Victor Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton
Encyclopedia
Victor Alexander George Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton KG
, GCSI
, GCIE
, PC
, DL
(9 August 1876 – 25 October 1947), styled Viscount Knebworth until 1891, was a British
politician and colonial administrator. He served as Governor of Bengal
between 1922 and 1922 and was briefly Acting Viceroy of India
in 1926.
and Edith Villiers, daughter of Edward Ernest Villiers and granddaughter of George Villiers. He was born in Simla
in British India, during the time when his father was Viceroy of that colony. He was educated at Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. In 1905 he was President of the Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club and gave the Toast to Sir Walter at the club's annual dinner.
between 1916 and 1920, before being appointed Under-Secretary of State for India
, a post which he held between 1920 and 1922. He was also made a Privy Counsellor
in 1919. In 1922 he was posted as Governor of Bengal
, remaining there until 1927. For a short while, when there was a vacancy caused by change in incumbents in 1925, he also functioned as Viceroy, his father's old post. After this he filled miscellaneous positions in various capacities, when matters concerning India came up. He wrote two books, the first being a life of his grandfather Lord Lytton
, while the other book dealt with his experiences in India and was called Pundits and Elephants, published in 1942. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1933.
Lytton may be best known for his chairmanship of the Lytton Commission, which was sent by the League of Nations
on a fact-finding mission to determine who was to blame in the 1931 war between Japan
and China
. The commission's Lytton Report
, officially issued on October 1, 1932, caused Japan to withdraw from the League of Nations.
. However, Churchill's and Plowden's relationship was amicably broken off in 1902 when she decided to marry Lytton instead. Lytton's two sons, Antony Bulwer-Lytton, Viscount Knebworth
, Member of Parliament
for Hitchin
, and Alexander Edward John Bulwer-Lytton, Viscount Knebworth, killed in the Second World War, both predeceased him. On his death in October 1947, aged 71, the titles passed to his younger brother Neville Bulwer-Lytton
.
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...
, GCSI
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...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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....
(9 August 1876 – 25 October 1947), styled Viscount Knebworth until 1891, 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...
politician and colonial administrator. He served as Governor of Bengal
Governor of Bengal
From 1690, a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal, which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers, the nawabs of Murshidabad, who were nominal vassals of the Mughal emperor in Delhi....
between 1922 and 1922 and was briefly Acting Viceroy of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
in 1926.
Background and education
Lytton was the fourth but eldest surviving son of Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of LyttonRobert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton
Edward Robert Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, PC was an English statesman and poet...
and Edith Villiers, daughter of Edward Ernest Villiers and granddaughter of George Villiers. He was born in Simla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
in British India, during the time when his father was Viceroy of that colony. 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 College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. In 1905 he was President of the Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club and gave the Toast to Sir Walter at the club's annual dinner.
Political and administrative career
Lytton started off his official career by filling up various posts in the AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
between 1916 and 1920, before being appointed Under-Secretary of State for India
Under-Secretary of State for India
This is a list of Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State and Permanent Under-Secretaries of State at the India Office during the period of British rule between 1866 and 1948, and for Burma from 1858-1948....
, a post which he held between 1920 and 1922. He was also made a Privy Counsellor
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...
in 1919. In 1922 he was posted as Governor of Bengal
Governor of Bengal
From 1690, a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal, which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers, the nawabs of Murshidabad, who were nominal vassals of the Mughal emperor in Delhi....
, remaining there until 1927. For a short while, when there was a vacancy caused by change in incumbents in 1925, he also functioned as Viceroy, his father's old post. After this he filled miscellaneous positions in various capacities, when matters concerning India came up. He wrote two books, the first being a life of his grandfather Lord Lytton
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton
Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC , was an English politician, poet, playwright, and novelist. He was immensely popular with the reading public and wrote a stream of bestselling dime-novels which earned him a considerable fortune...
, while the other book dealt with his experiences in India and was called Pundits and Elephants, published in 1942. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1933.
Lytton may be best known for his chairmanship of the Lytton Commission, which was sent by the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
on a fact-finding mission to determine who was to blame in the 1931 war between Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The commission's Lytton Report
Lytton Report
was a report generated by a League of Nations commission in December 1931 to try to determine the causes of the Mukden Incident which led to the Empire of Japan’s seizure of Manchuria.- The Commission :The Lytton Commission was headed by V. A. G. R...
, officially issued on October 1, 1932, caused Japan to withdraw from the League of Nations.
Family
Lord Lytton married Pamela Chichele-Plowden, an early flame of Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. However, Churchill's and Plowden's relationship was amicably broken off in 1902 when she decided to marry Lytton instead. Lytton's two sons, Antony Bulwer-Lytton, Viscount Knebworth
Antony Bulwer-Lytton, Viscount Knebworth
Edward Antony James Bulwer-Lytton, Viscount Knebworth , was a British pilot and Conservative politician.Knebworth was the eldest son of Victor Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton, and his wife Pamela, daughter of Sir Trevor Chichele-Plowden. Lady Hermione Lytton was his sister. He was educated at...
, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Hitchin
Hitchin (UK Parliament constituency)
Hitchin was a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
, and Alexander Edward John Bulwer-Lytton, Viscount Knebworth, killed in the Second World War, both predeceased him. On his death in October 1947, aged 71, the titles passed to his younger brother Neville Bulwer-Lytton
Neville Bulwer-Lytton, 3rd Earl of Lytton
Neville Stephen Bulwer-Lytton, 3rd Earl of Lytton, OBE was a British military officer and artist.He was a son of Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton and grandson of the famous novelists, Edward Bulwer-Lytton and Rosina Doyle Wheeler. Neville Lytton was born in India while his father served...
.