Clarence Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare
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The Lord Aberdare | |
---|---|
Member of the House of Lords | |
Lord Temporal | |
In office 20 February 1929 – 4 October 1957 | |
Preceded by | The 2nd Baron Aberdare |
Succeeded by | The 4th Baron Aberdare |
Personal details | |
Born | London, England[1] | 2 August 1885
Died | 4 October 1957 Morinj, near Kotor, Yugoslavia[2] | (aged 72)
Spouse(s) | Margaret Bethune Black Griselda Harriet Violet Finetta Georgina Hervey |
Children | Morys George Lyndhurst Bruce Nigel Henry Clarence Bruce Rosalind Louise Balfour Bruce Gwyneth Margaret Bruce |
Parent(s) | Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare Constance Mary Beckett |
Clarence Napier Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare, GBE (2 August 1885 – 4 October 1957), styled The Honourable Clarence Bruce from 1895 to 1929, was a British military officer, cricketer, tennis player, and also an excellent golfer. He was the second son of Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare.
Bruce received his education at Twyford School,[3] Winchester College and at New College, Oxford, and was admitted as a barrister of the Inner Temple; however, when World War I broke out, he decided to enter the British Army. His elder brother was killed in action in 1914, making him heir apparent to his father's barony.
Lord Aberdare, who would rise to the substantive rank of
In 1937, Aberdare was appointed chairman of the National Fitness Council, the first attempt at a Sports Council in England. It quickly established 22 area committees to help with its aim of promoting a fit population. It was funded by the Department of Education and provided capital grants for new facilities and other grants to help with the appointment of trainers and leaders. It had a difficult two years before being dissolved in October 1939. These included liaison with existing statutory and voluntary organisations. In absorbing the Juvenile Organisations Committee and its local committees it alienated many who had worked towards bridging the gap between recreation provided at school and to the wider community (14–20 age group). In addition there was much support for compulsory physical training as opposed to the council's approach of a voluntary ethos.
Simultaneously, Aberdare played an active role in the organisation of the
Aberdare's first wife, née Margaret Bethune Black, died on 8 February 1950. On 12 September 1957 Aberdare married his second wife, the actress Griselda Hervey. The couple drove to attend the 53rd Session of the IOC in Sofia, Bulgaria, held from 23 to 28 September. After the IOC meeting finished, they began driving home through Yugoslavia as part of their honeymoon. On 4 October 1957 their car left the road near Risan and fell into the sea. Aberdare, aged 72, drowned and his wife, aged 56, was injured.[7] The repatriation of Lord Aberdare's body was arranged by Sir John Lambert at the UK embassy in Belgrade: as coffins were not permitted on passenger flights, Lambert concealed Aberdare's body among the cellos of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra.[8]
References
- ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
- ^ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995.
- ^ Notable Former Pupils, Twyford School. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
- ^ "Lord Aberdare". The Daily Telegraph. 28 January 2005. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023.
- ^ Peerage Info
- ISBN 1845131630.
- ^ Cricinfo page on Clarence Bruce
- ^ Childs, Martin (2 August 2015). "Sir John Lambert: Soldier whose immense diplomatic skills served him". The Independent. London. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
External reading
- Ed. Charles Mosley. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage. Copyright 2003; Burke's Peerage and Gentry: Wilmington, Delaware.
- Portraits of Clarence Bruce, 3rd Baron Aberdare at the National Portrait Gallery, London