Maurice Arnold de Forest

Maurice Arnold de Forest (9 January 1879 – 6 October 1968), known as Baron de Forest from 1900–20 and Count de Bendern from 1932, was an early motor racing driver, aviator and Liberal politician in the United Kingdom.^[1]

Early life

He was the second son of Ferdinand Raphael Bischoffsheim (1837–1909) and his wife Mary Paine (1853–1900),^{[citation needed]} but it was widely believed that he was the illegitimate son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII of the United Kingdom.^[1][2] He was adopted by his aunt Baroness Clara de Hirsch, née Bischoffsheim, and her husband Baron Maurice de Hirsch de Gereuth. Both his adoptive parents came from prominent banking families and were noted philanthropists. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford.^[1] In 1899 he was awarded the title Freiherr von Forest by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.^[3] In the following year he was naturalised to become a British citizen, and was authorised to bear the title Baron de Forest by royal licence.^[4]

De Forest converted from Judaism to Roman Catholicism.^[2] In 1901 he married Mathilde Madeleine Menier, née Letellien, the widow of Albert Menier.^[5] They had one daughter. The marriage was declared null and void by a decree of the Pope in 1902.^[5] In 1904 he married the Hon. Ethel Gerard, daughter of the William Cansfield Gerard, 2nd Baron Gerard. They had two sons.^[5] The marriage broke down in January 1910.^[5]

De Forest, who was a wealthy man, was a childhood friend of Winston Churchill. Churchill spent much time on De Forest's yacht and at his castle at Eichorn in Austria.^[6]

Motoring and aviation

De Forest was an enthusiast for the emerging technologies of motor cars and aeroplanes. An accomplished motor racing driver, he competed in a number of major races including the Gordon Bennett Cup in auto racing.^[7] From 1903–1905 he held the Daily Mail Challenge Cup, having attained a record speed over the flying kilometre at Phoenix Park, Dublin, breaking the world land speed record.^{[8][9][10][11]}

In 1909 he offered the Baron de Forest Prize of £2,000 to the first Englishman who could fly across the English Channel in an English-built aeroplane. When a Frenchman, Louis Blériot successfully crossed the Channel in July 1909, he doubled the prize to £4,000. It was eventually won by Thomas Sopwith in December 1910.^[12]

He was also a rider of the Cresta Run in St. Moritz where a cup was named after him.^[13]

Politics

De Forest was active in the Liberal Party, and at the January 1910 general election stood as parliamentary candidate at Southport. Despite the support of Churchill, De Forest was defeated by his Conservative opponent, Major Godfrey Dalrymple-White in a campaign marred by racist slurs.^[2]

In March 1910 he was elected to the London County Council as a member of the Liberal-backed Progressive Party, representing Kennington. He held the seat until 1913.^[14]

In July 1911 a parliamentary by-election was called for the seat of West Ham North, and de Forest was chosen to defend the seat for the Liberals. In his election address he stated that he was in favour of land nationalisation, Irish Home Rule, revised licensing laws, female suffrage and equality of religion in education.^[15] He retained the seat for the Liberal Party, with an increased majority.^[16] He held the seat until the next general election in 1918.^[1]

First World War and aftermath

With the outbreak of war with Germany and Austro-Hungary in 1914, attempts were made to prosecute de Forest as an enemy sympathiser.^[12] However, with Churchill's assistance, he was able to resist the pressure. He joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1914, subsequently serving in the Royal Naval Air Service Armoured Car Section.^[1][6]

Following the war, a decision was taken that persons authorised to use titles granted by "enemy states" should have this right withdrawn. Accordingly, de Forest was requested to "voluntarily" relinquish his title. He initially refused to do so, but finally relented, and a royal warrant was issued on 16 January 1920 that relinquished "the rights and privileges" granted to him "in consideration of the fact that the said foreign titles of nobility appertain to Countries now or recently at war with Us". He became known as Maurice Arnold de Forest.^[17]

The family estates in Moravia were confiscated by the new state of Czechoslovakia for which de Forest was paid £100,000 compensation.^[1]

Later life

In 1932 he was naturalised in Liechenstein, was granted the title Count Maurice de Bendern, and was appointed a diplomatic counsellor to the principality. De Bendern amassed a valuable art collection including a work by Frans Hals. He maintained a villa at Cap Martin on the French Riviera, which contained an animal sanctuary. He died in Biarritz in October 1968, aged 89.^[1]

Relatives

His son John Gerard married Lady Patricia Sybil Douglas, daughter of Francis Douglas, 11th Marquess of Queensberry. Their children included Emma de Bendern, who married firstly journalist Nigel Dempster and thirdly Prince George Galitzine,^[18] and Caroline de Bendern, who married saxophonist Barney Wilen^{[citation needed]} and associated with Olivier Mosset, Amanda Lear and Salvador Dali.^[19] On 13 May 1968, during the protests in Paris, Caroline de Bendern was photographed by Jean-Pierre Rey sitting on the shoulders of painter Jean-Jacques Lebel waving a Vietnam flag. The photograph, named La Marianne de Mai 68, featured in the reports on the protests in Life causing her grandfather Count de Bendern to disinherit her.^[20]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Obituary: Count De Bendern. Former Liberal MP". The Times: p. 14. 8 October 1968. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Tom Duffy (26 March 2010). "The story of Baron de Forest who often entertained his friend Sir Winston Churchill at his home in Rosefield Hall". Southport Visiter. http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2010/03/26/the-story-of-baron-de-forest-who-often-entertained-his-friend-sir-winston-churchill-at-his-home-in-rosefield-hall-101022-26111239/. Retrieved 11 December 2010. 
3. ^ of Ruvigny, Marquis, The Titled Nobility of Europe, 1914, p. 564.
4. ^ Home Office (December 1922). "Applications for Royal Licenses to use Foreign titles (HO 45/13725)". Francois Velde (Heraldica.org). http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/TNA/HO_45_13725.htm. Retrieved 11 December 2010. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d} "SLANDER ACTIONS IN LONDON HIGH LIFE; Baron de Forest Lays Bare in Vain His Family Skeleton". New York Times. 16 April 1911. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F20C12FC3B5517738DDDAF0994DC405B818DF1D3. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Wrigley, Chris (2002). "Winston Churchill: a biographical companion". ABC-CLIO. p. 154. ISBN 9780874369908. http://books.google.ie/books?id=HBUslUOGOgkC&lpg=PA154&ots=emhCUyCO46&dq=de%20forest%20west%20ham%20election&pg=PA154#v=onepage&q=de%20forest%20west%20ham%20election&f=false. 
7. ^ "Englishman's Motor Races". New York Times. 29 June 1902. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F50B11FD3A591B728DDDA00A94DE405B828CF1D3. 
8. ^ Montgomery, Bob. The Phoenix Park Speed Trials 1903. Dreolin Publications. ISBN 97819027730309. 
9. ^ "NEW AUTOMOBILE RECORDS; Baron de Forest Makes a Flying Kilometer in Dublin in 26 3-5 Seconds.". New York Times. 5 July 1903. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F30717FF345F1B738DDDAC0894DF405B838CF1D3. 
10. ^ Lynch, Brendan (23 October 2003). "Britain's first international motor race". 8W. http://forix.autosport.com/8w/gbt03.html. Retrieved 12 December 2010. 
11. ^ "Automobilism. The Brighton Motor Week". The Times: p. 7. 22 July 1905. 
12. ^ ^{a b} Gollin, Alfred M (1989). The impact of air power on the British people and their government, 1909-1914. Stanford University Press. pp. 74–76. ISBN 9780804715911. http://books.google.ie/books?id=sjWsAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA75&ots=McM4akc28S&dq=baron%20de%20forest&pg=PA76#v=onepage&q=baron%20de%20forest&f=false. 
13. ^ St. Moritz Tobogganing Club, Annual Report, No. 90, 2009-2010, pp. 302 and 311.
14. ^ "London County Council Election". The Times: p. 7. 7 March 1910. 
15. ^ "North West Ham". The Times: p. 13. 27 June 1911. 
16. ^ "The North West Ham Election. An Increased Liberal Majority". The Times: p. 7. 10 July 1911. 
17. ^ Home Office (1920). "The revocation of royal licenses for holders of Austrian and German titles (HO 45/10964/383538)". Francois Velde (Heraldica.org). http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/TNA/HO_45_10964_383538.htm. Retrieved 11 December 2010. 
18. ^ The peerage, http://www.thepeerage.com/p17041.htm#i170407 .
19. ^ IMDb, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1775326/ .
20. ^ (in French) Caroline de Bendern, égérie malgré elle, Les femmes de mai, Elle, http://www.elle.fr/elle/Societe/Les-enquetes/Les-femmes-de-mai/Caroline-de-Bendern-egerie-malgre-elle/%28gid%29/596137, retrieved 2011-12-18 .

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Baron Maurice de Forest

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Charles Masterman	Member of Parliament for West Ham North 1911 – 1918	Constituency abolished

Persondata
Name	Forest, Maurice De
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	9 January 1879
Place of birth
Date of death	6 October 1968
Place of death