Papers of Lord Wantage, founder of British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War
Production date
1870-1905
Description
The Wantage Papers comprise official reports, correspondence and other papers relating to the period 1870-1905 amassed by Colonel Robert Loyd Lindsay, subsequently Lord Wantage, first Chairman of the British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War, the predecessor of the present British Red Cross Society.
Collection Type
Archives
Level of Current Record
Fonds
History
Robert James Lindsay (1832-1901), descended from Scottish aristocracy and the youngest child of Lieutenant-General James Lindsay.
Robert Lindsay fought in the Crimean War and in November 1854 was promoted to Lieutenant and Captain without purchase. It was also during the Crimean War that Lindsay first became aware of the unnecessary suffering of soldiers. Upon his return to England he was promoted to Beret Major and also received the Legion d’honneur and the Mejidiye.
Prior to his marriage to Harriet Sarah Loyd, he changed his name to Robert Loyd-Lindsay and the two were married on 17 November 1858. They were given the estate of Lockinge House in Wantage Berkshire by Harriet’s father, Samuel Jones Loyd, first Baron Overstone a banker who had become one of the wealthiest men in Britain.
After the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, he also founded and became Chairman of the British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War until his death in 1901.
Loyd-Lindsay was a pioneer and leading advocate of the volunteer movement, helping to raise volunteers in Berkshire, becoming Colonel of the Berkshire Rifle Volunteers, receiving a KCB (Civil) in 1881 for his service to volunteers.
In addition to his work with the National Society, Loyd-Lindsay was also the Conservative MP for Berkshire between 1865 and 1885. As an MP he worked for Disraeli's Government as Financial Secretary to the War Office and worked on preparations for a possible war with Russia.
In July 1885, nominated by Lord Salisbury he was created Baron Wantage of Lockinge and from 1886 Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire.
Following the death of Lord Overstone, Loyd-Lindsay owned estates totalling 52,000 acres. As a keen agriculturalist he had begun incorporating previously tenanted farms into home farms, bought the latest machinery and experimented with irrigation and ranching. For his tenants he also built model housing and improved the pay of his labourers, introduced a bonus scheme, co-operative stores and a savings bank. During the agricultural depression he lowered rent for his farmers and when unable to find suitable tenants farmed the land himself, which amounted to up to 13,000 acres.
However, he opposed agricultural trade-unionism and became founder and chairman of the ‘Small Farm and Labourer’s Land Company’ in 1885 which aimed to facilitate the purchase of small holdings, but which failed.
Loyd-Lindsay was also the founder and from 1892, President of Reading University College.
After a long illness, Loyd-Lindsay died on 10 June 1901 with his peerage becoming extinct as he had no children. On the death of his wife his estate passed to Arthur Thomas Loyd.
Robert Lindsay fought in the Crimean War and in November 1854 was promoted to Lieutenant and Captain without purchase. It was also during the Crimean War that Lindsay first became aware of the unnecessary suffering of soldiers. Upon his return to England he was promoted to Beret Major and also received the Legion d’honneur and the Mejidiye.
Prior to his marriage to Harriet Sarah Loyd, he changed his name to Robert Loyd-Lindsay and the two were married on 17 November 1858. They were given the estate of Lockinge House in Wantage Berkshire by Harriet’s father, Samuel Jones Loyd, first Baron Overstone a banker who had become one of the wealthiest men in Britain.
After the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, he also founded and became Chairman of the British National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War until his death in 1901.
Loyd-Lindsay was a pioneer and leading advocate of the volunteer movement, helping to raise volunteers in Berkshire, becoming Colonel of the Berkshire Rifle Volunteers, receiving a KCB (Civil) in 1881 for his service to volunteers.
In addition to his work with the National Society, Loyd-Lindsay was also the Conservative MP for Berkshire between 1865 and 1885. As an MP he worked for Disraeli's Government as Financial Secretary to the War Office and worked on preparations for a possible war with Russia.
In July 1885, nominated by Lord Salisbury he was created Baron Wantage of Lockinge and from 1886 Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire.
Following the death of Lord Overstone, Loyd-Lindsay owned estates totalling 52,000 acres. As a keen agriculturalist he had begun incorporating previously tenanted farms into home farms, bought the latest machinery and experimented with irrigation and ranching. For his tenants he also built model housing and improved the pay of his labourers, introduced a bonus scheme, co-operative stores and a savings bank. During the agricultural depression he lowered rent for his farmers and when unable to find suitable tenants farmed the land himself, which amounted to up to 13,000 acres.
However, he opposed agricultural trade-unionism and became founder and chairman of the ‘Small Farm and Labourer’s Land Company’ in 1885 which aimed to facilitate the purchase of small holdings, but which failed.
Loyd-Lindsay was also the founder and from 1892, President of Reading University College.
After a long illness, Loyd-Lindsay died on 10 June 1901 with his peerage becoming extinct as he had no children. On the death of his wife his estate passed to Arthur Thomas Loyd.
Catalogue Number
WAN