The Baron Farnham | |
|---|---|
| Pro Grand Master of theUnited Grand Lodge of England | |
| In office 1991–2001 | |
| Preceded by | The Lord Cornwallis |
| Succeeded by | The Marquess of Northampton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Barry Owen Somerset Maxwell 7 July 1931 |
| Died | 22 March 2001(2001-03-22) (aged 69) |
| Occupation | Businessman, peer |
Barry Owen Somerset Maxwell, 12th Baron Farnham (7 July 1931 – 22 March 2001), was a Britishpeer andbaron.
Barry Owen Somerset Maxwell was the son ofThe HonourableSomerset Arthur Maxwell, and grandson ofthe 11th Baron Farnham. He was educated atEton andHarvard Business School. On his grandfather's death in 1957, he succeeded as the 12thBaron Farnham (and 15thof his family Baronetcy).
Maxwell was called up to theBritish Army to undertakenational service,[1] and was commissioned as asecond lieutenant in theRoyal Horse Guards on 12 August 1950.[2] Having completed his full-time service, he transferred to the reserve on 1 March 1952.[3] He was made anactinglieutenant on 26 April 1952,[4] and promoted tosubstantive lieutenant on 7 July 1954 within the Army Emergency Reserve.[5]
Maxwell was amerchant banker and worked atBrown Shipley as a director from 1959 until 1991; he also served as its chairman from 1984 to 1991 and chief executive in 1991. Brown Shipley was acquired byKBL in 1992.[1]
He was a high rankingfreemason,[6] having originally joined aGrand Lodge of Ireland lodge inCounty Cavan.[1] He held office in theUnited Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) as Senior Grand Warden from 1977 to 1978, Assistant Grand Master from 1982 to 1989, and Deputy Grand Master from 1989 to 1991. He then became the most senior non-royal in UGLE, asPro Grand Master from 1991 to 2001; as such, he was acting Grand Master when Prince Edward, Duke of Kent was unavailable.[1]
Lord Farnham was due to retire on or about his 70th birthday, but he died on 22 March 2001, a few months before. He was succeeded in the barony by his brother,Simon Kenlis Maxwell, who lived in England.
His wife,Diana, was aLady of the Bedchamber (1987–2021) toQueen Elizabeth II.[7] Lady Farnham rode alongside the Queen on the way to the Diamond Jubilee service on 5 June 2012 in the absence (through illness) of the Duke of Edinburgh.[8] His sister Sheelin, Viscountess Knollys, served as Chair ofSouth Norfolk District Council and asHigh Sheriff of Norfolk.[9]
What is now the Farnham Estate Hotel was the on-site replacement to the family seat and its main structure was commissioned around 1780 bythe 1st Earl of Farnham and designed byJames Wyatt. Its conversion was enabled when Lady Farnham sold it to a local entrepreneur.[10]
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Baron Farnham 1957–2001 | Succeeded by |