Francis de Winton
Major-General | |
---|---|
Unit | Royal Artillery |
Battles/wars | Crimean War |
Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Companion of the Order of the Bath |
Early life
De Winton was born at Pitsford, Northamptonshire in 1835, the second son of Walter de Winton of Maesllwch Castle and Julia Cecilia, second daughter of Richard John Collinson.[2] His father had changed his surname from Wilkins to De Winton by royal licence in 1839.
Early career
De Winton was educated at the
From 1878 to 1883 he was secretary to the
Career in Africa and later life
He subsequently held administrative appointments in several African colonies, most notably working as Administrator-general of the Congo Free State. As a result, he was made a Commander of the Order of Leopold by the Belgian government. In 1887 he commanded the Yoni Expedition against the Yoni people of West Africa.[2]
He was made a
In January 1892, de Winton became Controller and Treasurer in the household of Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale. Following the duke's premature death, de Winton served in the household of the Duke and Duchess of York. He was invested as a Knight Grand Cross in 1893.[2]
Personal life
Whilst in Canada, he was Master of the Hounds of the Montreal Hunt. De Winton was honorary secretary of the Royal Geographical Society between 1888 and 1889 and was made an honorary Legum Doctor by the University of Cambridge.
He married in 1864 Evelyn, daughter of Christopher Rawson of Lennoxville, Canada, and had issue two sons and two daughters. One son predeceased him in 1892. De Winton died at Llanstephan, Llyswen in 1901 and was buried at Glasbury.[2]
He is the namesake of De Winton, Alberta, in Canada.[1]
References
- ^ a b Place-names of Alberta. Ottawa: Geographic Board of Canada. 1928. p. 42.
- ^ a b c d e Leslie, John Henry (1912). Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). Vol. 12. London: Smith, Elder & Co. . In
Sources
- Leslie, J. H.; Roger T., Stearn. "Winton, Sir Francis Walter de (1835–1901)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32806. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- Archive Francis de Winton, Royal museum of central Africa