Henry Gage, 6th Viscount Gage facts for kids

Henry Rainald Gage, 6th Viscount Gage (born December 30, 1895 – died February 27, 1982) was an important British nobleman. He held the title of Viscount Gage for many years and lived at Firle Place, a historic family home. He was also known as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, which is a special honor given by the British monarch.

Early Life and Becoming a Viscount

Henry Rainald Gage was born to Henry Charles Gage and Leila Georgina Peel. His family, the Gages, had a long history. They had important connections in British North America, including links to the Schuyler, Delancey, and Van Cortlandt families.

In 1912, when Henry was just 16 years old, his father passed away. This meant Henry became the 6th Viscount Gage, taking on the family title at a very young age.

Service and Public Life

Henry Rainald Gage served his country during World War I. He was a Captain in the Coldstream Guards, a famous British Army regiment. He saw action and fought in both France and Belgium.

After the war, he took on several important public roles:

• He was made an Honorary Colonel of the 58th (Home Counties) Field Brigade, Royal Artillery, in 1936.
• He worked as a Parliamentary Private Secretary from 1924 to 1929. This role involved helping the Secretary of State for India.
• He also served as a Lord-in-Waiting, assisting the King or Queen, from 1924 to 1929 and again from 1931 to 1939.
• In 1927, he became a Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex.
• He also served as a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Sussex, helping with local law and order.

Preserving History

Viscount Gage also helped preserve important historical documents.

• In 1931, he gave letters and papers from his famous relative, General Sir Thomas Gage, to the William L. Clements Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan. These papers were written between 1758 and 1764.
• Later, between 1958 and 1965, he donated more historical documents. These were letters from another family member, Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Warren. He gave these to the Sussex Archaeological Society in Lewes.

Firle Place During Wartime and Beyond

When World War II began, the Gage family moved to a smaller house. Their large family home, Firle Place, was used to help others. A girls' school from Lewes, called Southover, was temporarily moved there for safety.

Later, Canadian soldiers were housed at Firle Place. This shows how the family contributed to the war effort.

In 1952, Viscount Gage's mother-in-law passed away. She left many beautiful artworks to his wife, Imogen. The couple decided to share this art with the public. In 1954, they opened Firle Place for public tours, allowing people to visit and see the art and the historic house.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1968, Viscount Gage's first wife, Imogen, died. He remarried in 1971 to Diana Cavendish.

Henry Rainald Gage passed away in 1982 at the age of 86. To remember him, a beautiful stained glass window was placed in St Peter's Church in Firle. The window was created by the artist John Piper.

He was also involved in conservation efforts, serving as Deputy President of Sussex Wildlife Trust from 1962 to 1967. He was also a director for companies like Over Timber (Fawley) Ltd. and Firle Estate Co.Ltd.

Family Life

On February 26, 1931, Henry Rainald Gage married Alexandra Imogen Clair Grenfell, who was known as Imogen. She was the daughter of William Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough. They had three children together:

• George John St. Clere Gage, 7th Viscount Gage (born July 8, 1932 – died 1993)
• (Henry) Nicolas Gage, 8th Viscount Gage (born April 9, 1934)
• Hon. Camilla Jane Gage (born July 12, 1937), who married Edward Cazalet

Their first son, George John, was born in 1932. He was often called "Sammy" and later became the 7th Viscount Gage. Their second son, Nicolas, who would become the 8th Viscount Gage, was born in 1934. Their daughter, Camilla Jane, was born in 1937.