Gerard Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth
Encyclopedia
Gerard Vernon Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth (16 May 1898 – 28 September 1984), styled Viscount Lymington from 1925 until 1943, was a British landowner, writer on agricultural topics, and politician.
, and brought up near Sheridan, Wyoming
in the United States
, where his parents farmed. He was educated in England
, at Farnborough
, at Winchester College
and at Balliol College, Oxford
. He then farmed at Farleigh Wallop
in Hampshire
. Wallop was commissioned a temporary second lieutenant (probationary) in the Reserve Regiment, 2nd Life Guards on 19 January 1917, was transferred to the Guards Machine Gun Regiment
on 10 May 1918,, and commissioned a temporary lieutenant on 19 July 1918.
Member of Parliament
for the Basingstoke constituency from 1929 to 1934. He stepped down and caused a by-election
in March 1934 (Henry Maxence Cavendish Drummond Wolff was elected). At this point he was in the India Defence League
, an imperialist group of Conservatives around Winston Churchill
, and undertook a research mission in India
for them.
He attended the second Convegno Volta in 1932, with Christopher Dawson
, Lord Rennell of Rodd
, Charles Petrie
and Paul Einzig
making up the British representatives. It was on the theme L'Europa.
His exit from party politics was apparently caused by a measure of disillusion, and frustrated ambition.
the major collection of unpublished papers of Isaac Newton
, known as the Portsmouth Papers. These had been in the family for around two centuries, since an earlier Viscount Lymington had married Newton's great-niece.
The sale was the occasion on which Newton's religious and alchemical interests became generally known. Broken into a large number of separate lots, running into several hundred, they became dispersed. John Maynard Keynes
purchased many significant lots. Theological works were bought in large numbers by Abraham Yahuda
. Another purchaser was Emmanuel Fabius, a dealer in Paris.
, a society promoted by William Sanderson and founded in 1929 or 1930. This was a conservative group, with views in tune with his own monarchist and ruralist opinions.
A split in the Mystery left Wallop leading a successor, the English Array. It was active from 1936 to the early months of World War II
, and advocated "back to the land". Its membership included A. K. Chesterton
, J. F. C. Fuller, Rolf Gardiner
, Hon. Richard de Grey, Hardwicke Holderness, Anthony Ludovici
, John de Rutzen, and Reginald Dorman-Smith
. It has been described as "more specifically pro-Nazi" than the Mystery; Famine in England (1938) by Lymington was an agricultural manifesto, but traded on racial overtones of urban immigration. Lymington's use of Parliamentary questions has been blamed for British government reluctance to admit refugees.
He edited New Pioneer magazine from 1938 to 1940, collaborating with John Warburton Beckett and A. K. Chesterton. The gathering European war saw him found the British Council Against European Commitments in 1938, with William Joyce
. He joined the British People's Party
in 1943. The English Array was not shut down, as other organisations of the right were in the war years, but was under official suspicion and saw little activity.
Freeman Dyson
encountered as a schoolboy the new Earl of Portsmouth, while harvesting during the war:
The Kinship in Husbandry, which he also founded with Rolf Gardiner, was one of the precursors of the later Soil Association
. It recruited Edmund Blunden
, Arthur Bryant
, H. J. Massingham
, Walter James, 4th Baron Northbourne
, Adrian Bell
and Philip Mairet
.
in 1943, on the death of his father Oliver.
After the war he moved to Kenya
, where he lived for nearly 30 years.
Early life
He was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and brought up near Sheridan, Wyoming
Sheridan, Wyoming
Sheridan is a city in Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States. The 2010 census put the population at 17,444 and a Micropolitan Statistical Area of 29,116...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where his parents farmed. He was educated in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, at Farnborough
Farnborough, Hampshire
-History:Name changes: Ferneberga ; Farnburghe, Farenberg ; Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough .Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence...
, at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. He then farmed at Farleigh Wallop
Farleigh Wallop
Farleigh Wallop is a small village and civil parish in Hampshire, England, approximately south of Basingstoke. The parish includes about .Since 1486, Farleigh Wallop has been the home of the Wallop family, including John Wallop, Henry Wallop, and Gerard Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth.-External...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. Wallop was commissioned a temporary second lieutenant (probationary) in the Reserve Regiment, 2nd Life Guards on 19 January 1917, was transferred to the Guards Machine Gun Regiment
Guards Machine Gun Regiment
The Guards Machine Gun Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was initially formed in 1915 when machine gun companies were formed in the Guards Division. In April 1917, the four companies were grouped together as a single battalion of the Machine Gun Guards, before being re-designated by...
on 10 May 1918,, and commissioned a temporary lieutenant on 19 July 1918.
Conservative Party politics
Lord Lymington, as he then was, 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
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,...
for the Basingstoke constituency from 1929 to 1934. He stepped down and caused a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in March 1934 (Henry Maxence Cavendish Drummond Wolff was elected). At this point he was in the India Defence League
India Defence League
The India Defence League was a British pressure group founded in June 1933 dedicated to keeping India within the British Empire.It grew from the parliamentary India Defence Committee and was founded with the support of 10 Privy Councillors, 28 peers, 57 MPs, 2 former Governors and 3 former...
, an imperialist group of Conservatives around Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, and undertook a research mission in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for them.
He attended the second Convegno Volta in 1932, with Christopher Dawson
Christopher Dawson
Christopher Henry Dawson was a British independent scholar, who wrote many books on cultural history and Christendom. Christopher H. Dawson has been called "the greatest English-speaking Catholic historian of the twentieth century".-Life:...
, Lord Rennell of Rodd
Rennell Rodd, 1st Baron Rennell
James Rennell Rodd, 1st Baron Rennell, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, PC , known as Sir Rennell Rodd before 1933, was a British diplomat, poet and politician...
, Charles Petrie
Charles Petrie
Sir Charles Alexander Petrie, 3rd Baronet was a popular historian. Of Irish lineage, but born in Liverpool, he was educated at Oxford, and in 1927 succeeded to the family baronetcy....
and Paul Einzig
Paul Einzig
Paul Einzig was an economic and political writer and journalist. He wrote 57 books, alongside many articles for newspapers and journals, and regular columns for the newspapers Financial News and Commercial and Financial Chronicle....
making up the British representatives. It was on the theme L'Europa.
His exit from party politics was apparently caused by a measure of disillusion, and frustrated ambition.
Newton papers
In 1936 he sent for auction at Sotheby'sSotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
the major collection of unpublished papers of Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
, known as the Portsmouth Papers. These had been in the family for around two centuries, since an earlier Viscount Lymington had married Newton's great-niece.
The sale was the occasion on which Newton's religious and alchemical interests became generally known. Broken into a large number of separate lots, running into several hundred, they became dispersed. John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes, Baron Keynes of Tilton, CB FBA , was a British economist whose ideas have profoundly affected the theory and practice of modern macroeconomics, as well as the economic policies of governments...
purchased many significant lots. Theological works were bought in large numbers by Abraham Yahuda
Abraham Yahuda
Abraham Shalom Yahuda was a Jewish polymath, teacher, writer, researcher, linguist, and collector of rare documents.He was born in Jerusalem to a Jewish family originally from Baghdad. During his early life he studied under his brother Isaac Ezekial Yahuda. In 1895, at the age of fifteen, he wrote...
. Another purchaser was Emmanuel Fabius, a dealer in Paris.
Right-wing groups
He was a member of and important influence on the English MisteryEnglish Mistery
The English Mistery was a political and esoteric group active in the United Kingdom of the 1930s. A "Conservative fringe group" in favour of bringing back the feudal system, its views have been characterised as "reactionary ultra-royalist, anti-democratic"...
, a society promoted by William Sanderson and founded in 1929 or 1930. This was a conservative group, with views in tune with his own monarchist and ruralist opinions.
A split in the Mystery left Wallop leading a successor, the English Array. It was active from 1936 to the early months of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and advocated "back to the land". Its membership included A. K. Chesterton
A. K. Chesterton
Arthur Kenneth Chesterton MC was a far right-wing politician and journalist who helped found right-wing organisations in Britain, primarily in opposition to the break-up of the British Empire, and later adopting a broader anti-immigration stance. His cousin, the author G. K...
, J. F. C. Fuller, Rolf Gardiner
Rolf Gardiner
Henry Rolf Gardiner was an English rural revivalist and sympathizer with Nazism. He was founder of groups significant in the British history of organic farming, as well being a participant in inter-war far right politics.-Early life:...
, Hon. Richard de Grey, Hardwicke Holderness, Anthony Ludovici
Anthony Ludovici
Anthony Mario Ludovici, was an English philosopher, Nietzschean sociologist and social critic. He is best known, perhaps, as a proponent of aristocracy, and in the early 20th century was a leading British conservative author...
, John de Rutzen, and Reginald Dorman-Smith
Reginald Dorman-Smith
Colonel Sir Reginald Hugh Dorman-Smith GBE was a British diplomat, soldier and politician.-In politics:Dorman-Smith started his career with a strong interest in agriculture, becoming President of the National Farmers Union at the age of 32, and then later Minister of Agriculture...
. It has been described as "more specifically pro-Nazi" than the Mystery; Famine in England (1938) by Lymington was an agricultural manifesto, but traded on racial overtones of urban immigration. Lymington's use of Parliamentary questions has been blamed for British government reluctance to admit refugees.
He edited New Pioneer magazine from 1938 to 1940, collaborating with John Warburton Beckett and A. K. Chesterton. The gathering European war saw him found the British Council Against European Commitments in 1938, with William Joyce
William Joyce
William Joyce , nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an Irish-American fascist politician and Nazi propaganda broadcaster to the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He was hanged for treason by the British as a result of his wartime activities, even though he had renounced his British nationality...
. He joined the British People's Party
British Peoples Party (1940s)
The British People's Party was a British far right political party founded in 1939 and led by ex-British Union of Fascists member and Labour Party Member of Parliament John Beckett.-Origins:...
in 1943. The English Array was not shut down, as other organisations of the right were in the war years, but was under official suspicion and saw little activity.
Freeman Dyson
Freeman Dyson
Freeman John Dyson FRS is a British-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician, famous for his work in quantum field theory, solid-state physics, astronomy and nuclear engineering. Dyson is a member of the Board of Sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists...
encountered as a schoolboy the new Earl of Portsmouth, while harvesting during the war:
- the fat young man [Portsmouth] owned the land where we were working, and he came and lectured us about blood and soil and the mystical virtues of the open-air life. He had visited Germany, where his friend Adolf Hitler had organised the schoolkids to work on the land in a movement that he called Kraft durch Freude, in English "Strength through Joy". In Germany the kids had an accordionneuse, a woman with an accordion who played music to them all day long and kept them working in the right rhythm. The fat young man said he would find an accordionneuse for us too. Then we would have strength through joy and we would be able to work much better. Fortunately the accordionneuse never showed up, and we continued to work in our own rhythm.http://afr.com/articles/2003/07/31/1059480475456.html
The Kinship in Husbandry, which he also founded with Rolf Gardiner, was one of the precursors of the later Soil Association
Soil Association
The Soil Association is a charity based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1946, it has over 27,000 members today. Its activities include campaign work on issues including opposition to intensive farming, support for local purchasing and public education on nutrition; as well the certification of...
. It recruited Edmund Blunden
Edmund Blunden
Edmund Charles Blunden, MC was an English poet, author and critic. Like his friend Siegfried Sassoon, he wrote of his experiences in World War I in both verse and prose. For most of his career, Blunden was also a reviewer for English publications and an academic in Tokyo and later Hong Kong...
, Arthur Bryant
Arthur Bryant
Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant, CH, CBE , was a British historian and a columnist for the Illustrated London News. His books included studies of Samuel Pepys, accounts of English eighteenth- and nineteenth-century history, and a life of George V...
, H. J. Massingham
H. J. Massingham
Harold John Massingham was a prolific British writer on matters to do with the countryside and agriculture. He was also a published poet.-Life:...
, Walter James, 4th Baron Northbourne
Walter James, 4th Baron Northbourne
Walter Ernest Christopher James, 4th Baron Northbourne , was an English agriculturalist, author and rower who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics.-Life:...
, Adrian Bell
Adrian Bell
Adrian Bell was an English journalist and farmer, who was the first compiler of The Times crossword.-Life:The son of a newspaper editor, he was born in London and educated at Uppingham School in Rutland...
and Philip Mairet
Philip Mairet
Philip Mairet was a designer, writer and journalist. He had a wide range of interest: crafts, Alfred Adler and psychiatry, and Social Credit. He was also a translator of major figures including Sartre. He wrote biographies of Sir Patrick Geddes and A. R...
.
Later life
He succeeded to the title of Earl of PortsmouthEarl of Portsmouth
Earl of Portsmouth is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1743 for John Wallop, 1st Viscount Lymington, who had previously represented Hampshire in the House of Commons. He had already been created Baron Wallop, of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire in the County of Southampton,...
in 1943, on the death of his father Oliver.
After the war he moved to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, where he lived for nearly 30 years.
Works
- Ich Dien - the Tory Path
- Spring Song of Iscariot (Black Sun PressBlack Sun PressThe Black Sun Press was an English language book publisher founded in 1927 as Éditions Narcisse by poet Harry Crosby and his wife Caresse Crosby , American expatriates living in Paris...
, 1929) poem, as Lord Lymington - Famine in England (1938)
- Alternative to Death (1943)
- A Knot of Roots (1965) autobiography