Sir William Bass, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Arthur Hamar Bass, 2nd Baronet (24 December 1879 – 28 February 1952) was a British racehorse owner and a significant contributor to the racing industry. He also provided support for the British film industry in its early days.
He was the son of Hamar Alfred Bass
and his wife Louisa Bagot (1853–1942), daughter of William Bagot, 3rd Baron Bagot
. HIs father's family traced its fortunes to William Bass
, who founded the famous brewery company
. He was educated at Harrow School
and started at Trinity College, Cambridge
, but appears to have decided to join the army instead. He joined the 10th Royal Hussars in 1899 and served in South Africa
from 1900 to 1902. He lived at Byrkley Lodge in the Tatenhill
area of Staffordshire
. He succeeded to the baronet
cy of Stafford in 1909 following the death of his uncle
.
Bass was first chairman of Provincial Cinematograph Theatres, which was founded in 1909 with the aim of opening a cinema in every town in the UK with a population of 250,000 or more. He also gave financial support to the London Film Company. However, Sir William (or Billy Bass as he was known) was most noted for his ownership of racehorses. He was a member and steward of The Jockey Club
, was on the National Hunt Committee and joint Master of the Royal Hunt http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=1006. He enjoyed his first success in the Cesarewitch Handicap
in 1903 with Grey Tick, and also owned the horses Rosedrop, Cyllene
and Sceptre. He was a Steward of the Pony Turf Club
and was involved in the foundation of Northolt
Park Racecourse in 1929.
In 1947, along with others, Bass continued the family tradition of acting as a benefactor to the Burton upon Trent
area by donating a peal of five bells to All Saints Church
to be installed as a war memorial.
Sir William married Lady (Wilmot Ida) Noreen Hastings (1880–1949), second daughter of the 14th Earl of Huntingdon
and a notable sportswoman, in 1903, but died, aged 72, without having children, leading to the extinction of the baronetcy. He left his fortune to his wife's nephew, the trainer Peter Hastings (d. 1964) who changed his name to Hastings-Bass. Peter's eldest son William Edward Robin Hood Hastings-Bass (b. 1948) is the present and 17th Earl of Huntingdon.
He was the son of Hamar Alfred Bass
Hamar Alfred Bass
Hamar Alfred Bass was a British brewer, race horse breeder and a Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1878 to 1898....
and his wife Louisa Bagot (1853–1942), daughter of William Bagot, 3rd Baron Bagot
William Bagot, 3rd Baron Bagot
William Bagot, 3rd Baron Bagot DL , styled The Honourable from birth until 1856, was a British courtier and Conservative politician.-Background:...
. HIs father's family traced its fortunes to William Bass
William Bass (brewer)
-Career:William Bass was the son of William Bass and his wife Hannah Fish. He had a carrier business with his brother John at Hinckley, Leicestershire...
, who founded the famous brewery company
Bass (beer)
The Bass Brewery was founded as a brewery in 1777 by William Bass in Burton upon Trent, England. The main brand was Bass Pale Ale, which was once the highest selling beer in the UK...
. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and started at 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...
, but appears to have decided to join the army instead. He joined the 10th Royal Hussars in 1899 and served in South Africa
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...
from 1900 to 1902. He lived at Byrkley Lodge in the Tatenhill
Tatenhill
Tatenhill is an ancient village and a civil parish located in a deep valley, between two hills, which gradually descend from the eastern border of Needwood Forest, three and a half miles west-southwest of Burton upon Trent....
area of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. He succeeded to the baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
cy of Stafford in 1909 following the death of his uncle
Baron Burton
Baron Burton, of Burton-on-Trent and of Rangemore in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1897 for the prominent brewer, philanthropist and Liberal politician Michael Bass, 1st Baron Burton. He had already been created a Baronet in 1882 and...
.
Bass was first chairman of Provincial Cinematograph Theatres, which was founded in 1909 with the aim of opening a cinema in every town in the UK with a population of 250,000 or more. He also gave financial support to the London Film Company. However, Sir William (or Billy Bass as he was known) was most noted for his ownership of racehorses. He was a member and steward of The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club, formed on February 9, 1894, is the keeper of The American Stud Book. It came into existence after James R. Keene spearheaded a drive in support of racehorse trainers who had complained about the Board of Control that governed racing in New York State.-History:On its formation, The...
, was on the National Hunt Committee and joint Master of the Royal Hunt http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=1006. He enjoyed his first success in the Cesarewitch Handicap
Cesarewitch Handicap
The Cesarewitch Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs , and the latter part is on the Rowley Mile. It is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was...
in 1903 with Grey Tick, and also owned the horses Rosedrop, Cyllene
Cyllene (horse)
Cyllene was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career that lasted from 1897 until 1899, Cyllene won nine of his eleven starts, winning major races and being regarded as the best horse of his generation at two, three and four years of age...
and Sceptre. He was a Steward of the Pony Turf Club
Pony Turf Club
The Pony Turf Club was a body which regulated the racing of horses of under 15 hands in the United Kingdom from its foundation in 1923 until the early 1960s....
and was involved in the foundation of Northolt
Northolt
Northolt is a town in the London Borough of Ealing, England. The town has London Underground and Network Rail stations and is on the A40 road...
Park Racecourse in 1929.
In 1947, along with others, Bass continued the family tradition of acting as a benefactor to the Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
area by donating a peal of five bells to All Saints Church
All Saints, Burton upon Trent
All Saints is a Church of England parish church situated in Burton upon Trent. It is part of the Diocese of Lichfield.-History:The church was opened in 1905, designed by the architects Naylor and Sale of Derby....
to be installed as a war memorial.
Sir William married Lady (Wilmot Ida) Noreen Hastings (1880–1949), second daughter of the 14th Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
and a notable sportswoman, in 1903, but died, aged 72, without having children, leading to the extinction of the baronetcy. He left his fortune to his wife's nephew, the trainer Peter Hastings (d. 1964) who changed his name to Hastings-Bass. Peter's eldest son William Edward Robin Hood Hastings-Bass (b. 1948) is the present and 17th Earl of Huntingdon.