Herbert Henry Spender-Clay
Encyclopedia
Herbert Henry Spender Clay (1875 – 15 February 1937) was a British soldier and Conservative Party
politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1910 to 1937.
. He was educated at Eton
and Sandhurst
, and in 1896 was commissioned as an officer of the 2nd Life Guards. He served in the Second Boer War
, and resigned his commission in 1902 to take up farming on his father's estate in Surrey, which he inherited.
He was elected at January 1910 general election as the Member of Parliament
for the Tunbridge division
of Kent
. He was re-elected in December 1910, and when the division was abolished in boundary changes for the 1918 general election
he was returned as a Coalition Conservative for the new Tonbridge division
. He held that seat through a further six general elections until his death.
He died on 15 February 1937 at his London home on Hyde Park Street (or at his Surrey home; sources differ), from pneumonia
following influenza
.
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
. He was a Captain in the 2nd Life Guards
during the First War, and was awarded the Military Cross
in 1917. He eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
At the age of 29, he married on 29 October 1904, the Hon. Pauline Astor
, who was then 24. They had three daughters :-
Phyllis Mary was born on 4 October 1905, and married at the age of 27 on 6 February 1932 in Dormansland Sir Philip Bouverie Bowyer Nichols, KCMG MC, then aged 38, who was born on 7 September 1894, and died on 6 December 1962 in London at the age of 68; he was the younger son of John Bowyer Buchanan Nichols
of Lawford Hall, Essex, and was educated at Eton
and Balliol
College, Oxford. He was appointed Ambassador to the Netherlands. They lived at Lawford Hall, Manningtree Essex, and he was buried at St Mary's, Lawford. Where and when she died is not known. They had two sons and two daughters.
Rachel Pauline was born on 19 January 1907, married at the age of 22 on 6 February 1929 in St James' Piccadilly to 27 year old Hon. David Bowes Lyon, the youngest son of 14th Earl of Strathmore, and brother of the Queen Mother
; he was born on 2 May 1902, died on 13 September 1961 in Hitchin, Herts at the age of 59 and was buried at St Paul's, Waldenbury. He was K.C.V.O., Deputy Lieutenant JP. She was JP Herts 1956. They had a son and a daughter.
Sybil Gwendoline was born on 25 March 1910, died on 3 March 1912 at the age of 1
Herbert was Deputy Lieutenant
and J.P. for Surrey
, Member of Parliament
for Tonbridge
1910 37, and a Charity Commissioner. He was appointed to the Privy Council
in 1929, and made C.M.G. They lived at Ford Manor, Lingfield, Sussex and also had a London house at 21 Hill Street. He died on 15 February 1937 at Dormansland at the age of 61.
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 sat in the House of Commons from 1910 to 1937.
Career
Spender-Clay was the only son of Joseph Spender-Clay of Ford Manor in SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He 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 Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, and in 1896 was commissioned as an officer of the 2nd Life Guards. He served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, and resigned his commission in 1902 to take up farming on his father's estate in Surrey, which he inherited.
He was elected at January 1910 general election as the 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 Tunbridge division
Tunbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Tunbridge was a parliamentary constituency in Kent, centred on the town of Tonbridge. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He was re-elected in December 1910, and when the division was abolished in boundary changes for the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
he was returned as a Coalition Conservative for the new Tonbridge division
Tonbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Tonbridge was a parliamentary constituency in Kent, centred on the town of Tonbridge. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. He held that seat through a further six general elections until his death.
He died on 15 February 1937 at his London home on Hyde Park Street (or at his Surrey home; sources differ), from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
following influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
.
Family
Herbert Henry Spender Clay was born on 4 June 1875, the only son of Joseph Spender Clay and Sydney née Garrett. He was a Godson of Rev John Harden Clay, the son of his great uncle Rev John Clay, and was educated at EtonEton
Eton commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England.Eton may also refer to:-Places:*Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England*Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States...
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Sandhurst
Sandhurst is a small town and civil parish in England of 7,966 homes and 20,803 inhabitants , primarily domiciliary in nature with a few light industries...
. He was a Captain in the 2nd Life Guards
Life Guards
Life Guards may refer to several military regiments:*Life Guards *Life Guards *Russian Imperial Guard*Garde du Corps , during the Ancien Régime...
during the First War, and was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in 1917. He eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
At the age of 29, he married on 29 October 1904, the Hon. Pauline Astor
William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor
William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor was a very wealthy American who became a British nobleman. He was a member of the prominent Astor family.-Life in United States:...
, who was then 24. They had three daughters :-
Phyllis Mary was born on 4 October 1905, and married at the age of 27 on 6 February 1932 in Dormansland Sir Philip Bouverie Bowyer Nichols, KCMG MC, then aged 38, who was born on 7 September 1894, and died on 6 December 1962 in London at the age of 68; he was the younger son of John Bowyer Buchanan Nichols
John Bowyer Buchanan Nichols
John Bowyer Buchanan Nichols , known as Bowyer Nichols was an English poet. He became a trustee of the Wallace Collection. The poet Robert Nichols was his son.-Works:...
of Lawford Hall, Essex, and was educated at Eton
Eton
Eton commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England.Eton may also refer to:-Places:*Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England*Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States...
and Balliol
Balliol
Balliol may refer to:* The Balliol family, Lords of Baliol, and their fief* their ancestral seat in Northern France, known usually as Bailleul* Balliol College, Oxford* King John of Scotland , often known as John Balliol...
College, Oxford. He was appointed Ambassador to the Netherlands. They lived at Lawford Hall, Manningtree Essex, and he was buried at St Mary's, Lawford. Where and when she died is not known. They had two sons and two daughters.
Rachel Pauline was born on 19 January 1907, married at the age of 22 on 6 February 1929 in St James' Piccadilly to 27 year old Hon. David Bowes Lyon, the youngest son of 14th Earl of Strathmore, and brother of the Queen Mother
Queen mother
Queen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since at least 1577...
; he was born on 2 May 1902, died on 13 September 1961 in Hitchin, Herts at the age of 59 and was buried at St Paul's, Waldenbury. He was K.C.V.O., Deputy Lieutenant JP. She was JP Herts 1956. They had a son and a daughter.
Sybil Gwendoline was born on 25 March 1910, died on 3 March 1912 at the age of 1
Herbert was Deputy Lieutenant
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....
and J.P. for Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, 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 Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
1910 37, and a Charity Commissioner. He was appointed to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
in 1929, and made C.M.G. They lived at Ford Manor, Lingfield, Sussex and also had a London house at 21 Hill Street. He died on 15 February 1937 at Dormansland at the age of 61.