Charles Balfour facts for kids

Captain Charles Barrington Balfour (born February 20, 1862 – died August 31, 1921) was a British Army officer. He later became a politician for the Conservative Party. He served in the House of Commons, which is like the main law-making body in the UK, from 1900 to 1907.

Charles Balfour was a first cousin of Arthur Balfour. Arthur Balfour was a very important politician who served as Prime Minister from 1902 to 1905.

Early Life and Military Service

Charles Balfour was born in 1862. His father, also named Charles Balfour, passed away when young Charles was only 10 years old. Charles then inherited his family's large estates. These included Balgonie Castle in Fife and "Newton Don" near Kelso in Scotland.

He went to a famous school called Eton College. After that, he studied at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. This is where officers for the British Army are trained. In 1881, he became a lieutenant in the Scots Guards, a famous part of the army.

Charles Balfour served in the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882. He was part of the important battle of Tel-El-Kebir. For his service, he received a special medal. In 1890, he was promoted to captain. He also served in other military units, including the King's Own Scottish Borderers.

Political Career and Public Service

Beyond his military life, Charles Balfour was active in public service. He was a councillor on Berwickshire County Council. This meant he helped make decisions for the local area. He was also a Justice of the Peace for Berwickshire. This role involves helping with local law and order. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant of Berwickshire, a representative of the Crown.

Charles Balfour tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) five times before he finally won a seat. He ran in elections in 1885, 1892, 1895, and 1899, but he didn't win any of those times.

In the 1900 general election, he was elected without anyone running against him. He became the MP for the Hornsey area of Middlesex. He was re-elected in 1906. However, he later resigned from his seat in 1907.

Later Life and Achievements

On May 31, 1917, Charles Balfour was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire. This is a special role where he represented the King in that area.

In June 1919, he received a high honor. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath. This award was given for his important work during the First World War. He helped lead the Berwickshire Territorial Force Association.

Charles Balfour also worked in business. He was a director at Barclays Bank. He was also a director of the Scottish Widows fund, which helps people with their finances. In 1902, he became a Fellow of the Royal Botanic Society. This shows his interest in plants and nature.

He passed away on August 31, 1921. A special memorial was built in Kelso in 1925 to remember him.

Family Life

In 1888, Charles Balfour married Lady Helena McDonnell, who was known as "Nina." They had four sons together.

Their eldest son was Charles James Balfour, born in 1889. He also became a captain in the Scots Guards, just like his father.

Another son, John, had an interesting experience during the First World War. He was studying in Germany when the war started. Because of this, he was held in a special camp called Ruhleben for the entire war. After the war, he joined the Foreign Office. He became a successful diplomat, working in many countries like Moscow, Madrid, and Washington. He was even knighted in 1954 for his work. John Balfour passed away in 1983. He wrote a book about his memories as a diplomat.