Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
ADC FRS | |
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16th Governor General of Canada | |
In office 21 June 1940 – 12 April 1946 | |
Monarch | George VI |
Prime Minister | William Lyon Mackenzie King |
Preceded by | Lord Tweedsmuir |
Succeeded by | Lord Alexander of Tunis |
4th Governor-General of South Africa | |
In office 21 January 1924 – 21 December 1930 | |
Monarch | George V |
Prime Minister | Jan Smuts J. B. M. Hertzog |
Preceded by | Prince Arthur of Connaught |
Succeeded by | The Earl of Clarendon |
Personal details | |
Born | Prince Alexander of Teck 14 April 1875 Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore |
Spouse | |
Children | Lady May Abel Smith Rupert Cambridge, Viscount Trematon Prince Maurice of Teck |
Parent(s) | Francis, Duke of Teck Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge |
Education | Eton College;
Major-General |
Battles/wars | |
Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George; born Prince Alexander of Teck; 14 April 1875 – 16 January 1958), was a member of the extended
Prince Alexander was born in
A cousin and also brother-in-law of
After returning to the United Kingdom, Athlone sat on the organising committee for the
Early life, education, and military career
Teck-Cambridge Family |
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Prince Alexander of Teck was born at
When Prince Alexander was nine years old, his parents fled the United Kingdom for
The announcement came on 16 November 1903 that Prince Alexander had become
In the same year, Prince Alexander was appointed Chairman of Middlesex Hospital.[7]
First World War
Prior to the outbreak of the
During the war, anti-German sentiment throughout the British Empire led the King to change the name of the royal house from the Germanic House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the more English House of Windsor, while simultaneously renouncing all Germanic titles for himself and all members of the Royal Family. Through a royal warrant issued on 14 July 1917, Alexander, along with his brother, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Teck, similarly relinquished all of his German titles, styles, and honours, choosing instead the name of Cambridge, after his grandfather, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge.[20] Alexander was then known simply as Sir Alexander Cambridge (being entitled to the honorific Sir through his knighthoods in the Royal Victorian Order and the Order of the Bath), until, on 7 November 1917, the King created him Earl of Athlone and Viscount Trematon.[21] Athlone had declined a marquessate, as he thought the title did not sound British enough. Athlone's wife retained her royal style and title, while their surviving children became the Lady May Cambridge and Rupert Cambridge, Viscount Trematon. Rupert was to inherit the title of Earl of Athlone, but he died on 15 April 1928, ten days shy of his twenty-first birthday, meaning the third creation of the title became extinct with the death of the first earl.
Post-war career and Governor-General of the Union of South Africa
Following the cessation of hostilities in Europe in 1918, Athlone was promoted to the brevet rank of colonel in June 1919, and retired from the army that November, with the honorary rank of brigadier-general.
For their London residence, the Athlones used the
In December of the same year, Athlone was appointed by the King as both an honorary major-general and as the
In
For his service to the Crown in South Africa, Athlone was appointed by George V as a
In 1937 he led the Ministry of Health and Board of Education Interim Report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Nursing Services, also known as The Athlone Report. It looked at nursing recruitment, retention and skills and included Dame Ellen Musson[33]
In January 1939, Athlone was appointed president of The Football Association.[34] The move represented the first time the FA had appointed someone that was not a football administrator to the position.[35]
Governor General of Canada
In
Instead, it was George's uncle, the Earl of Athlone, whose name Mackenzie King put forward and the Earl accepted.
Athlone immediately made himself active in the support of the war effort, travelling across the country and focusing much of his attention on the troops, either those training at military facilities or those injured and in hospital. Viewing his position as governor general as a link between Canadians and their monarch, Athlone also communicated in speeches that the King stood with them in their fight against Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime.[32]
The war was brought close to home for the Athlones also because many of those belonging to displaced European royal families sought refuge in Canada and resided at or near the royal and viceroyal residence,
It was Athlone's duty to play host at
During his time as the Canadian viceroy, Athlone also lent his status to various charitable and other social events, and mounted a number of activities of his own, such as tobogganing parties and skating lessons on the grounds of Rideau Hall, as well as skiing in Gatineau Park. When he departed Canada at the end of his time as the King's representative, Athlone left as a legacy the Athlone Fellowship, awarded by the Engineering Institute of Canada.[32]
Post-viceregal life
After Lord Athlone's replacement as governor general was appointed on 21 March 1946, he returned to the United Kingdom to retirement, taking up residence again in a
The Earl of Athlone died at Kensington on 16 January 1958 at the age of 82, and was interred in the Royal Vault at
Honours
Ribbon bars of the Earl of Athlone | ||||
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- Orders
- 1888 – 14 July 1917: Grand Cross of the Order of the Württemberg Crown
- 8 December 1898 – 16 February 1901: Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)
- 16 February 1901 – 16 January 1957: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)
- 19 April 1901: Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
- 1904 – 14 July 1917: Knight of the Order of the Rautenkrone
- 22 July 1904 – 14 July 1917: Grand Cross with Crown in Ore of the House Order of the Wendish Crown[46]
- 5 August 1904 – 16 January 1957: Knight of Justice of the Venerable Order of St John (KStJ)[47]
- 19 June 1911 – 16 January 1957: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (civil division) (GCB)[48]
- 4 June 1917 – 6 November 1923: Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
- 6 November 1923 – 24 June 1936: Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG)[49]
- 24 June 1936 – 16 January 1957: Grand Master of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George[50]
- 17 April 1928 – 16 January 1957: Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (KG)
- Appointments
- Privy Counsellor (PC)[51]
- 1936 – 1957: Regimental Colonel of the Life Guards
- 4 August 1931 – 16 January 1957: Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle
- 1937 – 16 January 1957: Fellow of the Royal Society[52]
- 21 June 1940 – 12 April 1946: Chief Scout for Canada
- 1940 – 16 January 1957: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club
- Medals
- 1897: British South Africa Company Medal
- 1897: Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal
- 1901: Queen's South Africa Medal
- 1902: King Edward VII Coronation Medal
- 1911: King George V Coronation Medal
- 1919: 1914–15 Star
- 1919: British War Medal
- 1919: Victory Medal
- 1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
- 1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
- 1939–45 Star
- 1945: War Medal 1939–1945
- 1947: Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
- 1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
- Awards
- Mentioned in Despatches
- 1915: Mentioned in Despatches
- 1915: Mentioned in Despatches
- 1 January 1935: Royal Victorian Chain[53]
- Foreign honours and decorations
- 1909 – 16 January 1957: Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the North Star[54]
- 24 October 1915 – 16 January 1957: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold[55]
- 24 February 1916: Military Cross[56]
- 9 December 1916: Grand Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour[57]
- Knight 1st Class with Swords of the Imperial Order of St Anna[58]
- 16 April 1918: Croix de guerre[59]
Honorary military appointments
- Personal Aide-de-Camp to the King (ADC)[60]
- 1936 – 1957: Colonel of the Life Guards
- 1930 – 16 January 1957: Colonel-in-Chief of the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles
- the Governor General's Horse Guards[61]
- 21 June 1940 – 12 April 1946: Colonel of the Governor General's Foot Guards[61]
- the Canadian Grenadier Guards[61]
Honorific eponyms
- Awards
- South Africa: Athlone Institute Bursary Project Fund, Paarl[62]
- Geographic locations
- Buildings
- Schools
- Alberta: Athlone Elementary School, Edmonton
- Manitoba: Athlone School, Winnipeg
- Queenstown
- South Africa: Athlone Boys High School, Johannesburg[63]
- South Africa: Athlone Institute, Paarl[62]
Arms
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Ancestry
Ancestors of Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
Notes
- ^ Lord Macduff (originally Prince Alastair of Connaught), who would succeed to the title of Duke of Connaught and Strathearn in 1942, was the grandson of the previous Governor General of Canada, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, and the son of former South African governor general Prince Arthur of Connaught. He died at Rideau Hall in 1943.
References
- ^ Galbraith, William (1989), "Fiftieth Anniversary of the 1939 Royal Visit" (PDF), Canadian Parliamentary Review, 12 (3), Ottawa: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association: 7–9, archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2011, retrieved 14 December 2009
- ^ Wayling, Thomas (22 May 1939). "George VI Becomes King of Canada". The Leader-Post. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ "George IV, Dominion Will See First 'King of Canada'". The Canadian Jewish Chronicle. 12 May 1939. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ Tidridge, Nathan (5 February 2012). "This Jubilee day is also a sad anniversary". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-938311-04-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-904387-82-7.
- ^ a b c d e f "Earl of Athlone (1874–1957)". University of Warwick. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
- ^ "No. 26563". The London Gazette. 23 October 1894. p. 5929.
- ^ "No. 27032". The London Gazette. 13 December 1898. p. 8045.
- ^ "No. 27106". The London Gazette. 8 August 1899. p. 4895.
- ^ "No. 27180". The London Gazette. 6 April 1900. p. 2283.
- ^ "No. 27306". The London Gazette. 19 April 1901. p. 2701.
- ^ "No. 27616". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 November 1903. p. 7013.
- ^ "No. 27647". The London Gazette. 16 February 1904. p. 1013.
- ^ Cokayne 2000, p. 259
- ^ "No. 28466". The London Gazette. 17 February 1911. pp. 1238–1238.
- required.)
- ^ "No. 29433". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 January 1916. p. 435.
- ^ "No. 30111". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1917. pp. 5458–5459.
- ^ "No. 30374". The London Gazette. 9 November 1917. pp. 11592–11594.
- ^ "No. 30374". The London Gazette. 9 November 1917. p. 11594.
- ^ "No. 31395". The London Gazette. 6 June 1919. p. 7421.
- ^ "No. 31630". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 November 1919. p. 13522.
- ^ "No. 32626". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 March 1922. p. 1796.
- ISBN 9780043532003.
- ISBN 0304307572. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ^ "No. 32884". The London Gazette. 30 November 1923. p. 8329.
- ^ ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the originalon 29 March 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
- ^ "Wemmer Pan/Pioneer Park". Johannesburg City Parks. Archived from the original on 29 December 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
- ^ "No. 33376". The London Gazette. 17 April 1928. p. 2737.
- ^ "No. 33741". The London Gazette. 4 August 1931. p. 5110.
- ^ a b c d e f Office of the Governor General of Canada. "Governor General > Former Governors General > Major General The Earl of Athlone". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
- ^ "Inter-Departmental Committee on Nursing Services (Athlone)". Nursing Times (London, England). 58. 30 March 1962 – via RCN Historical Nursing Journals Collection, Female Forerunners Worldwide, Cengage Gale.
- ^ "Earl of Athlone President of F.A." The Straits Times. 24 January 1939. p. 19 – via National Library Board Singapore.
- ^ "Uncle of the King as president of F.A." Morning Tribune. 11 February 1939. p. 4 – via National Library Board Singapore.
- ^ Canada Gazette, volume 74, number 2, 13 July 1940, page 55
- ISBN 978-0-7735-0310-6.
- ^ Hubbard 1977, p. 196
- ^ "Life Calls on the Earl of Athlone". Life. Vol. 17, no. 6. 7 August 1944. pp. 94–97. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- ^ Hubbard 1977, p. 201
- ^ Hubbard 1977, p. 202
- ^ "No. 37706". The London Gazette. 27 August 1946. p. 4347.
- ^ "No. 39578". The London Gazette. 20 June 1952. p. 3395.
- ^ "Royal Burials in the Chapel since 1805". College of St George – Windsor Castle. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ^ "Großherzogliche Orden und Ehrenzeichen". Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Großherzogtums Mecklenburg-Strelitz: 1907 (in German). Neustrelitz: Druck und Debit der Buchdruckerei von G. F. Spalding und Sohn. 1907. p. 14.
- ^ "No. 27702". The London Gazette. 5 August 1904. p. 5047.
- ^ "No. 28505". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 1911. p. 4592.
- ^ "No. 32877". The London Gazette. 6 November 1923. p. 7547.
- ^ "No. 34300". The London Gazette. 30 June 1936. p. 4155.
- ^ "No. 33731". The London Gazette. 30 June 1931. p. 4241.
- S2CID 73148018.
- ^ "No. 34119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1934. p. 7.
- ^ Sveriges statskalender (PDF) (in Swedish), 1912, p. 571, retrieved 27 March 2021 – via gupea.ub.gu.se
- ^ "No. 29312". The London Gazette. 1 October 1915. p. 9642.
- ^ "No. 29486". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 February 1916. p. 2075.
- ^ "No. 29854". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 December 1916. p. 12039.
- ^ "No. 30476". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1918. p. 827.
- ^ "No. 30638". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 April 1918. p. 4716.
- ^ "No. 28380". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1910. p. 3859.
- ^ a b c Government of Canada (22 April 2013). "Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ^ a b "Who We Are". Athlone Institute Bursary Project Fund. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^ "Athlone Boys School". Athlone Boys School. Archived from the original on 13 November 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
External links
- Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone from the Flickr Commons
- Website of the Governor General of Canada entry for Lord Athlone
- "Alexander Cambridge, Earl of Athlone". The Canadian Encyclopedia
- "The Late Earl of Athlone" Tributes to the Earl of Athlone by members of the House of Lords, 22 January 1957, as reported in Hansard
- Portraits of Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone at the National Portrait Gallery, London
- Newspaper clippings about Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW