Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham
Encyclopedia
Arthur John Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham, GCB
, GCVO
, GCIE
, KCSI
, KCMG
, ISO
, PC
(18 June 1849 – 31 March 1931), was a British
soldier and courtier. He was Private Secretary
to Queen Victoria
during the last few years of her reign, and to King George V
during most of his reign. He was the maternal grandfather of Lord Adeane
, Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to 1972.
, Northumberland
and the grandson of Charles William Bigge
(1773–1849) of Benton House, Little Benton, Newcastle on Tyne and Linden Hall
, Longhorsley, Northumberland, High Sheriff of Northumberland
and a prominent merchant and banker in Newcastle on Tyne. He was educated at Rossall School
and the Royal Military Academy and was commissioned in the Royal Artillery
.
to Queen Victoria
from 1895 to 1901 and to King George V
from 1910 to 1931. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1910 and elevated to the peerage as Baron Stamfordham, of Stamfordham in the County of Northumberland, in 1911. He exerted considerable influence over King George V, advising the King to change the family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor
; persuading the King to deny asylum to Tsar Nicholas II and his family, who were thus forced to remain in Russia
and who were murdered by the Bolsheviks; and interpreting the King's response Bugger Bognor as assent to the renaming of Bognor
as Bognor Regis
.
, Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to 1972. Lord Stamfordham died in March 1931, aged 81, when the barony became extinct.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, GCVO
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...
, GCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, KCSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
, KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, ISO
Imperial Service Order
The Imperial Service Order was established by King Edward VII in August 1902. It was awarded on retirement to the administration and clerical staff of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service. Normally a person must have served for 25 years to become...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(18 June 1849 – 31 March 1931), was a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
soldier and courtier. He was Private Secretary
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
The Private Secretary to the Sovereign is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, as distinct from the Great Officers of the Household. The Private Secretary is the principal channel of communication with Her Majesty's Government and the...
to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
during the last few years of her reign, and to King George V
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....
during most of his reign. He was the maternal grandfather of Lord Adeane
Michael Adeane, Baron Adeane
Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Edward Adeane, Baron Adeane, GCB, GCVO, PC , was Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II during the first twenty years of her reign....
, Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to 1972.
Background and education
Bigge was the son of John Frederic Bigge (1814–1885) Vicar of StamfordhamStamfordham
Stamfordham is a village in Northumberland. It is located about 5 miles to the west of Ponteland and 10 miles to the east of Hexham-External links:**...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
and the grandson of Charles William Bigge
Charles William Bigge
Charles William Bigge was an important merchant and banker in Newcastle on Tyne.He served as High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1802, a position previously held by...
(1773–1849) of Benton House, Little Benton, Newcastle on Tyne and Linden Hall
Linden Hall
Linden Hall is a former mansion house at Longhorsley in Northumberland, England which is now operated as a hotel and country club. This includes an 18 hole golf course...
, Longhorsley, Northumberland, High Sheriff of Northumberland
High Sheriff of Northumberland
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post...
and a prominent merchant and banker in Newcastle on Tyne. He was educated at Rossall School
Rossall School
Rossall School is a British, co-educational, independent school, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St. Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College which had been founded the previous year...
and the Royal Military Academy and was commissioned in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
.
Career
Bigge served in the Zulu War and retired in 1898 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He was Private SecretaryPrivate Secretary to the Sovereign
The Private Secretary to the Sovereign is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, as distinct from the Great Officers of the Household. The Private Secretary is the principal channel of communication with Her Majesty's Government and the...
to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
from 1895 to 1901 and to King George V
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....
from 1910 to 1931. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1910 and elevated to the peerage as Baron Stamfordham, of Stamfordham in the County of Northumberland, in 1911. He exerted considerable influence over King George V, advising the King to change the family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor
House of Windsor
The House of Windsor is the royal house of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V by royal proclamation on the 17 July 1917, when he changed the name of his family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor, due to the anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom...
; persuading the King to deny asylum to Tsar Nicholas II and his family, who were thus forced to remain in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and who were murdered by the Bolsheviks; and interpreting the King's response Bugger Bognor as assent to the renaming of Bognor
Bognor
* Bognor Regis* Bognor Regis Town F.C., a football club* Bognor Regis and Littlehampton* Bognor Regis railway station* Alexandra Theatre, Bognor Regis* Bognor Regis Community College* Bognor , a British television series from 1981...
as Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It is south-south-west of London, west of Brighton, and south-east of the city of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east-north-east and Selsey to the...
.
Family
Bigge's only son, John Neville Bigge, was killed in action in 1915. A daughter, the Honourable Victoria Eugenie, married Captain Henry Robert Augustus Adeane. She was the mother of Michael Adeane, Baron AdeaneMichael Adeane, Baron Adeane
Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Edward Adeane, Baron Adeane, GCB, GCVO, PC , was Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II during the first twenty years of her reign....
, Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to 1972. Lord Stamfordham died in March 1931, aged 81, when the barony became extinct.
Styles
- 1849-1871: Arthur John Bigge
- 1871-1880: LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Arthur John Bigge - 1880-1884: Captain Arthur John Bigge
- 1884-1885: Captain Arthur John Bigge, CBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
- 1885-1887: MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Arthur John Bigge, CB - 1887-1893: Major Arthur John Bigge, CB, CMG
- 1893-1895: Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur John Bigge, CB, CMG
- 1895-: Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Arthur John Bigge, KCBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CMG