Michael Willoughby, 11th Baron Middleton

Colonel Michael Guy Percival Willoughby, 11th Baron Middleton, KG, MC, TD, ED (21 October 1887–16 November 1970) was a British peer and soldier.

Willoughby was the second son of Godfrey Willoughby, 10th Baron Middleton and was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military College. On graduating in 1907, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in a Territorial Force battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Volunteers). He transferred to the 17th Lancers later the same year and in 1910 to the 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse) of the Indian Army. He was stationed in India during World War I and in 1917 was awarded the Military Cross. He was promoted Captain in 1915 and Major in 1918 and resigned his commission in 1923. Willoughby's elder brother had been killed at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and so on the death of his father in 1924, Willoughby inherited the barony.

Lord Middleton rose through the ranks and became associated with Territorial regiments of the East Riding of Yorkshire. He first joined the Green Howards as a Lieutenant-Colonel and was promoted Colonel in 1928. In 1936, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire and commanded the 5th and 30th Battalions of the East Yorkshire Regiment during World War II. From 1931, he was President of University College Hull (later University of Hull) until 1970 and its first Chancellor from 1954-70.

On 28 April 1920, Lord Middleton married Angela Florence Alfreda Hall (a daughter of Charles Hall, of Eddlethorpe) and the couple had four children;

• Digby Michael Godfrey John (b. 1 May 1921); holder of the military cross
• Angela Hermione Ida (b. 5 May 1924)
• Jean Elizabeth Mary (26 January 1928 – 11 November 2008), married Sir Fergus Matheson, 7th Baronet and had issue
• Brigadier Henry Ernest Christopher (b. 12 June 1932)

In 1957, he was appointed a Knight of the Garter. On his death in 1970, his title passed to his eldest son.

References

• Burke's Peerage & Gentry, 107th edition
• Obituary of Lord Middleton, The Daily Telegraph, 15 June, 2011

Honorary titles
Preceded by The Lord Deramore	Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire 1936–1968	Succeeded by The Earl of Halifax
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by Godfrey Willoughby	Baron Middleton 1924–1970	Succeeded by Michael Willoughby