Ailwyn Fellowes, 1st Baron Ailwyn
Encyclopedia
Ailwyn Edward Fellowes, 1st Baron Ailwyn KCVO
, KBE
, PC (10 November 1855 – 23 September 1924), was a British
businessman, farmer and Conservative
politician. He was a member of Arthur Balfour
's cabinet as President of the Board of Agriculture
between March and December 1905.
, Norfolk
, the younger son of Edward Fellowes
(later Baron de Ramsey
) and the Hon. Mary Julia, daughter of George Milles, 4th Baron Sondes. William Fellowes, 2nd Baron de Ramsey
, was his elder brother. He was educated at Eton
and Trinity Hall, Cambridge
. He trained as a barrister
, but never qualified, turning instead to agriculture
and politics. He inherited a large estate at Honingham
in Norfolk from his aunt in 1887 and devoted muchy of his time to running and improving it.
in 1886 but won Ramsey
in 1887 in a by-election
following his brother's succession to the peerage. He held office under Lord Salisbury
as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
between 1895 and 1900 and under Salisbury and Arthur Balfour
as a Lord of the Treasury
between 1900 and 1905. In March 1905 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed President of the Board of Agriculture
by Balfour, with a seat in the cabinet, a post he held until the government fell in December 1905.
Between 1917 and 1919 Fellowes was Chairman of the Agricultural Wages Board and Deputy Director of Food Production. Apart from his involvement in national politics he was chairman of Norfolk County Council from 1920, having been an alderman
for many years. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
(KCVO) in 1911, after serving as Deputy President of the Royal Agricultural Show to the King
, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in 1917. In the 1921 Birthday Honours he was raised to the peerage as Baron Ailwyn, of Honingham in the County of Norfolk.
, Norwich Union
and the National Provident Association and Deputy Chairman of the Great Eastern Railway
.
, at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge
, London
, on 9 February 1886. They had four sons:
Lord Ailwyn died at Honingham Hall in September 1924, aged 68, and was buried in the grounds of the local church. Lady Ailwyn died in July 1938.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, PC (10 November 1855 – 23 September 1924), was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman, farmer and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. He was a member of Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
's cabinet as President of the Board of Agriculture
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The post was originally named President of the Board of Agriculture and was created in 1889...
between March and December 1905.
Background and education
Fellowes was born at Haverland Hall, NorwichNorwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, the younger son of Edward Fellowes
Edward Fellowes, 1st Baron de Ramsey
Edward Fellowes, 1st Baron de Ramsey was a British Conservative Member of Parliament.De Ramsey was the son of William Henry Fellowes, of Ramsey Abbey in Huntingdonshire, and Emma Benyon. He was elected to the House of Commons for Huntingdonshire in 1837, a seat he held for 43 years, until 1880...
(later Baron de Ramsey
Baron de Ramsey
Baron de Ramsey, of Ramsey Abbey in the County of Huntingdon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1887 for Edward Fellowes, who had previously represented Huntingdonshire in the House of Commons as a Conservative for 43 years...
) and the Hon. Mary Julia, daughter of George Milles, 4th Baron Sondes. William Fellowes, 2nd Baron de Ramsey
William Fellowes, 2nd Baron de Ramsey
William Henry Fellowes, 2nd Baron de Ramsey , was a British Conservative politician.De Ramsey was the eldest son of Edward Fellowes, 1st Baron de Ramsey, and Hon. Mary Julia Milles. Ailwyn Fellowes, 1st Baron Ailwyn, was his younger brother...
, was his elder brother. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
. He trained as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, but never qualified, turning instead to agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and politics. He inherited a large estate at Honingham
Honingham
Honingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, located to the west of Norwich along the A47 trunk road. It covers an area of and had a population of 342 in 145 households as of the 2001 census....
in Norfolk from his aunt in 1887 and devoted muchy of his time to running and improving it.
Political career
Fellowes unsuccessfully contested Mid Norfolk in 1885 and North NorfolkNorth Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
North Norfolk is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in 1886 but won Ramsey
Ramsey (UK Parliament constituency)
Ramsey was a parliamentary constituency in Huntingdonshire, which elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1887 in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
following his brother's succession to the peerage. He held office under Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
between 1895 and 1900 and under Salisbury and Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
between 1900 and 1905. In March 1905 he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed President of the Board of Agriculture
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a UK cabinet position, responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The post was originally named President of the Board of Agriculture and was created in 1889...
by Balfour, with a seat in the cabinet, a post he held until the government fell in December 1905.
Between 1917 and 1919 Fellowes was Chairman of the Agricultural Wages Board and Deputy Director of Food Production. Apart from his involvement in national politics he was chairman of Norfolk County Council from 1920, having been an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
for many years. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(KCVO) in 1911, after serving as Deputy President of the Royal Agricultural Show to the King
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1917. In the 1921 Birthday Honours he was raised to the peerage as Baron Ailwyn, of Honingham in the County of Norfolk.
Business career
Fellowes was also director of the London and North Eastern RailwayLondon and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
, Norwich Union
Norwich Union
Norwich Union was the name given to insurance company Aviva's British arm before June 2009. It was originally established in 1797. It is the biggest life insurance provider in the United Kingdom, and has a strong position in motor insurance...
and the National Provident Association and Deputy Chairman of the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
.
Family
Lord Ailwyn married the Honourable Agatha Eleanor Augusta, daughter of Hedworth Jolliffe, 2nd Baron HyltonHedworth Jolliffe, 2nd Baron Hylton
Hedworth Hylton Jolliffe, 2nd Baron Hylton , was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.-Birth and education:Hylton was the second son of William George Hylton Jolliffe, 1st Baron Hylton, and Eleanor Paget...
, at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on 9 February 1886. They had four sons:
- Ronald Townshend Fellowes, 2nd Baron AilwynRonald Fellowes, 2nd Baron AilwynLt.-Col. Ronald Townshend Fellowes, DSO, MC 2nd Baron Ailwyn was a British peer, the son of Ailwyn Edward Fellowes, 1st Baron Ailwyn. He succeeded to the Barony on 23 September 1924....
(7 December 1886 – 30 August 1936) - Eric William Edward Fellowes, 3rd Baron AilwynEric Fellowes, 3rd Baron AilwynCaptain Eric William Edward Fellowes, 3rd Baron Ailwyn was a British peer, the son of Ailwyn Edward Fellowes, 1st Baron Ailwyn...
(24 November 1887 – 23 March 1976) - Capt. Hon. Hedworth George Ailwyn Fellowes (10 July 1891 – 12 May 1917), killed in the First World War.
- Carol Arthur Fellowes, 4th Baron AilwynCarol Fellowes, 4th Baron AilwynCarol Arthur Fellowes, 4th Baron Ailwyn was a British peer, the son of Ailwyn Edward Fellowes, 1st Baron Ailwyn. He succeeded to the Barony on 23 March 1976.He married Caroline Alice Cowan, on 16 November 1936....
(23 November 1896 – 27 September 1988)
Lord Ailwyn died at Honingham Hall in September 1924, aged 68, and was buried in the grounds of the local church. Lady Ailwyn died in July 1938.