John Beresford, 5th Baron Decies explained

Honorific Prefix:The Right Honourable
The Lord Decies
Honorific Suffix:PC
Office:Representative peer for Ireland
Term Start:1912
Term End:1944
Predecessor:The Lord Crofton
Successor:Office lapsed
Birth Name:John Graham Hope Horsley de la Poer Beresford
Birth Date:5 December 1866
Birth Place:Newcastle upon Tyne
Death Place:Ascot, Berkshire
Education:Eton College
Parents:William Horsley-Beresford, 3rd Baron Decies
Catherine Anne Dent
Spouse:
    Children:3

    John Graham Hope Horsley de la Poer Beresford, 5th Baron Decies PC (5 December 1866  - 31 January 1944), styled The Hon. John Beresford until 1910, was an Anglo-Irish army officer, civil servant, and polo player in the 1900 Summer Olympics.[1] [2]

    Early life

    Beresford was born on 5 December 1866 at Newcastle upon Tyne. He was the second son of William Horsley-Beresford, 3rd Baron Decies, by Catherine Anne Dent, daughter of Commander William Dent. He was educated at Eton before joining the army in 1887.

    Career

    Beresford joined the 7th Hussars as a Second lieutenant in February 1887, was promoted to Lieutenant on 10 April 1889, and to Captain on 7 October 1896. He saw military service mainly in Africa, first during the Second Matabele War in 1896 and later during the Second Boer War. In January 1900 he was seconded to the Staff, and appointed an Aide-de-camp to the Duke of Connaught, Commander-in-Chief of Ireland.[3] In early February 1902, he was appointed in command of the 37th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, with the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel, and the following May left Aldershot with his Battalion for service in South Africa.[4] The battalion arrived after hostilities ended in early June, and left for home again on the SS Avondale Castle in late December 1902.[5] From 1903 to 1904 he served in Somaliland. After retiring from the Regular Army, he became commanding officer of the South Irish Horse (Special Reserve) on 20 January 1912.[6]

    In 1910 he succeeded his elder brother in the barony. This was an Irish peerage and did not entitle him to an automatic seat in the House of Lords. However, in 1912 he was elected as an Irish representative peer and was able to take a seat in the upper chamber of Parliament. From 1916 to 1919 he was Chief Press Censor for Ireland.[7]

    Time magazine on 5 May 1930 reported his stance on British taxation:

    "The time may have come," said Lord Decies ominously, "when our wealthy men should seriously consider whether they must send their money out of this country." As Director of the British Income Taxpayers' Association, he vowed that he would suggest to them that "the time may have come. ..."[8]

    Polo

    Beresford was an Irish polo player in the 1900 Summer Olympics. He was part of the Foxhunters Hurlingham polo team which won the gold medal.[9]

    In 1908, he played in the first international polo match between England and Argentina at the Hurlingham Club in Hurlingham, Buenos Aires alongside Alexander Godley.[10]

    Personal life

    Lord Decies married Helen Vivien Gould, a daughter of American railroad executive George Jay Gould I and actress Edith Kingdon, on 7 February 1911. They had three children:[11]

    Lady Decies died on 3 February 1931,[19] [20] and following her death he married Elizabeth Wharton Drexel, the daughter of Joseph William Drexel, on 25 May 1936. Elizabeth had previously been married to Harry Lehr.[21] Lord Decies filed suit for divorce in 1942, which Lady Decies contested.[22]

    Asked how to say his name, Lord Decies told The Literary Digest: "With ci as in conscience it is dee-shees, and Beresford is berysford."[23]

    Lord Decies died on 31 January 1944 at his Ascot home.[24] Lady Decies died at the Hotel Shelton in London on 13 June 1944.[25]

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: John Beresford . Olympedia . 27 December 2020.
    2. John Beresford . https://web.archive.org/web/20151121101643/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/john-beresford-1.html . 2015-11-21 . dead.
    3. Naval & Military intelligence. 20 January 1900 . 12 . 36044.
    4. The War - The Reinforcements . 28 May 1902 . 9 . 36779.
    5. The Army in South Africa - Troops returning Home. 25 December 1902 . 6 . 36960.
    6. Monthly Army List.
    7. News: Lord Decies dies in England at 77. Soldier, Sportsman, Friend of Taxpayer. Married Gould Heiress Here in 1911. . Married Gould Heiress Here in 1911. . . 2 February 1944 . 2007-07-21 .
    8. 'Time May Have Come ...' . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930102403/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,739163,00.html . dead . 30 September 2007 . The British Treasury collected a death duty (inheritance tax) of $5,620,000 last week on the estate of $13,985,000 left by Major Andrew Coats, of the famed Paisley thread-spinning family. This and the increased taxes of all sorts provided in Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Snowden's Budget (TIME, April 21), stirred to wrath and protest the Englishman who married Miss Helen Vivien Gould (daughter of Jay) and her millions: John Graham Hope de la Poer Beresford, fifth Baron Decies, D. S. O., lately of the 7th Hussars, onetime Chief Press Censor for Ireland (1916-19). "The time may have come," said Lord Decies ominously, "when our wealthy men should seriously consider whether they must send their money out of this country." As Director of the British Income Taxpayers' Association, he vowed that he would suggest to them that "the time may have come. . . ." . . 5 May 1930. 2007-07-21 .
    9. Web site: John Beresford at databaseOlympics.com . 30 January 2017 . 13 March 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070313172825/http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BERESJOH01 . bot: unknown .
    10. Horace A. Laffaye, Polo in Britain: A History, Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2012, p. 37
    11. News: Photo . Times Wide World . FUNERAL TOMORROW FOR LADY DECIES; Body of Former Helen Vivien Gould, Who Died Yesterday in London, to Be Cremated. . 29 January 2022 . . 4 February 1931.
    12. News: Times . Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph To the New York . DAUGHTER TO LADY DECIES.; Child Is Born to the Former Vivien Gould in English Home. . 29 January 2022 . . 18 August 1912.
    13. Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, volume 1, page 335.
    14. Web site: Catherina Moya Johannsen. npg.org.uk.
    15. News: MOYA BERESFORD BRIDE IN LONDON; Daughter of Lord Decies Is Married to the Hon. Patrick Bellew, Peer's Brother. . 29 January 2022 . . 17 April 1936.
    16. News: TIMES . Special to THE NEW YORK . DIVORCE FOR MRS. BELLEW; Daughter of Late Lord Decies Gets Decree, Is Rewed at Reno . 29 January 2022 . . 20 December 1946.
    17. News: SON BORN TO LADY DECIES.; Former Vivien Gould Already the Mother of Two Daughters. . 29 January 2022 . . 25 April 1915.
    18. News: DECIES . 29 January 2022 . . 11 November 1992 . 24.
    19. News: LADY DECIES DIES AT 38 IN LONDON; Former Helen Vivien Gould Was Principal in Brilliant International Wedding of 1911.WAS NOTED AS HOSTESS Her Entertaining Was a Feature of British Capital--Husband Is Distinguished Irish Peer. LADY DECIES DIES AT 38 IN LONDON . 29 January 2022 . . 3 February 1931.
    20. News: LORD DECIES DUE HERE.; Widower of Former Vivien Gould Arrives Today on Mauretania. . 29 January 2022 . . 3 March 1931.
    21. News: TIMES . Wireless to THE NEW YORK . DECIES TO MARRY MRS. HARRY LEHR; Widow of New York Leader of Society to Become Bride of Irish Peer on May 23. ANNOUNCEMENT IN PARIS Bride-Elect Member of Drexel Family -- Wrote Book, 'King Lehr and Gilded Age.' . 29 January 2022 . . 12 May 1936.
    22. News: LORD DECIES ASKS DIVORCE; Irish Peer's Suit Contested by Former Mrs. Elizabeth Lehr . 29 January 2022 . . 12 April 1942.
    23. [Charles Earle Funk]
    24. News: LORD DECIES DIES IN ENGLAND AT 77; Soldier, Sportsman, Friend of Taxpayer--Married Gould Heiress Here in 1911 . 29 January 2022 . . 2 February 1944.
    25. News: LADY DECIES, WIDOW OF IRISH PEER, DIES; Former Elizabeth Drexel of Philadelphia Was Once the Wife of Harry Lehr . 29 January 2022 . . 14 June 1944.

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "John Beresford, 5th Baron Decies".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.