Arthur Wellesley, 4th Duke of Wellington
Encyclopedia
Arthur Charles Wellesley, 4th Duke of Wellington, KG
, GCVO
, GCTE
, DL
(15 March 1849 – 18 June 1934) was a member of the well-known Wellesley family
. He joined the military and served in the Household Division
. Upon his childless brother's death in 1900, he inherited the family title and estates.
and Augusta Sophia Anne Pierrepont. Wellesley's paternal grandparents included the famous Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
, Catherine Pakenham
and, on the maternal side, Henry Pierrepont
, Lady Sophia Cecil. Between 1861 and 1866, he was educated at Eton
. After graduating, Wellesley joined the military. He served as an officer in the Grenadier Guards
, the most senior regiment of the Guards' division. The Guards formed part of the five-regiment Household Division
, the elite of the military that provided security for the monarch. To be selected as a member of the Household Division was a great honor, and consequently recipients received two ranks, one as a member of the Household Division and a second, higher rank, as a member of the armed forces. Wellesley received the rank of Ensign
, in his regiment, and Lieutenant
, in the British Army, on 13 June 1868. He would later gain the rank of Lieutenant, in his regiment, and Captain
, in the British Army, on 15 February 1871. On 24 October 1872, he married Kathleen Emily Bulkeley-Williams, daughter of Captain
Robert Griffith Williams (brother of Sir Richard Bulkeley Williams-Bulkeley, 10th Baronet
) and wife Mary Anne Geale (daughter of Pears Geale, of Dublin).
On 8 June 1900 his childless brother Henry
died. Wellesley succeeded to all of his brother's titles: Duke of Wellington, Prince of Waterloo
, Duque de Ciudad Rodrigo
, and Duque da Vitória
. He also inherited the London town-house, Apsley House
, and the sprawling family estates of Stratfield Saye House
, with over 19000 acres (7,689 ha) of land granted to the first duke by parliamentary purchase for military services. The estate also included four so-called livings; Wellesley had the duty, right, and obligation to fill positions in local parishes.
From 1900 until 1934 Wellesley was a member of the House of Lords on the Conservative bench
. He was also a member of the Marlborough Club, a gentleman's club.
He was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
on 2 May 1902 and a Knight of the Order of the Garter
on 8 August 1902. Both of these awards were awarded to him by King Edward VII
. He was also awarded the Spanish decoration of the Grand Cross of Charles III, and the Portuguese decoration of the Grand Cross of the Tower and Sword
. The Duchess died on 24 June 1927 at Apsley House
and was interred on 28 June at Stratfield Saye
. Wellesley died at Ewhurst Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire
, and was buried three days later at Stratfield Saye House
, Basingstoke, Hampshire, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Wellington. His son, Arthur, succeeded him to the Wellesley family estates and titles.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, 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...
, GCTE
Order of the Tower and Sword
The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(15 March 1849 – 18 June 1934) was a member of the well-known Wellesley family
Duke of Wellington
The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
. He joined the military and served in the Household Division
Household Division
Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country’s most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with the head of state.-Historical Development:In...
. Upon his childless brother's death in 1900, he inherited the family title and estates.
Early life and career
Wellesley was born in 1849, the second son of Major-General Lord Charles WellesleyLord Charles Wellesley
Major-General Lord Charles Wellesley was a British politician, soldier and courtier. He was the second son of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, and Catherine Pakenham. He married Augusta Pierrepont, daughter of Henry Pierrepont, on 9 July 1844...
and Augusta Sophia Anne Pierrepont. Wellesley's paternal grandparents included the famous Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, Catherine Pakenham
Catherine Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
Catherine Sarah Dorothea Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington was the wife of the 1st Duke of Wellington. She is commonly known as Kitty Pakenham.-Early Life:...
and, on the maternal side, Henry Pierrepont
Henry Manvers Pierrepont
The Honourable Henry Manvers Pierrepont was an English diplomat. He served as Envoy to the Court of Sweden from 1804 to 1807.-Background:...
, Lady Sophia Cecil. Between 1861 and 1866, 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"....
. After graduating, Wellesley joined the military. He served as an officer in the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
, the most senior regiment of the Guards' division. The Guards formed part of the five-regiment Household Division
Household Division
Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country’s most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with the head of state.-Historical Development:In...
, the elite of the military that provided security for the monarch. To be selected as a member of the Household Division was a great honor, and consequently recipients received two ranks, one as a member of the Household Division and a second, higher rank, as a member of the armed forces. Wellesley received the rank of Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
, in his regiment, and Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A 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...
, in the British Army, on 13 June 1868. He would later gain the rank of Lieutenant, in his regiment, and Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
, in the British Army, on 15 February 1871. On 24 October 1872, he married Kathleen Emily Bulkeley-Williams, daughter of Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
Robert Griffith Williams (brother of Sir Richard Bulkeley Williams-Bulkeley, 10th Baronet
Williams-Bulkeley Baronets
The Williams, later Williams-Bulkeley Baronetcy, of Penrhyn in the County of Caernarvon, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 17 June 1661 for Griffith Williams. He had already been granted a baronetcy by Oliver Cromwell in 1658. The second Baronet represented both ...
) and wife Mary Anne Geale (daughter of Pears Geale, of Dublin).
Later life and career
Throughout his career Wellesley saw no combat action: his duties were largely ceremonial as part of the Household Guard. He received the rank Captain in his regiment and Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army on 5 April 1879. Wellesley received the rank of Major in his regiment and Colonel in the British Army on 1 August 1887.On 8 June 1900 his childless brother Henry
Henry Wellesley, 3rd Duke of Wellington
Henry Wellesley, 3rd Duke of Wellington was the son of Lord Charles Wellesley and grandson of the 1st Duke of Wellington....
died. Wellesley succeeded to all of his brother's titles: Duke of Wellington, Prince of Waterloo
Prince of Waterloo
Prince of Waterloo is one of the highest-ranking Dutch titles of nobility, retained by the Duke of Wellington.The title was given by King William I of the Netherlands, of the then recently united Low Countries, to Field Marshal The 1st Duke of Wellington as a victory title in recognition of...
, Duque de Ciudad Rodrigo
Duque de Ciudad Rodrigo
The Spanish hereditary ducal title of Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo , with accompanying dignity Grandee of Spain 1st Class , was conferred on the British General Arthur Wellesley, then 1st Viscount Wellington, later 1st Duke of Wellington, in January 1812, after his important victory at the Siege of...
, and Duque da Vitória
Duque da Vitória
Duque da Vitória is a Portuguese title of nobility retained by the Duke of Wellington.The title was created by Prince Regent John of Portugal on 18 December 1812 to honour the British General Arthur Wellesley, who was the general commander of the armies that eventually defeated the troops of...
. He also inherited the London town-house, Apsley House
Apsley House
Apsley House, also known as Number One, London, is the former London residence of the Dukes of Wellington. It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, facing south towards the busy traffic interchange and Wellington Arch...
, and the sprawling family estates of Stratfield Saye House
Stratfield Saye House
Stratfield Saye House is a large stately home at Stratfield Saye in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It has been the home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817.-Early history:...
, with over 19000 acres (7,689 ha) of land granted to the first duke by parliamentary purchase for military services. The estate also included four so-called livings; Wellesley had the duty, right, and obligation to fill positions in local parishes.
From 1900 until 1934 Wellesley was a member of the House of Lords on the Conservative bench
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...
. He was also a member of the Marlborough Club, a gentleman's club.
He was invested as a Knight Grand Cross 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...
on 2 May 1902 and a Knight of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
on 8 August 1902. Both of these awards were awarded to him by King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
. He was also awarded the Spanish decoration of the Grand Cross of Charles III, and the Portuguese decoration of the Grand Cross of the Tower and Sword
Order of the Tower and Sword
The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
. The Duchess died on 24 June 1927 at Apsley House
Apsley House
Apsley House, also known as Number One, London, is the former London residence of the Dukes of Wellington. It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, facing south towards the busy traffic interchange and Wellington Arch...
and was interred on 28 June at Stratfield Saye
Stratfield Saye
Stratfield Saye is a village and civil parish in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire.The parish includes the hamlets of West End Green, Fair Oak Green and Fair Cross.The name means 'Street-Field of the Saye family'...
. Wellesley died at Ewhurst Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, and was buried three days later at Stratfield Saye House
Stratfield Saye House
Stratfield Saye House is a large stately home at Stratfield Saye in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire. It has been the home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817.-Early history:...
, Basingstoke, Hampshire, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Wellington. His son, Arthur, succeeded him to the Wellesley family estates and titles.
Children
He and his wife had six children :- Lady Evelyn Kathleen Wellesley (30 July 1873 – 19 January 1922) married Hon. Robert James, had son, Arthur Walter James, b. 6 January 1904- 1981
- Arthur Charles Wellesley, 5th Duke of Wellington (9 June 1876 – 11 December 1941)
- Lord Richard Wellesley (30 September 1879 – 29 October 1914)
- Gerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of WellingtonGerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of WellingtonGerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of Wellington, KG , styled Lord Gerald Wellesley between 1900 and 1943, was a British diplomat, soldier, and architect....
(21 August 1885 – 4 January 1972) - Lady Eileen Wellesley (13 February 1887 – 31 October 1952)
- Lord George WellesleyLord George WellesleyWing Commander Lord George Wellesley MC was an English soldier and airman.He was the son of Colonel Sir Arthur Charles Wellesley, 4th Duke of Wellington and Kathleen Emily Bulkeley Williams. His great-grandfather was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington...
(29 July 1889 – 31 July 1967)