William A. Baillie-Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Sir William Alexander Baillie-Hamilton C.B.
, K.C.M.G. (6 September 1844 – 6 July 1920) was a Scottish civil servant, who became Private Secretary
to the Chief Secretary for Ireland
and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
between 1886 and 1892. In his youth, he was a keen sportsman who played for the Scottish side in the first football match
against England in March 1870.
, the son of Admiral William Alexander Baillie-Hamilton (1803–1881) and Lady Harriet Hamilton (1812–1884). His father was Second Secretary to the Admiralty
from 1845 to 1855; his mother was the daughter of James Hamilton, Viscount Hamilton
M.P.
(1786–1814).
He was educated at Harrow
, leaving there in 1863.
On 21 June 1871, he married Mary Aynscombe Mossop, daughter of Reverend John Mossop (rector at Hothfield
, Kent). They had two sons:
by fellow civil servant, James Kirkpatrick
, to represent Scotland in a football match to be played against England at the Kennington Oval on 5 March 1870. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with the Scottish goal being scored by fellow Harrovian, Robert Crawford
.
Baillie-Hamilton also represented Harrow School at cricket
; he later represented M.C.C.
between 1877 and 1881.
in 1887; he was Private Secretary
to the Chief Secretary for Ireland
and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
between 1886 and 1892. He became a Principal Clerk in 1894 and Chief Clerk in 1897. He was Chief Clerk of the Colonial Office
between 1896 and 1909, when he retired.
He also qualified as a barrister
and was admitted to the Inner Temple
in 1871.
In 1884, he published a novel, "Mr. Montenello: a romance of the civil service".
He died on 6 July 1920, aged 75.
). He was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (K.C.M.G.) in the 1897 Diamond Jubilee Honours
; the investiture took place at Windsor Castle
on 9 December 1897.
In November 1901, he was appointed an Officer of Arms of the Order of St. Michael and St. George by King George V
. In May 1911, the title was changed to Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod
, a position held by Baillie-Hamilton until his death.
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...
, K.C.M.G. (6 September 1844 – 6 July 1920) was a Scottish civil servant, who became Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to the Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
between 1886 and 1892. In his youth, he was a keen sportsman who played for the Scottish side in the first football match
England v Scotland representative matches (1870–1872)
Between 1870 and 1872, the Football Association organised five representative association football matches between teams from England and Scotland, all held in London. The first of these matches was held at The Oval on 5 March 1870, and the fifth was on 21 February 1872. The matches, which were...
against England in March 1870.
Family and education
Baillie-Hamilton was born at BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, the son of Admiral William Alexander Baillie-Hamilton (1803–1881) and Lady Harriet Hamilton (1812–1884). His father was Second Secretary to the Admiralty
Second Secretary to the Admiralty
The office of Second Secretary to the Admiralty was a former government position in the Admiralty of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Assistants to the Secretary of the Admiralty were initially only intermittently appointed, being sometimes designated...
from 1845 to 1855; his mother was the daughter of James Hamilton, Viscount Hamilton
James Hamilton, Viscount Hamilton
James Hamilton, Viscount Hamilton was a British nobleman and politician, the eldest son of John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn....
M.P.
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,...
(1786–1814).
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...
, leaving there in 1863.
On 21 June 1871, he married Mary Aynscombe Mossop, daughter of Reverend John Mossop (rector at Hothfield
Hothfield
Hothfield is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England and is located north-west of Ashford town.The village is located to the south of the A20 road. To the north west is Hothfield Common, 58 hectares of heathland and lowland valley bogs: a nature reserve managed by...
, Kent). They had two sons:
- George Douglas Baillie-Hamilton (1875–1934)
- Walter Stuart Baillie-Hamilton (1880–1953)
Sporting career
In 1870, he was selected together with his younger brother CharlesCharles R. Baillie-Hamilton
Charles Robert Baillie-Hamilton was a Scottish civil servant, who became clerk to the Treasury. In his youth, he was a keen sportsman who played for the Scottish side in the first football match against England in March 1870....
by fellow civil servant, James Kirkpatrick
James Kirkpatrick, 8th Baronet
Sir James Kirkpatrick was the 8th Kirkpatrick Baronet of Closeburn, Dumfriesshire. In his youth he was a keen sportsman, and helped organise the Scottish football team in the representative matches between March 1870 and February 1872...
, to represent Scotland in a football match to be played against England at the Kennington Oval on 5 March 1870. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with the Scottish goal being scored by fellow Harrovian, Robert Crawford
Robert Copland-Crawford
Robert Erskine Wade Copland-Crawford was a Scottish soldier and amateur sportsman.He served in the Afghan War from 1878 to 1880, and was mentioned in dispatches...
.
Baillie-Hamilton also represented Harrow School at cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
; he later represented M.C.C.
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...
between 1877 and 1881.
Military career
He was a member of the East Lothians and Berwickshire Imperial Yeomanry, being promoted to the rank of captain in June 1878. He ultimately gained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and Honorary Colonel of the regiment.Civil Service career
On leaving Harrow, he entered the Colonial Office in 1864, reaching the rank of First Class Clerk in 1879. He was secretary to the Colonial ConferenceFirst Colonial Conference
The First Colonial Conference met in London in 1887 on the occasion of Queen Victoria's jubilee.Among other things discussed, the colonies in Australia and New Zealand agreed to pay £126,000 per annum towards the Royal Navy to help pay for the United Kingdom's naval deployments in the Pacific...
in 1887; he was Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to the Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
between 1886 and 1892. He became a Principal Clerk in 1894 and Chief Clerk in 1897. He was Chief Clerk of the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
between 1896 and 1909, when he retired.
He also qualified as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and was admitted to the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1871.
In 1884, he published a novel, "Mr. Montenello: a romance of the civil service".
He died on 6 July 1920, aged 75.
Honours
In May 1887, he was invested as a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and in August 1892 as a Companion of the Order of the Bath (C.B.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...
). He was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (K.C.M.G.) in the 1897 Diamond Jubilee Honours
1897 Diamond Jubilee Honours
The Diamond Jubilee Honours for the British Empire were announced in 22 June 1897 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria on 20 June 1897....
; the investiture took place 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...
on 9 December 1897.
In November 1901, he was appointed an Officer of Arms of the Order of St. Michael and St. George by 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....
. In May 1911, the title was changed to Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod
Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Order of St Michael and St George, established in 1818.The office was simply designated as that of "Officer of Arms" to the Order from the first appointment in 1882 until 1911, when it received the present name.-Officers of Arms of...
, a position held by Baillie-Hamilton until his death.