Edric Gifford, 3rd Baron Gifford
Encyclopedia
Major Edric Frederick Gifford, 3rd Baron Gifford VC
(5 July 1849 – 5 June 1911) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
on 5 July 1849. His father was Robert Francis Gifford, 2nd Baron Gifford, and his mother was Hon. Swinburne Frederica Charlotte FitzHardinge Berkeley. His brother was Maurice Gifford
, CMG, who raised "Gifford's Horse" in the Second Matabele War
.
He was educated at Harrow
, and in 1869 entered the 83rd Foot
. On the death of his father in 1872, he became 3rd Baron Gifford.
In 1874, at the age of 23, Gifford was a lieutenant
in the 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot (later the South Wales Borderers), British Army
during the First Ashanti Expedition, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:
In 1876, Gifford left the 24th Foot, moving to the 57th Foot. In 1878 he was in Cyprus
, and in 1879 he was aide-de-camp
to Sir Garnet Wolseley in the Anglo-Zulu War
. Shortly afterwards he retired from the Army as a brevet
major
.
, which was at that time a British
colony. He arrived in Western Australia in October 1880 and immediately took up an appointment to the position of Colonial Secretary
, and a nomination to the Western Australian Legislative Council
. After leaving Western Australia in January 1883 following disputes with the Chief Justice, Sir Henry Wrenfordsley
and the Governor Sir William Robinson
, Gifford was Colonial Secretary of Gibraltar
from 1883 to 1887. In 1889 he became a director of the British South Africa Company
.
Edric Gifford died on 5 June 1911 in Chichester
, England
. He had no children. His nephew John Fitzhardinge Paul Butler
also won a Victoria Cross.
Edric Gifford's Victoria Cross medal is not publicly held.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(5 July 1849 – 5 June 1911) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to 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...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Military career
Edric Gifford was born in LondonLondon
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 5 July 1849. His father was Robert Francis Gifford, 2nd Baron Gifford, and his mother was Hon. Swinburne Frederica Charlotte FitzHardinge Berkeley. His brother was Maurice Gifford
Maurice Gifford
Hon. Maurice Raymond Gifford CMG was a British military officer.-Biography:Born at Ampney Park, Gloucester, he was the son of Robert Francis Gifford, 2nd Baron Gifford, and the brother of Edric Gifford, 3rd Baron Gifford. On the completion of his education he entered the Merchant Service, and...
, CMG, who raised "Gifford's Horse" in the Second Matabele War
Second Matabele War
The Second Matabele War, also known as the Matabeleland Rebellion and in Zimbabwe as the First Chimurenga, was fought in 1896–97 between the British troops and the Ndebele people....
.
He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, and in 1869 entered the 83rd Foot
83rd Regiment of Foot
The 83rd Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment that served in the American Revolutionary War...
. On the death of his father in 1872, he became 3rd Baron Gifford.
In 1874, at the age of 23, Gifford was a 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 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot (later the South Wales Borderers), British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First Ashanti Expedition, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:
In 1876, Gifford left the 24th Foot, moving to the 57th Foot. In 1878 he was in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, and in 1879 he was aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Sir Garnet Wolseley in the Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
. Shortly afterwards he retired from the Army as a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
major
Major
Major 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. ...
.
Colonial administrator
Gifford married Sophia Catherine Street in April 1880, then went to Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, which was at that time 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...
colony. He arrived in Western Australia in October 1880 and immediately took up an appointment to the position of Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary of Western Australia
The Colonial Secretary of Western Australia was one of the most important and powerful public offices in Western Australia, in the time when Western Australia was a British colony. The Colonial Secretary was the representative of the British Colonial Office in Western Australia, and was usually...
, and a nomination to the Western Australian Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
. After leaving Western Australia in January 1883 following disputes with the Chief Justice, Sir Henry Wrenfordsley
Henry Wrenfordsley
Sir Henry Thomas Wrenfordsley Kt was an Irish lawyer and was the second Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State of Western Australia.-Early life:...
and the Governor Sir William Robinson
William Robinson
William Robinson, or Will Robinson or Bill Robinson or other nicknames, may refer to:-Historical:* William Robinson , Quaker martyr* William Benjamin Robinson , Canadian fur trader and political figure...
, Gifford was Colonial Secretary of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
from 1883 to 1887. In 1889 he became a director of the British South Africa Company
British South Africa Company
The British South Africa Company was established by Cecil Rhodes through the amalgamation of the Central Search Association and the Exploring Company Ltd., receiving a royal charter in 1889...
.
Edric Gifford died on 5 June 1911 in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He had no children. His nephew John Fitzhardinge Paul Butler
John Fitzhardinge Paul Butler
John Fitzhardinge Paul Butler VC DSO was a British Army Officer during the First World War, and English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:Butler was born...
also won a Victoria Cross.
Edric Gifford's Victoria Cross medal is not publicly held.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (West Sussex)