911, the Hon. Walter Rice became 7th Baron Dynevor on the death of his father. Thereafter, he became increasingly involved with the politics of his native

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...

. Vice-president of the Carmarthenshire Conservatives in 1912, he was also President of the West

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

Conservatives to 1914, when Conservative re-organisation saw him become President of the South Wales Conservatives, a post he held until 1938. During the Great War, Lord Dynevor served in the

Ministry of Munitions The Minister of Munitions was a British government position created during the First World War to oversee and co-ordinate the production and distribution of munitions for the war effort. The position was created in response to the Shell Crisis o ...

from 1916. Thereafter, he served on the Unionist

Devolution Devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of administrative decentralization. Devolved territori ...

Committee, considering the recommendations of the Speaker's Conference on Devolution. In his locality, he served as a member of Llandeilo Rural District Council representing Llandyfeisant, a very small parish which sat largely within the Dynevor Castle estate. In 1919, he was elected to the

Carmarthenshire County Council Carmarthenshire County Council ( or ''Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin'') is the local authority for the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It provides a range of services including education, planning, transport, social services and public safety. The co ...

for Llandeilo, capturing a traditionally Liberal seat as an independent. He retained this seat until increasing deafness forced him to resign in 1935. Throughout the inter-war years, Lord Dynevor was a key figure in Welsh Conservative politics, as well as the Carmarthenshire territorials. In 1928, Lord Dynevor became Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire. Forced to resign from his offices in 1938 due to increasing deafness, Lord Dynevor was praised for his record of public service.

Writings

In addition to his public duties, Lord Dynevor wrote two books, ''My Reminiscences'', published in 1937, which comprises a short memoir, and a book on the trees in the park at Dynevor.

Legacy

* Walter Street, in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire is named for the 7th Baron. Margaret Street was named for his wife. * In 1916 displaying Welshness had become sufficiently fashionable for Lord Dynevor to adopt (by royal licence) the older, Welsh form of his surname, "Rhys". In 1906 Rice Street in Betws had been named after him.

Death

Lord Dynevor died on 8 June 1956, aged 82. He was succeeded by his son, the Hon. Charles Arthur FitzUryan Rhys as 8th Baron.

Sources

References

Bibliography

;Records * Carmarthenshire Record Office, Dynevor Papers Add Mss 4, polling figures for Llandeilo election * CRO Dynevor Papers, Box 114 * Dynevor Papers, Box 266/9, 'The Home-Coming of the Hon. Walter Rice and His Bride' * Conservative election address, Brighton, January 1910 ;Newspapers *''Lord Dynevor's Address to the electors of Llandeilo'', February, 1919; *''South Wales Evening Post'', 26 February 1938 * Taliaris Papers, box 441 * Lord Dynevor, ''My Reminiscences'' (Carmarthen, 1937)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dynevor, Walter Rice, 7th Baron 1873 births 1956 deaths Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Carmarthen Militia officers Rice, Walter 07 Councillors in Wales Lord-lieutenants of Carmarthenshire People educated at Eton College Rice, Walter Rice, Walter Dynevor, B7 Walter