Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Viscount Cobham KG GCMG GCVO TD PC DL
Lyttelton in around 1957
9th Governor-General of New Zealand
In office 5 September 1957 – 13 September 1962
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake Walter Nash
Preceded by	The Lord Norrie
Succeeded by	The Lord Ballantrae
Personal details
Born	8 August 1909 Kensington, London
Died	20 March 1977(1977-03-20) (aged 67) Marylebone, London
Spouse	Elizabeth Alison Makeig-Jones ​ (m. 1942)​
Children	8, including John and Christopher
Parents	John Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham Violet Yolande Leonard

Charles John Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham (born August 8, 1909 – died March 20, 1977) was an important person in both England and New Zealand. He was the ninth Governor-General of New Zealand. This role is like being the Queen's representative in a country. He was also a talented English cricketer. He came from the well-known Lyttelton family.

Early Life and Education

Charles Lyttelton was born in Kensington, London. His father was John Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham. His mother was Violet Yolande Leonard. He was also a cousin of the famous musician Humphrey Lyttelton.

He went to two famous schools: Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He studied law and finished his degree in 1932. His family had a special connection to New Zealand. His great-grandfather, George Lyttelton, 4th Baron Lyttelton, helped start the city of Christchurch. Places like Hagley Park and the town of Lyttelton in New Zealand are named after his family. Charles himself visited New Zealand in 1950.

Military Service in World War II

Lyttelton joined the army in 1933. He fought in the Second World War in France starting in 1940. He was a commander of the 5th Regiment from 1943. After the war, he became an Honorary Colonel in the army in 1969.

Serving New Zealand

Viscount Cobham (right) on August 26, 1958, visiting an art exhibition.

After the war, Charles wanted to become a politician in England. But when his father passed away in 1949, Charles became the 10th Viscount Cobham. This meant he could not serve in the main elected parliament in England.

Instead, he became the ninth Governor-General of New Zealand. He started this important job on September 5, 1957. Even though he came from a noble family, people in New Zealand really liked him. He was seen as an active person who loved sports like cricket and golf. He was also good at hunting and fishing. These were all things that New Zealanders appreciated.

During his time as Governor-General, some big things happened. Western Samoa became an independent country. Also, the Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened.

Working with Leaders

Lord Cobham worked with three different Prime Ministers during his time in New Zealand:

• Sidney Holland
• Keith Holyoake
• Walter Nash

He was very careful not to get involved in arguments. He had good relationships with all the Prime Ministers.

Supporting Young People

Lord Cobham helped start the Outward Bound program in New Zealand. This program teaches young people outdoor skills and teamwork. He opened the first Outward Bound school in Anakiwa in September 1962. This school is even named after him. He was very happy with how the school was doing when he visited it later.

He finished his term as Governor-General on September 13, 1962. He was a great speaker. A book of his speeches sold 50,000 copies. He gave all the money he earned from the book (about £10,000) to the Outward Bound program. Two places in New Zealand, Cobham Oval in Whangarei and Cobham Court in Porirua, are named after him.

Cricket Career

Charles Lyttelton had a successful career in first-class cricket. He played over 90 games for Worcestershire in the 1930s. He was even the captain of the team from 1936 to 1939.

He played his first big cricket match in June 1932. His highest score in a game was 162 runs. This was his only "century" (scoring 100 runs or more) in first-class cricket. He also scored 50 runs or more 14 other times. His best year for batting was 1938.

He also played for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). This included a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1935–36. His cricket career mostly ended when World War II began.

Amazingly, he played one more first-class match in February 1961. He was 51 years old and was the Governor-General of New Zealand at the time. He captained a New Zealand team against the MCC. He still played well, scoring 44 runs.

Many of his relatives also played first-class cricket. His great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and uncle all played the sport. Charles Lyttelton was also a former President of the MCC.

Family Life

The interior of St John the Baptist Church in Hagley.

Lord Cobham married Elizabeth Alison Makeig-Jones on April 30, 1942. They had eight children together: four sons and four daughters.

He passed away in Marylebone, London, on March 20, 1977. His wife and children survived him. He was cremated in London, and his ashes were buried in the family plot at Hagley parish church.

His children include:

• John William Leonard Lyttelton, 11th Viscount Cobham (1943–2006)
• Hon. Juliet Meriel Lyttelton (born 1944)
• Hon. Elizabeth Catherine Lyttelton (born 1946)
• Christopher Charles Lyttelton, 12th Viscount Cobham (born 1947)
• Hon. Richard Cavendish Lyttelton (born 1949)
• Hon. Nicholas Makeig Lyttelton (1951–2014)
• Hon. Lucy Lyttelton (born 1954)
• Hon. Sarah Lyttelton (1954–2015)

A special banner, called a Garter banner, that belonged to him is now on display in the St John the Baptist Church in Hagley.

Images for kids

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  Grave of Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham.