Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea, PC (16 September 1810 – 2 August 1861) was a British statesman and a close ally and confidant of Florence Nightingale.
He ran the Pembroke family estates, centred at Wilton House, Wiltshire, for most of his adult life. His elder half-brother, Robert Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke (1791–1862), had chosen to live in exile in Paris after a disastrous marriage in 1814 (annulled 1818) to a Sicilian princess (Ottavia Spinelli di Laurino, Princess of Butera).[3]
Herbert asked his friend Florence Nightingale to lead a team of nurses out to Scutari during the Crimean War, and together he and Nightingale led the movement after the war for Army health and reform of the War Office. The hard work entailed caused a breakdown in his health, so that in July 1861, having been created a baron in the peerage of the United Kingdom, he had to resign government office.
In the early 1840s, Herbert is thought to have had an affair with the noted society beauty and author Caroline Norton, who was unable to get a divorce from an abusive husband, so that the relationship ended in 1846.[4]
Sidney and Elizabeth Herbert lived at 49 Belgrave Square, London, and had seven children:
Mary Catherine (1849–1935), who m. 1873 the great modernist theologian, Baron (Freiherr) Friedrich von Hügel.
George Robert Charles Herbert (1850–1895), who succeeded in the title and later became the 13th Earl of Pembroke, and the barony is now merged in that earldom.
Statue of Lord Herbert of Lea at Waterloo Place, London
Herbert died from Bright's disease shortly after leaving government office, on 2 August 1861. He is buried in the churchyard at Wilton, rebuilt by his father in neo-Romanesque style, with inside the church a marble monumental effigy of him beside Elizabeth, his wife (who, however, was buried at St Joseph's Missionary College, Mill Hill, where she was a notable patron).
His statue by Foley was placed in front of the War Office in Pall Mall, London, and subsequently, following that building's demolition, placed next to A. G. Walker's statue of Florence Nightingale in Waterloo Place, adjacent to the Crimean Monument.[5]
Another statue to him was erected in Victoria Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire.[citation needed] There is also a memorial to him on Inchkeith island in the Firth of Forth, which commemorates his advocacy for fortifying the island.[6]
^ abWoronzow, HumphrysFamilyTree, accessed 4 April 2012
^ abBlain, Rev. Michael (2007). The Canterbury Association (1848–1852): A Study of Its Members' Connections(PDF). Christchurch: Project Canterbury. pp. 42–43. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
^Doyle, J. E. (1886). Pembroke-Zetland. The Official Baronage of England. Longmans, Green, and Company. p. 37. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
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For other persons see Sidney Herbert disambiguation Sidney Herbert 1st Baron Herbert of Lea PC 16 September 1810 2 August 1861 was a British statesman and a close ally and confidant of Florence Nightingale The Right HonourableThe Lord Herbert of LeaPCSidney Herbert by Sir Francis GrantSecretary of State for the ColoniesIn office 8 February 1855 23 February 1855MonarchVictoriaPrime MinisterThe Viscount PalmerstonPreceded bySir George Grey BtSucceeded byLord John RussellSecretary of State for WarIn office 18 June 1859 22 July 1861MonarchVictoriaPrime MinisterThe Viscount PalmerstonPreceded byJonathan PeelSucceeded bySir George Cornewall Lewis BtPersonal detailsBorn 1810 09 16 16 September 1810Died2 August 1861 1861 08 02 aged 50 NationalityBritishPolitical partyConservative LiberalSpouse s Elizabeth a Court Repington 1822 1911 Children7Parent s George Herbert 11th Earl of Pembroke Countess Catherine VorontsovAlma materOriel College Oxford Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Death and memorials 5 Notes 6 Sources 7 External linksEarly life EditHe was the younger son of George Herbert 11th Earl of Pembroke his mother being the Russian noblewoman Countess Catherine Woronzow or Vorontsov daughter of the Russian ambassador to St James s Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov 1 Woronzow Road in St John s Wood London is named after the family 1 Educated at Harrow and Oriel College Oxford he made a reputation at the Oxford Union as a speaker Career EditHerbert entered the House of Commons as Conservative Member of Parliament for a division of Wiltshire in 1832 Under Robert Peel he held minor offices and in 1845 was included in the cabinet as Secretary at War and again held this office from 1852 to 1854 being responsible for the War Office during the Crimean War He was yet again appointed Secretary at War in 1859 by which time the post had been combined with the office of Secretary of State for War Herbert was a member of the Canterbury Association from 20 March 1848 2 He ran the Pembroke family estates centred at Wilton House Wiltshire for most of his adult life His elder half brother Robert Herbert 12th Earl of Pembroke 1791 1862 had chosen to live in exile in Paris after a disastrous marriage in 1814 annulled 1818 to a Sicilian princess Ottavia Spinelli di Laurino Princess of Butera 3 Herbert asked his friend Florence Nightingale to lead a team of nurses out to Scutari during the Crimean War and together he and Nightingale led the movement after the war for Army health and reform of the War Office The hard work entailed caused a breakdown in his health so that in July 1861 having been created a baron in the peerage of the United Kingdom he had to resign government office Personal life Edit 49 Belgrave Square London Herbert s home from 1851 Stipple engraving by W Holl after G Richmond In the early 1840s Herbert is thought to have had an affair with the noted society beauty and author Caroline Norton who was unable to get a divorce from an abusive husband so that the relationship ended in 1846 4 In 1846 Herbert married Elizabeth 1822 1911 only daughter of Lt Gen Charles Ashe a Court Repington and niece of William a Court 1st Baron Heytesbury She was a philanthropist author and translator and a friend of Benjamin Disraeli Cardinal Manning and Cardinal Vaughan After her husband s death Lady Herbert became an ardent ultramontane citation needed Roman Catholic along with their eldest daughter Mary Sidney and Elizabeth Herbert lived at 49 Belgrave Square London and had seven children Mary Catherine 1849 1935 who m 1873 the great modernist theologian Baron Freiherr Friedrich von Hugel George Robert Charles Herbert 1850 1895 who succeeded in the title and later became the 13th Earl of Pembroke and the barony is now merged in that earldom Elizabeth Maud 1851 1933 who m 1872 the composer Sir Charles Hubert Parry 1st Baronet son of Thomas Gambier Parry of Highnam Court near Gloucester Sidney Herbert 1853 1913 also a Member of Parliament who succeeded his brother as the 14th Earl of Pembroke William Reginald Herbert 1854 1870 lost at sea aboard HMS Captain aged 16 Michael Henry Herbert The Hon Sir Michael Herbert KCMG CB PC 1857 1904 after whom the town of Herbert in Saskatchewan Canada is named was a diplomat who ended his career as British Ambassador to the US in Washington DC in succession to Lord Pauncefote He m 1888 Lelia Belle daughter of Richard Thornton Wilson a New York banker and cotton broker and had with one other son Sir Sidney Herbert 1st Baronet Constance Gwladys 1859 1917 who m 1st 1878 St George Henry Lowther 4th Earl of Lonsdale issue 1 daughter and m 2ndly 1885 Frederick Oliver Robinson the Earl de Grey later 2nd and last Marquess of Ripon no issue Death and memorials Edit Statue of Lord Herbert of Lea at Waterloo Place London Herbert died from Bright s disease shortly after leaving government office on 2 August 1861 He is buried in the churchyard at Wilton rebuilt by his father in neo Romanesque style with inside the church a marble monumental effigy of him beside Elizabeth his wife who however was buried at St Joseph s Missionary College Mill Hill where she was a notable patron His statue by Foley was placed in front of the War Office in Pall Mall London and subsequently following that building s demolition placed next to A G Walker s statue of Florence Nightingale in Waterloo Place adjacent to the Crimean Monument 5 Another statue to him was erected in Victoria Park Salisbury Wiltshire citation needed There is also a memorial to him on Inchkeith island in the Firth of Forth which commemorates his advocacy for fortifying the island 6 Herbert Sound in the Antarctic and Pembroke Ontario in Canada are named after Sidney Herbert In New Zealand the highest peak on Banks Peninsula was named Mount Herbert by the chief surveyor of the Canterbury Association Joseph Thomas in 1849 2 7 The Otago surveyor s office renamed the town of Wanaka to Pembroke in 1863 8 Notes Edit a b Woronzow HumphrysFamilyTree accessed 4 April 2012 a b Blain Rev Michael 2007 The Canterbury Association 1848 1852 A Study of Its Members Connections PDF Christchurch Project Canterbury pp 42 43 Retrieved 21 March 2013 Doyle J E 1886 Pembroke Zetland The Official Baronage of England Longmans Green and Company p 37 Retrieved 17 December 2022 Woodham Smith Cecil Florence Nightingale 1820 1910 McGraw Hill Book Company 1951 p 221 at archive org Historic England Statue of Lord Herbert of Lea 1239318 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 7 October 2021 Historic Environment Scotland Inchkeith Island Memorial to Lord Herbert of Lea LB9708 Retrieved 7 October 2021 Hight James C R Straubel 1957 A History of Canterbury Vol I to 1854 Christchurch Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd p 121 Dovey Pam 13 June 2017 Irish street names in Wanaka Wanaka Sun Wanaka Sun Retrieved 31 July 2021 Sources EditSir Tresham Lever The Herberts of Wilton Murray 1967 Burke s Peerage 107th edition Mark Bostridge Florence Nightingale The Woman and Her Legend Viking 2008 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sidney Herbert 1st Baron Herbert of Lea Works by or about Sidney Herbert 1st Baron Herbert of Lea at Internet Archive Hansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Lord Herbert of LeaParliament of the United KingdomNew constituency Member of Parliament for South Wiltshire1832 1861 With John Benett to 1852William Wyndham 1852 1859Lord Henry Thynne from 1859 Succeeded byFrederick Hervey Bathurst Lord Henry ThynnePolitical officesPreceded byRobert GordonJames Alexander Stewart Mackenzie Joint Secretary to the Board of Control1834 1835 Succeeded byRobert GordonRobert Vernon SmithPreceded byJohn Parker First Secretary of the Admiralty1841 1845 Succeeded byHon Henry Lowry CorryPreceded bySir Thomas Fremantle Bt Secretary at War1845 1846 Succeeded byHon Fox MaulePreceded byWilliam Beresford Secretary at War1852 1854 Succeeded byThe Duke of NewcastlePreceded bySir George Grey Bt Secretary of State for the Colonies1855 Succeeded byLord John RussellPreceded byJonathan Peel Secretary of State for War1859 1861 Succeeded bySir George Cornewall Lewis BtPeerage of the United KingdomNew creation Baron Herbert of Lea1861 Succeeded byGeorge Herbert Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sidney Herbert 1st Baron Herbert of Lea amp oldid 1136379371, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
