Thomas Denman, 3rd Baron Denman, GCMG,KCVO,PC (16 November 1874 – 24 June 1954), was a British aristocrat and politician who served as the fifth Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1911 to 1914.
Denman was born into the English nobility, inheriting his title at the age of 19 from a great-uncle. He attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and served in the Second Boer War. Denman sat with the Liberal Party in the House of Lords, and was made a Lord-in-waiting in 1905 and Chief Whip in 1907. He was appointed to the governor-generalship at the age of 36, and remains the youngest person to have held the position. Denman and his young family were immensely popular with the general public, and he enjoyed friendly relations with Prime Minister Andrew Fisher, with whom he shared many similar political opinions. However, he suffered from ill health and returned to England after less than three years as governor-general. Denman never again held public office, but remained active in the House of Lords and briefly commanded a unit in the First World War.
Denman was born in London on 16 November 1874, the son of Richard Denman and the former Helen Mary McMicking. His father was the grandson of Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman, who was Lord Chief Justice from 1832 to 1850. Denman was the second of three children, and the oldest son. His younger brother, Sir Richard Denman, was also a Liberal Party politician.[1]
Denman's parents divorced in 1878. His father did not remarry, and died in 1883 when his son was eight.[2] However, his mother remarried twice – in 1879 to James Walker (annulled due to desertion), and then in 1888 to Henry Primrose (a civil servant and cousin of Lord Rosebery).[3]
Lord and Lady Denman, King O'Malley and Andrew Fisher at the official ceremony on Capitol Hill to mark the commencement of work on the city of Canberra, 12 March 1913
The cadets being inspected by the Governor-General on 12 March 1913, at the Canberra naming ceremony
The Denmans arrived in Melbourne on 31 July 1911.[12] They found Andrew Fisher's Labor government firmly in control. As the most politically liberal Governor-General yet appointed, he got on well with the Labor ministers, and his modesty and generosity with his father-in-law's money made him popular with the public. In October 1912, the New South Wales Premier, James McGowen "evicted" him from Government House, Sydney. On 12 March 1913, he inaugurated the site of the future national capital and Lady Denman formally announced its name, Canberra.[10] On 12 March 2013, his great-nephew, the 6th Baron Denman and his wife attended celebrations in Canberra commemorating the centenary of the naming of the city.[13]
But Denman found that he had less real political influence than any previous Governor-General. As Australia, along with the other dominions, achieved political maturity, its Prime Minister communicated directly with his British counterpart, cutting the Colonial Secretary and the Governor-General out of the loop. The appointment of an Australian High Commissioner in London further reduced the Governor-General's diplomatic role.
In May 1913 the Labor government was unexpectedly defeated at a general election by Joseph Cook's Liberals. But Labor retained control of the Senate and was determined to frustrate Cook's government at every turn. By early 1914 it was clear that a constitutional crisis was developing. Denman was in poor health—that he was allergic to Australia's national flower, the wattle, did not help—and his marriage was suffering from his wife's unhappiness at being so far from home. He felt he lacked the strength to deal with the political situation, and in May 1914 he resigned.[10]
^"No. 28914". The London Gazette. 25 September 1914. p. 7600.
^"No. 29418". The London Gazette. 28 December 1915. p. 12925.
^"No. 32813". The London Gazette. 10 April 1923. p. 2648.
^"No. 34069". The London Gazette. 13 July 1934. p. 4522.
^Debrett's Peerage, and Titles of Courtesy. London, Dean. 1921. p. 279, DENMAN, BARON. (Denman.). Retrieved 26 June 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^Burke, Bernard; Burke, Ashworth P. (1915). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, the Privy Council, Knightage and Companionage (77th ed.). London : Harrison & Sons. pp. 613–614, DENMAN. Retrieved 26 June 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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Thomas Denman 3rd Baron Denman GCMG KCVO PC 16 November 1874 24 June 1954 was a British aristocrat and politician who served as the fifth Governor General of Australia in office from 1911 to 1914 The Right HonourableThe Lord DenmanGCMG KCVO PCDenman c 1910s5th Governor General of AustraliaIn office 31 July 1911 18 May 1914MonarchGeorge VPrime MinisterAndrew FisherJoseph CookPreceded byLord DudleySucceeded bySir Ronald Munro FergusonPersonal detailsBorn 1874 11 16 16 November 1874London EnglandDied24 June 1954 1954 06 24 aged 79 Hove Sussex EnglandSpouseGertrude Pearson m 1913 died 1954 wbr Denman was born into the English nobility inheriting his title at the age of 19 from a great uncle He attended the Royal Military College Sandhurst and served in the Second Boer War Denman sat with the Liberal Party in the House of Lords and was made a Lord in waiting in 1905 and Chief Whip in 1907 He was appointed to the governor generalship at the age of 36 and remains the youngest person to have held the position Denman and his young family were immensely popular with the general public and he enjoyed friendly relations with Prime Minister Andrew Fisher with whom he shared many similar political opinions However he suffered from ill health and returned to England after less than three years as governor general Denman never again held public office but remained active in the House of Lords and briefly commanded a unit in the First World War Contents 1 Early life and military career 2 Politics 3 Governor General 4 Later years 5 Arms 6 NotesEarly life and military career EditDenman was born in London on 16 November 1874 the son of Richard Denman and the former Helen Mary McMicking His father was the grandson of Thomas Denman 1st Baron Denman who was Lord Chief Justice from 1832 to 1850 Denman was the second of three children and the oldest son His younger brother Sir Richard Denman was also a Liberal Party politician 1 Denman s parents divorced in 1878 His father did not remarry and died in 1883 when his son was eight 2 However his mother remarried twice in 1879 to James Walker annulled due to desertion and then in 1888 to Henry Primrose a civil servant and cousin of Lord Rosebery 3 In 1894 aged 19 Denman succeeded his great uncle as Baron Denman he took his seat in the House of Lords on his 21st birthday He intended a military career and was a graduate of the Royal Military College Sandhurst Denman began his career in the Royal Scots where he was promoted to lieutenant on 4 March 1896 but resigned in May 1899 and was placed in the Reserve Returning to active service following the outbreak of the Second Boer War he was on 3 February 1900 commissioned as a lieutenant of the 11th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry 4 and left Liverpool for South Africa on the SS Cymric in March 1900 5 He was promoted to captain in the battalion on 18 July 1900 and the following year was appointed a captain in the Middlesex Duke of Cambridge s Hussars Imperial Yeomanry followed by a promotion to major on 30 April 1902 6 Politics EditDenman had little money until 1903 when he married Gertrude Pearson daughter of the wealthy industrialist Weetman Pearson later Viscount Cowdray He was then able to devote his time to public life and served in the Liberal administrations of Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman and H H Asquith as a Lord in waiting government whip in the House of Lords from 1905 to 1907 and as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms government chief whip in the House of Lords between 1907 and 1911 He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1907 7 In 1909 he was appointed to the Royal Victorian Order as a Knight Commander 8 In 1911 Lord Harcourt the Colonial Secretary offered Denman the post of Governor General of Australia 9 apparently to get him out of domestic politics 10 In the 1911 Coronation Honours Lord Denman was appointed to the Order of St Michael and St George as a Knight Grand Cross 11 Governor General Edit Denman to the left of Labor Prime Minister Andrew Fisher at the naming of Canberra in 1913 Lord and Lady Denman King O Malley and Andrew Fisher at the official ceremony on Capitol Hill to mark the commencement of work on the city of Canberra 12 March 1913 The cadets being inspected by the Governor General on 12 March 1913 at the Canberra naming ceremony The Denmans arrived in Melbourne on 31 July 1911 12 They found Andrew Fisher s Labor government firmly in control As the most politically liberal Governor General yet appointed he got on well with the Labor ministers and his modesty and generosity with his father in law s money made him popular with the public In October 1912 the New South Wales Premier James McGowen evicted him from Government House Sydney On 12 March 1913 he inaugurated the site of the future national capital and Lady Denman formally announced its name Canberra 10 On 12 March 2013 his great nephew the 6th Baron Denman and his wife attended celebrations in Canberra commemorating the centenary of the naming of the city 13 But Denman found that he had less real political influence than any previous Governor General As Australia along with the other dominions achieved political maturity its Prime Minister communicated directly with his British counterpart cutting the Colonial Secretary and the Governor General out of the loop The appointment of an Australian High Commissioner in London further reduced the Governor General s diplomatic role In May 1913 the Labor government was unexpectedly defeated at a general election by Joseph Cook s Liberals But Labor retained control of the Senate and was determined to frustrate Cook s government at every turn By early 1914 it was clear that a constitutional crisis was developing Denman was in poor health that he was allergic to Australia s national flower the wattle did not help and his marriage was suffering from his wife s unhappiness at being so far from home He felt he lacked the strength to deal with the political situation and in May 1914 he resigned 10 The Denman Glacier in eastern Antarctica was named after Denman by Sir Douglas Mawson It had been discovered by the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911 14 Later years EditWith the outbreak of the Great War Denman commanded the 1st County of London Yeomanry Middlesex Duke of Cambridge s Hussars from 1914 14 until 1915 15 He held the appointment of honorary colonel of the successor unit the 2nd Cavalry Divisional Signals Middlesex Yeomanry from 11 April 1923 16 to 13 July 1934 17 He remained loyal to Asquith and the Liberals and so did not hold office again leading a quiet life until his death in Hove Sussex 22 days after that of his wife 10 He was succeeded in the barony by his son Thomas Denman 4th Baron Denman Arms EditCoat of arms of Thomas Denman 3rd Baron Denman 18 19 Crest A raven rising proper in the beak an annulet or Escutcheon Argent on a chevron between three lions heads erased gules as many ermine spots or Supporters On either side a lion gules charged on the body with five ermine spots in cross or Motto Prudentia Et Constantia By prudence and constancy Other versions Full achievements Notes Edit Thomas Denman 3rd Baron Denman of Dovedale thepeerage com 6 March 2011 Retrieved 5 April 2011 Hon Richard Denman Helen Mary McMicking No 27160 The London Gazette 2 February 1900 p 692 The War Embarcation of Troops The Times No 36078 London 1 March 1900 p 7 No 27429 The London Gazette 29 April 1902 p 2866 No 28050 The London Gazette 13 August 1907 p 5523 No 28251 The London Gazette Supplement 17 May 1909 p 3753 No 28483 The London Gazette 7 April 1911 p 2802 a b c d Cunneen Chris 1981 Denman Thomas Baron Denman 1874 1954 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 30 April 2008 No 28505 The London Gazette Supplement 16 June 1911 p 4593 Cunneen Chris 1981 Denman Thomas 1874 1954 Australian Dictionary of Biography Melbourne University Press Retrieved 1 April 2015 Canberra Times 11 March 2013 No 28914 The London Gazette 25 September 1914 p 7600 No 29418 The London Gazette 28 December 1915 p 12925 No 32813 The London Gazette 10 April 1923 p 2648 No 34069 The London Gazette 13 July 1934 p 4522 Debrett s Peerage and Titles of Courtesy London Dean 1921 p 279 DENMAN BARON Denman Retrieved 26 June 2022 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Burke Bernard Burke Ashworth P 1915 A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage the Privy Council Knightage and Companionage 77th ed London Harrison amp Sons pp 613 614 DENMAN Retrieved 26 June 2022 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Political officesPreceded byThe Viscount Churchill Lord in waiting1905 1907 Succeeded byThe Lord HerschellPreceded byThe Earl Beauchamp Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms1907 1911 Succeeded byThe Lord ColebrookePreceded byThe Lord Ribblesdale Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords1907 1911Government officesPreceded byThe Earl of Dudley Governor General of Australia1911 1914 Succeeded bySir Ronald Munro FergusonPeerage of the United KingdomPreceded byThomas Aitchison Denman Baron Denman1894 1954 Succeeded byThomas Denman Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Denman 3rd Baron Denman amp oldid 1144133095, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
