Gerald Walter Erskine Loder, 1st Baron Wakehurst
Encyclopedia
Gerald Walter Erskine Loder, 1st Baron Wakehurst LLB
JP
DL
(25 October 1861 – 30 April 1936) was a British barrister, businessman and Conservative
politician. He is best remembered for developing the gardens at Wakehurst Place, Sussex
.
, Member of Parliament for New Shoreham, Loder was educated at Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He became a barrister at the Inner Temple
in 1888.
Member of Parliament for Brighton
from 1889 to 1905. He was private secretary to the President of the Local Government Board
(Charles Ritchie) from 1888 to 1892 and to Lord George Hamilton
(the Secretary of State for India
) from 1896 to 1901. He served briefly under Arthur Balfour
as a Lord of the Treasury
in 1905.
A keen gardener, Loder purchased the Wakehurst Place estate in 1903 and spent 33 years developing the gardens, which today cover some two square kilometres (500 acres) and are owned by the National Trust
. He was President of the Royal Arboricultural Society from 1926 to 1927 and President of the Royal Horticultural Society
from 1929 to 1931. He was a Director of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
from 1896, and served as its last Chairman in December 1922. He was also a director of its successor, the Southern Railway
and later Chairman from 1934 until he resigned the chair in December 1934. In June 1934 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wakehurst, of Ardingly in the County of Sussex.
, in 1890. The couple had one son and four daughters:
Children of Gerald Loder and Lady Louise de Vere Beauclerk were:
Lord Wakehurst died in April 1936, aged 74, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son, John. The Loder Cup
, New Zealand's oldest conservation award, is named after Lord Wakehurst.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
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....
(25 October 1861 – 30 April 1936) was a British barrister, businessman and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. He is best remembered for developing the gardens at Wakehurst Place, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
Background and education
The fourth son of Sir Robert Loder, 1st BaronetSir Robert Loder, 1st Baronet
Sir Robert Loder, 1st Baronet DL, JP was an English landowner, magistrate and Conservative politician.Loder was the son of Giles Loder, of Wilsford Salisbury, and his wife Elizabeth Higgbotham, daughter of John Higgbotham, of St Petersburg. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge...
, Member of Parliament for New Shoreham, Loder 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...
. He became a barrister at 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 1888.
Career
Loder was ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament for Brighton
Brighton (UK Parliament constituency)
Brighton was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until it was divided into single-member seats from the United Kingdom general election, 1950...
from 1889 to 1905. He was private secretary to the President of the Local Government Board
President of the Local Government Board
The President of the Local Government Board was a ministerial post, frequently a Cabinet position, in the United Kingdom, established in 1871. The Local Government Board itself was established in 1871 and took over supervisory functions from the Board of Trade and the Home Office, including the...
(Charles Ritchie) from 1888 to 1892 and to Lord George Hamilton
Lord George Hamilton
Lord George Francis Hamilton GCSI, PC, JP was a British Conservative Party politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Background:...
(the Secretary of State for India
Secretary of State for India
The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...
) from 1896 to 1901. He served briefly under Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
in 1905.
A keen gardener, Loder purchased the Wakehurst Place estate in 1903 and spent 33 years developing the gardens, which today cover some two square kilometres (500 acres) and are owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. He was President of the Royal Arboricultural Society from 1926 to 1927 and President of the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
from 1929 to 1931. He was a Director of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
from 1896, and served as its last Chairman in December 1922. He was also a director of its successor, the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
and later Chairman from 1934 until he resigned the chair in December 1934. In June 1934 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wakehurst, of Ardingly in the County of Sussex.
Family
Lord Wakehurst married Lady Louise de Vere Beauclerk, eldest daughter of the 10th Duke of St AlbansWilliam Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans
William Amelius Aubrey de Vere Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans PC , styled Earl of Burford until 1849, was a British Liberal politician...
, in 1890. The couple had one son and four daughters:
Children of Gerald Loder and Lady Louise de Vere Beauclerk were:
- John de Vere Loder, 2nd Baron Wakehurst.
- Hon. Dorothy Cecily Sybil Loder (1896-????).
- Hon. Victoria Helen Loder.
- Hon. Diana Evelyn Loder.
- Hon. Mary Irene Loder.
Lord Wakehurst died in April 1936, aged 74, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son, John. The Loder Cup
Loder Cup
The Loder Cup is a New Zealand conservation award.It was donated by Gerald Loder, 1st Baron Wakehurst in 1926 to "encourage and honour New Zealanders who work to investigate, promote, retain and cherish our indigenous flora"...
, New Zealand's oldest conservation award, is named after Lord Wakehurst.