Arnold Keppel, 8th Earl of Albemarle facts for kids
Arnold Allan Cecil Keppel, 8th Earl of Albemarle (born June 1, 1858 – died April 12, 1942), was a British soldier, a member of the royal court, and a politician from the Conservative Party. Before he became an Earl, he was known as Viscount Bury from 1891 to 1894.
Life and Political Journey
Lord Albemarle was the oldest son of William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle. His mother was Sophia Mary, whose father, Sir Allan Napier McNab, was a Canadian politician. Arnold went to school at Eton College, a famous British school.
In 1892, he was elected to Parliament for the area of Birkenhead. He held this position until 1894. That year, his father passed away, and Arnold became the new Earl. This meant he took his seat in the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament.
Lord Albemarle also worked for the government between 1922 and 1924. He was a Lord-in-waiting for the Conservative leaders Bonar Law and Stanley Baldwin. A Lord-in-waiting is like a helper or a whip for the government in the House of Lords. In July 1902, he became a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London (FZS), which means he was recognized for his interest in animals.
Military Career
Arnold Keppel began his military journey in 1877 as a Sub-lieutenant in the Dorset Militia, a part-time military force. The next year, he joined the Scots Guards as a Second lieutenant. He left this role in 1883.
In 1892, he took over from his father as the Lieutenant-Colonel of the 12th Middlesex (Civil Service) Rifle Volunteer Corps. He stayed in command until 1901.
When the Second Boer War started in South Africa in 1899, a group of volunteers from London was formed. This group was called the City of London Imperial Volunteers (CIV). Lord Albemarle was put in charge of the infantry (foot soldiers) part of the CIV on January 3, 1900. He held the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Army. He served until the CIV group was disbanded in December 1900.
For his service in South Africa, he was mentioned in official reports for his bravery. He also received the Queen's South Africa Medal and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1900. He was given the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army.
Albemarle was also made an Honorary Colonel of other military groups. These included the East Norfolk Militia in 1900 and a volunteer battalion of the Norfolk Regiment in 1906. He commanded the Norfolk Volunteer Infantry Brigade as a Brigadier-General from 1901 to 1906. He received two special awards for volunteers: the Volunteer Decoration (VD) and the Territorial Decoration (TD).
He served as an Aide-de-Camp (a personal assistant) to both King Edward VII and King George V. He was also honored with the Royal Victorian Order. He became a Member (MVO) in 1901, a Knight Commander (KCVO) in 1909, and finally a Grand Cross (GCVO) in 1931.
He is also believed to have sculpted the statue of two drummer boys. This statue is based on a story by Rudyard Kipling called The Drums of the Fore and Aft. The statue can be found in Woodbridge, Suffolk.
Family
Lord Albemarle married Lady Gertrude Lucia Egerton (1861–1943) in 1881. She was the daughter of Wilbraham Egerton, 1st Earl Egerton. They had four sons and one daughter:
- Walter Egerton George Lucian (1882–1979): He became the 9th Earl. He married Lady Judith Sydney Myee Wynn-Carington in 1909, and they had five children. After she passed away, he married Diana Cicely Grove in 1931, and they had one daughter.
- Arnold Joost William (1884–1964): He married three times but did not have any children.
- Rupert Oswald Derek (1886–1964): He married Violet Mary de Trafford in 1919, but their marriage was ended in 1921, and they had no children.
- Elizabeth Mary Gertrude Lucia Sophia (1890–1986): She married Sir Torquhil Matheson, 5th Baronet, and they had two sons.
- Albert Edward George Arnold (1898–1917): He sadly died in battle during the Battle of Passchendaele near Ypres, Belgium. He was not married.
Lord Albemarle passed away in Quidenham, Norfolk, on April 12, 1942, when he was 83 years old. His oldest son, Walter, became the next Earl.
