Dighton Probyn: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|British general (1833–1924)}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
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On 4 March 1872, the Prince of Wales, later [[Edward VII]], appointed him as one of his [[Equerry|equerries]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23837|page=1312|date=5 March 1872}}</ref> He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Star of India]] (KCSI) on 7 March 1876, and was brevetted to lieutenant-general on 1 October 1877.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24303|page=1787|date=7 March 1876}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24552|page=750|date=15 February 1878}}</ref> He was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Bengal Cavalry on 1 April 1881, and was transferred to the unemployed list on 1 July 1882.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25148|page=4303|date=19 September 1882}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25003|page=4137|date=9 August 1881}}</ref> He was appointed a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Bath]], Civil Division (KCB) in the 1887 Golden Jubilee Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25712|page=3363|date=21 June 1887}}</ref> On 1 December 1888, he was promoted to the local rank of general in the [[British Indian Army]] while unemployed, and was promoted to the substantive rank of colonel in the Bengal Cavalry on 1 April 1893.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25884|page=7203|date=18 December 1888}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{London Gazette|issue=26416|page=3643|date=27 June 1893}}</ref> He was appointed one of the first Knights Grand Cross of the [[Royal Victorian Order]] (GCVO) on 26 May 1896.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26743|page=3124|date=26 May 1896}}</ref>
On 4 March 1872, the Prince of Wales, later [[Edward VII]], appointed him as one of his [[Equerry|equerries]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23837|page=1312|date=5 March 1872}}</ref> He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Star of India]] (KCSI) on 7 March 1876, and was brevetted to lieutenant-general on 1 October 1877.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24303|page=1787|date=7 March 1876}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24552|page=750|date=15 February 1878}}</ref> He was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Bengal Cavalry on 1 April 1881, and was transferred to the unemployed list on 1 July 1882.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25148|page=4303|date=19 September 1882}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25003|page=4137|date=9 August 1881}}</ref> He was appointed a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Bath]], Civil Division (KCB) in the 1887 Golden Jubilee Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25712|page=3363|date=21 June 1887}}</ref> On 1 December 1888, he was promoted to the local rank of general in the [[British Indian Army]] while unemployed, and was promoted to the substantive rank of colonel in the Bengal Cavalry on 1 April 1893.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25884|page=7203|date=18 December 1888}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{London Gazette|issue=26416|page=3643|date=27 June 1893}}</ref> He was appointed one of the first Knights Grand Cross of the [[Royal Victorian Order]] (GCVO) on 26 May 1896.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26743|page=3124|date=26 May 1896}}</ref>


He was a councillor of the [[Oxford Military College]] in [[Cowley, Oxfordshire|Cowley]], Oxfordshire from 1876 to 1896, and was appointed a member of the Privy Council on 9 February 1901.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27283|page=1057|date=12 February 1901}}</ref> He was promoted to a Knight Grand Cross of the (cvil division) Order of the Bath (GCB) in the [[1902 Coronation Honours]] list published on 26 June 1902,<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |articlename=The Coronation Honours |day_of_week=Thursday |date=26 June 1902 |page_number=5 |issue=36804| }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27453 |date=11 July 1902 |page=4441}}</ref> and was invested by King [[Edward VII]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] on 8 August 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |articlename=Court Circular |day_of_week=Saturday |date=9 August 1902 |page_number=6 |issue=36842| }}</ref> He was appointed a Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO) on 22 July 1903.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27453|page=4441|date=11 July 1902}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27579|supp=y|page=4665|date=23 June 1903}}</ref> He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, Military Division (KCB (Mil.)) on 20 October 1909.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28299|supp=y|page=7745|date=19 October 1909}}</ref>
He was a councillor of the [[Oxford Military College]] in [[Cowley, Oxfordshire|Cowley]], Oxfordshire from 1876 to 1896, and was appointed a member of the Privy Council on 9 February 1901.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27283|page=1057|date=12 February 1901}}</ref> He was promoted to a Knight Grand Cross of the (civil division) Order of the Bath (GCB) in the [[1902 Coronation Honours]] list published on 26 June 1902,<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Coronation Honours |date=26 June 1902 |page=5 |issue=36804| }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27453 |date=11 July 1902 |page=4441}}</ref> and was invested by King [[Edward VII]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] on 8 August 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Court Circular |date=9 August 1902 |page=6 |issue=36842| }}</ref> He was appointed a Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO) on 22 July 1903.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27453|page=4441|date=11 July 1902}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27579|supp=y|page=4665|date=23 June 1903}}</ref> He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, Military Division (KCB (Mil.)) on 20 October 1909.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28299|supp=y|page=7745|date=19 October 1909}}</ref>


He was in later life an ornament of the Victorian age, being [[Keeper of the Privy Purse]], a court [[sinecure]] position as well as Secretary to the [[Prince of Wales]] and Comptroller of the Household. This was an important position as the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Prince]] and [[Alexandra of Denmark|Princess]] were both profligate in spending and Sir Dighton had a hard job to keep them solvent. Testimony to his success was the fact that, when the Prince acceded at last in 1901, he was in credit at the bank.  Probyn had difficulty hiding the King's extravagance; which the minister [[Charles Hobhouse]] refused to defend in the Commons.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=David |editor-first=Edward |year=1977 |title=Inside Asquith's Diaries: from the diaries of Charles Hobhouse |page=73 |publisher=John Murray |isbn=978-0719533877}}</ref>
He was in later life an ornament of the Victorian age, being [[Keeper of the Privy Purse]], a court [[sinecure]] position as well as Secretary to the [[Prince of Wales]] and Comptroller of the Household. This was an important position as the [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Prince]] and [[Alexandra of Denmark|Princess]] were both profligate in spending and Probyn had a hard job to keep them solvent. Testimony to his success was the fact that, when the Prince acceded at last in 1901, he was in credit at the bank.  Probyn had difficulty hiding the King's extravagance, which the minister [[Charles Hobhouse]] refused to defend in the Commons.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=David |editor-first=Edward |year=1977 |title=Inside Asquith's Diaries: from the diaries of Charles Hobhouse |page=73 |publisher=John Murray |isbn=978-0719533877}}</ref>


Probyn continued in this role throughout the King's rule and right up to his death. Sir Dighton was appointed an Extra Equerry to King Edward VII in 1902.
Probyn continued in this role throughout the King's rule and right up to his death. He was appointed an Extra Equerry to King Edward VII in 1902.


Probyn was totally devoted to the Princess, then Queen-Empress, building gardens for her at [[Windsor Castle]] and [[Sandringham House]].  The Queen returned the devotion, carrying round a knife with her to cut open his collar when he occasionally had seizures.
Probyn was totally devoted to the Princess, then Queen-Empress, building gardens for her at [[Windsor Castle]] and [[Sandringham House]].  The Queen returned the devotion, carrying round a knife with her to cut open his collar when he occasionally had seizures.
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In 1915 Probyn gave an engraved wristwatch to Captain [[Frank Beck (British Army officer)|Frank Beck]], the officer who led the Sandringham Volunteers in the [[First World War]]. After he was killed during the [[Gallipoli Campaign]], it was bought from a Turkish officer after the war and returned to Beck's family in 1922.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/524337.stm |title=King's Men ending 'distasteful' |website=BBC News |date=17 November 1999 |accessdate=21 October 2009}}</ref>
In 1915 Probyn gave an engraved wristwatch to Captain [[Frank Beck (British Army officer)|Frank Beck]], the officer who led the Sandringham Volunteers in the [[First World War]]. After he was killed during the [[Gallipoli Campaign]], it was bought from a Turkish officer after the war and returned to Beck's family in 1922.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/524337.stm |title=King's Men ending 'distasteful' |website=BBC News |date=17 November 1999 |accessdate=21 October 2009}}</ref>


Sir Dighton had an impressive appearance in old age with a very long white beard reaching down to his navel which concealed his VC on ceremonial occasions.<ref>''Kings, Queens & Courtiers'', Kenneth Rose, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1985 {{ISBN|0-297-78733-0}}</ref>
Probyn had an impressive appearance in old age with a very long white beard reaching down to his navel which concealed his VC on ceremonial occasions.<ref>''Kings, Queens & Courtiers'', Kenneth Rose, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1985 {{ISBN|0-297-78733-0}}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
Sir Dighton died on 20 June 1924. He was buried in [[Kensal Green Cemetery]] in the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=probyn&GSfn=dighton&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=7709463&df=all&|title=Sir Dighton MacNaughton Probyn|publisher= findagrave.com|accessdate= 9 August 2016}}</ref>
Probyn died on 20 June 1924. He was buried in [[Kensal Green Cemetery]] in the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=probyn&GSfn=dighton&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=7709463&df=all&|title=Sir Dighton MacNaughton Probyn|publisher= findagrave.com|accessdate= 9 August 2016}}</ref>


==Family==
==Family==
Probyn married, in 1872, Letitia Maria Thellusson, daughter of Thomas Robarts Thellusson. Lady Probyn died at Park House, [[Sandringham, Norfolk]], on 17 January 1900.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |articlename=Obituary – Lady Probyn|day_of_week=Friday |date=19 January 1900 |page_number=7 |issue=36043| }}</ref>
Probyn married, in 1872, Letitia Maria Thellusson, daughter of Thomas Robarts Thellusson. Lady Probyn died at Park House, [[Sandringham, Norfolk]], on 17 January 1900.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Obituary – Lady Probyn|date=19 January 1900 |page=7 |issue=36043| }}</ref>


==Legacy==
==Legacy==
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==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Commons category}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
 
*{{Find a Grave|7709463}}
*{{Find a Grave|7709463}}
*[http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbprobyn.htm Auction details]
*[http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbprobyn.htm Auction details]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041028141011/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/kensalgr.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Kensal Green Cemetery)''
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041028141011/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/kensalgr.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Kensal Green Cemetery)''
*[http://www.defencejournal.com/may99/probyn-horse.htm Probyn's Horse]
*[http://www.defencejournal.com/may99/probyn-horse.htm Probyn's Horse] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022001052/http://www.defencejournal.com/may99/probyn-horse.htm |date=22 October 2010 }}
*[http://prints.national-army-museum.ac.uk/image/433711/james-rannie-swinton-colonel-probyn-vc-1867 Portrait of Colonel Probyn 1867] by [[James Rannie Swinton]]
*[http://prints.national-army-museum.ac.uk/image/433711/james-rannie-swinton-colonel-probyn-vc-1867 Portrait of Colonel Probyn 1867] by [[James Rannie Swinton]]