Fleetwood Edwards
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Fleetwood Isham Edwards GCVO
, KCB
, ISO
(21 April 1842 – 14 August 1910) was Keeper of the Privy Purse
for Queen Victoria from 1895 to 1901.
, Edwards joined Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
in 1861. He received a commission in the Royal Engineers
in 1863. Edwards was married to Edith Smith-Masters, who died 9 March 1873. He remarried in 1880 to Mary Routledge Majendie.
between 1867 and 1869, an Assistant Inspector to the Works at the Royal Arsenal
from 1870 to 1873, then as aide de camp to the Inspector General of Fortifications
from 1873 to 1878, and later was attached to the special embassy at the Congress of Berlin
in 1878. Edwards served as a Groom-in-Waiting
to Queen Victoria from 1880 and 1895, whereupon he became Keeper of the Privy Purse
until her death in 1901. He was designated as an Extra Equerry to the Queen from 1888 until her death. He served as an executor of Queen Victoria's will in 1901. During his time as a member of Queen Victoria's court, a zebra
died under the care of Edwards, which was said to greatly annoy the Queen. Edwards was blamed for not contacting London Zoo, and the animal had to be buried at Windsor Castle
.
Between 1901 and 1910 he served as a Serjeant-at-Arms in the House of Lords
to King Edward VII. He was appointed as Paymaster of the Household in 1910 for King George V, which he carried out until his death later that year. He was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
in 1887, and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
in 1901. He also held the Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd Class, with Star
. He was a trustee of Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute for Nurses
.
appearance, playing for I Zingari
, a club he likely joined due to his close links with the Ponsonby family; many of whom he worked alongside at court. During this match, against a Gentlemen of the South including W. G. Grace
and two of his brothers, Edwards top-scored for I Zingari in the first-innings, remaining 27 not out
at the close of the innings. He only managed to score 12 runs in the second-innings, and his side lost by 121 runs to the Gentlemen. In 1870 he became a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club
(MCC) and he continued to play amateur cricket for I Zingari and other sides until 1872.
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...
, KCB
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...
, 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...
(21 April 1842 – 14 August 1910) was Keeper of the Privy Purse
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
for Queen Victoria from 1895 to 1901.
Early life and personal life
After attending Harrow SchoolHarrow 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...
, Edwards joined Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
in 1861. He received a commission in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in 1863. Edwards was married to Edith Smith-Masters, who died 9 March 1873. He remarried in 1880 to Mary Routledge Majendie.
Royal service
Edwards served as aide de camp to the Governor of BermudaGovernor of Bermuda
The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
between 1867 and 1869, an Assistant Inspector to the Works at the Royal Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
from 1870 to 1873, then as aide de camp to the Inspector General of Fortifications
Chief Royal Engineer
The Chief Royal Engineer is the official head of the Corps of Royal Engineers. He was also the professional head of the Corps until 1941, when that role was moved to that of the Engineer-in-Chief.-Origin and development:...
from 1873 to 1878, and later was attached to the special embassy at the Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
in 1878. Edwards served as a Groom-in-Waiting
Groom in Waiting
The office of Groom in Waiting was a post in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, which in earlier times was usually held by more than one person at a time – in the late Middle Ages there might be dozens of persons with the rank...
to Queen Victoria from 1880 and 1895, whereupon he became Keeper of the Privy Purse
Keeper of the Privy Purse
The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom....
until her death in 1901. He was designated as an Extra Equerry to the Queen from 1888 until her death. He served as an executor of Queen Victoria's will in 1901. During his time as a member of Queen Victoria's court, a zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
died under the care of Edwards, which was said to greatly annoy the Queen. Edwards was blamed for not contacting London Zoo, and the animal had to be buried at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
.
Between 1901 and 1910 he served as a Serjeant-at-Arms in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
to King Edward VII. He was appointed as Paymaster of the Household in 1910 for King George V, which he carried out until his death later that year. He was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
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...
in 1887, and 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...
in 1901. He also held the Prussian Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd Class, with Star
Order of the Red Eagle
The Order of the Red Eagle was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements...
. He was a trustee of Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute for Nurses
Queen's Nursing Institute
The Queen’s Nursing Institute is a charity that works to improve the nursing care of people in their own homes in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.-History:...
.
Cricket career
Edwards narrowly failed to get into the first eleven during his time at Harrow School. He played a number of matches for the Royal Engineers, and for the Knickerbockers. In 1866 he made his only first-class cricketFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
appearance, playing for I Zingari
I Zingari
I Zingari are English and Australian amateur cricket clubs.-History:...
, a club he likely joined due to his close links with the Ponsonby family; many of whom he worked alongside at court. During this match, against a Gentlemen of the South including W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
and two of his brothers, Edwards top-scored for I Zingari in the first-innings, remaining 27 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
at the close of the innings. He only managed to score 12 runs in the second-innings, and his side lost by 121 runs to the Gentlemen. In 1870 he became a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
(MCC) and he continued to play amateur cricket for I Zingari and other sides until 1872.