Almeric Paget, 1st Baron Queenborough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Queenborough GBE
Member of Parliament for Cambridge
In office January 1910 – 1917
Preceded by	Stanley Buckmaster
Succeeded by	Sir Eric Geddes
Majority	587
Personal details
Born	Almeric Hugh Paget (1861-03-14)14 March 1861 London, England
Died	22 September 1949(1949-09-22) (aged 88) Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	Pauline Payne Whitney ​ ​ (m. 1895; her death 1916)​ Edith Starr Miller ​ ​ (m. 1921; div. 1932)​
Children	5, including Olive and Dorothy

Almeric Hugh Paget, 1st Baron Queenborough (born March 14, 1861 – died September 22, 1949) was a British businessman and politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He helped start the Military Massage Service and a special battalion of soldiers during World War I. He also served as the treasurer for the League of Nations Union.

Early Life and Family Background

Almeric Hugh Paget was born in London, England, on March 14, 1861. He was the youngest of six sons. His father was Lord Alfred Paget. His grandfather, Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, was a famous military leader. He led the British cavalry during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Almeric went to Harrow School, a well-known school in England. Later, he became an honorary member of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

Career and Public Service

Almeric Paget started his career working for a railway company in England. In 1881, he moved to the United States. There, he started a cattle ranch in Iowa. He even met Theodore Roosevelt, who later became a US President. Paget then moved to Minnesota, where he worked in real estate. Finally, he settled in New York City.

In New York, he joined Henry Melville Whitney to create large companies. They founded the Dominion Coal Company Ltd. in 1893. They also started the Dominion Iron and Steel Company Ltd. in 1901. These companies were important for mining coal and making steel in Canada.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Almeric Hugh Paget, around 1911

In 1901, Almeric Paget and his family moved back to England. They settled in Suffolk. In 1909, he was given the important role of High Sheriff of Suffolk.

Paget was also a very skilled yachtsman. He won many sailing races, including a big prize from the Tsar at Cowes Week in 1909. He was a leader at the Royal Thames Yacht Club for many years.

In 1906, Paget tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cambridge. He lost that election. However, in January 1910, he tried again and won the seat. He served as an MP until 1917.

Contributions During World War I

Uniform of the Almeric Paget Military Massage Corps, 1916

When World War I began in August 1914, Almeric Paget wanted to help. He started the Almeric Paget Massage Corps. This group provided massage therapy to wounded soldiers. It was later renamed the Military Massage Service. At first, 50 masseuses (people who give massages) were hired. This number quickly grew to over 100. They set up clinics in hospitals across the United Kingdom. After the war, these clinics continued to help people in poorer areas of London.

In November 1914, Paget also opened a clinic for wounded officers and soldiers. This clinic treated about 200 people every day. Besides medical help, Paget also helped form a volunteer battalion of soldiers from Cambridgeshire. This group became the 11th Battalion of The Suffolk Regiment. They were known as the "Cambs Suffolks." About 1,350 volunteers joined. Many of them fought bravely in France, and sadly, 970 members died during the war.

Later Life and Honors

In July 1917, Paget left his role as a Member of Parliament. On January 18, 1918, he was given a special honor. He was made a Baron and became Lord Queenborough. This meant he joined the House of Lords.

In 1920, he became the treasurer of the League of Nations Union. This organization worked for peace after World War I. He held this position for sixteen years. He was also honored with the title Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 1926.

Lord Queenborough held many important positions. He was chairman of several companies, including Siemens Brothers & Co.. He was also a governor of Guy's Hospital and president of other hospitals. He was a member of the Council of the Zoological Society of London. He was also a Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

Personal Life

Almeric Paget married Pauline Payne Whitney on November 12, 1895. She was an American heiress. They had two daughters:

• Olive Cecilia (born 1899)
• Dorothy Wyndham (born 1905)

Pauline died in 1916 during World War I.

On July 19, 1921, Almeric Paget married Edith Starr Miller in New York City. She was an American writer. They had three daughters:

• Audrey Elizabeth (born 1922)
• Enid Louise (born 1923)
• Cicilie Carol (born 1928)

Almeric and Edith later separated. Edith died in 1933. Almeric Hugh Paget, Lord Queenborough, passed away on September 22, 1949, at the age of 88. Since he had no sons, his title as Baron Queenborough ended when he died.

See Also

• List of British politicians

Images for kids

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  Almeric Hugh Paget

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  Almeric Hugh Paget, about 1911

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  Uniform of the Almeric Paget Military Massage Corps, 1916