Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General Sir
Charles Fergusson
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Sir Charles Fergusson, circa 1926
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| 3rd Governor-General of New Zealand | |
| In office 13 December 1924 – 8 February 1930 |
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| Monarch | George V |
| Prime Minister | William Massey Francis Bell Gordon Coates Joseph Ward |
| Preceded by | The Viscount Jellicoe |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Bledisloe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 January 1865 |
| Died | 20 February 1951 (aged 86) Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Nationality | British |
| Relations | Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet (father) |
| Children | Sir James Fergusson, 8th Baronet Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1883–1922 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | Grenadier Guards |
| Commands | XVII Corps II Corps 9th (Scottish) Division 5th Division 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards Omdurman District 15th Sudanese Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Mahdist War First World War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Member of the Royal Victorian Order Mentioned in Despatches |
Sir Charles Fergusson, 7th Baronet (born 17 January 1865 – died 20 February 1951) was an important British Army officer. He later became the third Governor-General of New Zealand. A Baronet is a special title, like a hereditary knight.
Contents
Early Life and Military Career
Charles Fergusson was born into a family with a history of public service. His father, Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet, had also served as a Governor of New Zealand.
Charles went to school at Eton College and then trained at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. In 1883, he joined the Grenadier Guards, a famous part of the British Army.
Serving in Sudan and Egypt
Charles Fergusson served in Sudan from 1896 to 1898. He became a leader in the Sudanese Regiment in 1899. He then commanded the Omdurman District in 1900. In 1901, he was made Adjutant General of the Egyptian Army. This meant he was a chief staff officer.
After this, he led the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards in 1904. By 1907, he was a Brigadier-General working with the Irish Command.
World War I Service
In 1909, he became an Inspector of Infantry. In 1913, he was the General Officer Commanding the 5th Division in Ireland. During the Curragh incident, he made sure his officers followed orders.
When the First World War began in August 1914, he took the 5th Division to France. He briefly commanded the 9th (Scottish) Division later that year. From 1915 until the end of the war, he led large groups of soldiers called II Corps and then XVII Corps.
After the war, Fergusson was a Military Governor in Cologne, Germany. He retired from the army in 1922.
Governor-General of New Zealand
In 1923, Charles Fergusson tried to become a Member of Parliament but was not successful. A year later, he was chosen to be the Governor-General of New Zealand. He served in this important role until 1930.
The Governor-General is the King or Queen's representative in New Zealand. It was special because both his father and later his son, Lord Ballantrae, also served as Governors or Governor-Generals of New Zealand.
Railway Accident in New Zealand
On 20 June 1929, Fergusson was involved in a railway accident. This happened after the 1929 Murchison earthquake. He was on a train leaving an event with about 200 other passengers.
The train hit a landslide between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay. The front part of the train fell down a steep bank, and the driver was hurt. The first three passenger carriages also went off the tracks. Luckily, the special carriage where the Governor-General and his wife were sitting stayed on the rails. Sir Charles and his group only had minor cuts and bruises.
Family Life
Sir Charles Fergusson married Lady Alice Mary Boyle on 18 July 1901. She was the daughter of David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow. They had five children:
- Helen Dorothea Fergusson (born 1902)
- Sir James Fergusson, 8th Baronet (born 1904, died 1973)
- The Reverend Simon Charles David Fergusson (born 1907, died 1982)
- Brigadier Bernard Edward Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae (born 1911, died 1980)
- Charles Fergusson (born 1917, died 1917, as a baby)
Freemasonry
Sir Charles Fergusson was a Freemason. This is a social and charitable organization. While he was Governor-General of New Zealand, he also held the top position of Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of New Zealand.
Later Life
After his time in New Zealand, Fergusson became the chairman of a group called the West Indies Closer Union Commission. He was also the Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire from 1937 until he passed away on 20 February 1951.
Images for kids
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The coat of arms of Charles Fergusson.
