Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe

The Right Honourable The Viscount Bledisloe GCMG KBE PC
Formal portrait of a man in his sixties in uniform Formal portrait of Lord Bledisloe in uniform.
4th Governor-General of New Zealand
In office 19 March 1930 – 15 March 1935
Monarch	George V
Preceded by	Sir Charles Fergusson, Bt
Succeeded by	The Viscount Galway
Member of Parliament for Wilton
In office 15 January 1910 – 15 October 1918
Preceded by	Levi Lapper Morse
Succeeded by	Hugh Morrison
Personal details
Born	(1867-09-21)21 September 1867 London, United Kingdom
Died	Lydney, Gloucestershire United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative

Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe GCMG KBE PC (21 September 1867 – 3 July 1958), was a British Conservative politician and colonial governor. He was Governor-General of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935.

Early life

Born in London and educated at Sherborne School, Eton and then University College, Oxford, where he studied law and graduated with a BA in 1890.

Member of Parliament

Bathurst worked as a barrister and conveyancer and in 1910 entered parliament representing the Conservative Party as MP for the South or Wilton division of Wiltshire. After serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, Bathurst was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1917, and raised to the peerage as Baron Bledisloe, of Lydney in the County of Gloucester. He remained in parliament until 1928, serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries from 1924 onwards, and was a member of the Privy Council from 1926.

Governor-General of New Zealand

After leaving parliament, Lord Bledisloe was created a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George and appointed the fourth Governor-General of New Zealand, an office he held from 1930 until 1935, proving to be extremely well liked and respected. His social conscience was much appreciated during the Depression era, as was his insistence that his salary should be cut as were the salaries of public servants at the time. Bledisloe also contributed to improved Pākehā – Māori relations, purchasing the site where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed and presenting it to the nation as a memorial. In 1934, the site was dedicated as a national reserve. The dedication ceremony attracted thousands of people, both Māori and Pākehā. Bledisloe continued to take an interest in the site even after his term expired and he returned to England. Bledisloe also contributed to the recognition of the Māori King Movement by developing a friendship with King Koroki and Te Puea Herangi, and his willingness to use the title "king" without reticence.

Bledisloe also promoted various causes and events by the presentation of trophies, the most famous of these being the Bledisloe Cup, the trophy for an ongoing rugby union competition between New Zealand and Australia, first awarded in 1931, and currently contested annually.

In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

Upon returning to England in 1935, he was made Viscount Bledisloe, of Lydney in the County of Gloucester. He continued to serve on a number of committees and councils, was awarded honorary doctorates from the universities of Bristol, Edinburgh and Oxford, and was made a fellow of University College, Oxford. On his 90th birthday he endowed the Bledishoe Gold Medal for Landowners of the Royal Agricultural Society of England to be awarded annually for the application of science or technology to some branch of British husbandry.

Lord Bledisloe died, aged 90, at Lydney on 3 July 1958, and was succeeded as Viscount Bledisloe by his eldest son, Benjamin Ludlow Bathurst.

Freemasonry

He was a freemason. During his term as Governor-General (1930-1933), he was also Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand.

Sports

Upon its formation in 1888, Bathurst was invited to become President of Lydney Rugby Football Club. He held this position for 70 years until his death and was succeeded as by his eldest son, Benjamin Ludlow Bathurst. The Bledisloe Cup and Bledisloe Park sports ground are both named for Bledisloe.

Styles

• 1867–1910: Charles Bathurst
• 1910–1914: Charles Bathurst, MP
• 1914–1917: Captain Charles Bathurst, MP
• 1917–24 October 1918: Captain Sir Charles Bathurst, KBE, MP
• 24 October 1918 – 1926: The Right Honourable The Lord Bledisloe, KBE
• 1926–1930: The Right Honourable The Lord Bledisloe, KBE, PC
• 1930-1 January 1935: His Excellency The Right Honourable The Lord Bledisloe, GCMG, KBE, PC
• 1 January – 28 June 1935: The Right Honourable The Lord Bledisloe, GCMG, KBE, PC, KStJ
• 28 June 1935 – 1958: The Right Honourable The Viscount Bledisloe, GCMG, KBE, PC, KStJ

Arms

Arms of Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe

Notes The arms of Charles Bathurst consist of: Crest A dexter arm in mail enbowed, holding in the hand all Proper, a club with spike Or. Escutcheon Sable two bars ermine, in chief three crosses pateé Or. Supporters On either side a bull guardant Gules, ringed, and a line therefrom reflexed over the back Or. Motto Tien ta foy

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Viscount Bledisloe
• Lydney Rugby Football Club

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Levi Lapper Morse	Member of Parliament for Wilton 1910–1918	Succeeded by Hugh Morrison
Government offices
Preceded by Sir Charles Fergusson	Governor-General of New Zealand 1930–1935	Succeeded by The Viscount Galway
Sporting positions
New office	President of Lydney Rugby Football Club 1888–1958	Succeeded by Benjamin Bathurst
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Viscount Bledisloe 1935–1958	Succeeded by Benjamin Bathurst
	Baron Bledisloe 1918–1958