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Ulick Alexander

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The Right Honourable
Sir Ulick Alexander
GCB GCVO CMG OBE
Sir Ulick in May 1949
In office
1936–1952
MonarchGeorge VI
Preceded byThe Lord Wigram
Succeeded byThe Lord Tryon
Personal details
Born10 February 1889 (1889-02-10)
Marylebone, London
Died4 April 1973 (1973-04-05) (aged 84)
London, England
NationalityBritish
Spouse
Lady Mary Beatrice Thynne
​
​
(m. 1947)​
Alma materRoyal Military College, Sandhurst

Sir James Ulick Francis Canning Alexander GCB GCVO CMG OBE (10 February 1889 – 4 April 1973) was a British Army officer, businessman, and courtier in several of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. He was present in December 1936, when Edward VIII signed the Instrument of Abdication.[1]

Early life and education

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Alexander was born at 18 Montague Street, Portman Square, in Marylebone, London, the eldest son of Capt. James Dalison Alexander of the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry and Lady Emily Boyle.[2] His maternal grandparents were Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork and Lady Emily Charlotte de Burgh (1828–1912), second daughter of Ulick de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde.[3] His paternal great-grandfather was the Irish-born banker James Alexander.[4][5]

He was educated at Eton College, before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.[1]

Career

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In 1909, Alexander was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards.[6] He first saw active service during the First World War, during which he was attached to the Egyptian Army and was mentioned in dispatches. Between 1920 and 1921, he was Military Secretary for the Egyptian Army. From 1923 to 1925 he served as Political Secretary to Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone while he was Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.[7]

Between 1928 and 1936, Alexander was Comptroller of the Household to Prince George, Duke of Kent. In 1934, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. In 1936, Alexander held the office of Keeper of the Privy Purse and Extra Equerry to Edward VIII, and he retained the role during the reign of George VI from 1936 to 1952;[8][9] among his duties was allocating 'Grace and Favour' Apartments in the Royal Palaces.[10]

Following the accession of Elizabeth II, Alexander became an Extra Equerry in her household and a Privy Councillor in 1952.[11][12]

From 1952 to 1957, Sir Ulick was Chairman of Tanganyika Concessions, and served as its director from 1957 to 1963. From 1952 to 1964, he was director of the Benguela Railway Company, and from 1954 to 1963 he was director of the Union Minière du Haut Katanga. In 1957, he served as a director of the Banque Belge.[13]

Honours

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In 1919, Alexander was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his wartime service.[14] In 1925, he was invested as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) following the Prince of Wales' tour to Africa and South America.[15] He was made a CVO in the 1932 Birthday Honours[16] and a Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1934.[17][18]

In the 1937 Coronation Honours, he was knighted as KCVO,[19] and he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1947 Birthday Honours.[20] He was furthered honoured as a GCVO in the 1948 Birthday Honours.[21] In the 1953 New Year Honours, he was honoured as a GCB.[22]

Personal life

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Sir Ulick married as her second husband Lady Mary Beatrice Thynne, youngest daughter of Thomas Thynne, 5th Marquess of Bath and Violet Caroline Mordaunt, on 27 November 1947.[23][24] She was married from 1927–47 to Charles Wilson, 3rd Baron Nunburnholme (1904–1974).[25]

He died in 1973 in London, aged 84. Lady Mary Alexander died the following year, aged 71.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Obituary: Sir Ulick Alexander". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 6 April 1973. p. 23.
  2. ^ "Births". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 12 February 1889. p. 1.
  3. ^ Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 900. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
  4. ^ Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1902). Armorial Families: A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-armour, Showing which Arms in Use at the Moment are Borne by Legal Authority. T.C. & E.C. Jack. p. 16. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  5. ^ Burke, Bernard (1925). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry. Burke Publishing Company. p. 452. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  6. ^ "No. 28221". The London Gazette. 5 February 1909. p. 948.
  7. ^ Bloch, Michael (2012). The Secret File of the Duke of Windsor. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9780349001081.
  8. ^ "No. 34306". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 July 1936. p. 4663.
  9. ^ "No. 34376". The London Gazette. 2 March 1937. p. 1406.
  10. ^ Window on my Heart, Olave Baden-Powell, 1973, p. 201
  11. ^ "No. 39421". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1952. p. 1.
  12. ^ "No. 39566". The London Gazette. 6 June 1952. p. 3166.
  13. ^ Hut anna's Wealth is allThey Care for, University of the Witwatersrand
  14. ^ "No. 31371". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 May 1919. p. 6923.
  15. ^ "No. 14179". The Edinburgh Gazette. 13 November 1925. p. 1285.
  16. ^ "No. 33831". The London Gazette. 31 May 1932. p. 3573.
  17. ^ "No. 34045". The London Gazette. 27 April 1934. p. 2703.
  18. ^ Burke, Sir Bernard, ed. (1939). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (97th ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 2699. ISBN 0-00-082331-7.
  19. ^ "No. 34396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 May 1937. p. 3084.
  20. ^ "No. 37977". The London Gazette. 6 June 1947. p. 2574.
  21. ^ "No. 38311". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1948. p. 3369.
  22. ^ "No. 39732". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1952. p. 4.
  23. ^ "Sir Ulick Alexander and Lady Nunburnholme". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 28 November 1947. p. 7.
  24. ^ Burke 2003, p. 291
  25. ^ Burke 2003, p. 2957
  26. ^ "Obituary: Lady Mary Alexander". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 14 December 1974. p. 14.
Court offices
Preceded by Keeper of the Privy Purse
1945 – 1952 		Succeeded by
Treasurer to the King
1945 – 1952
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