Henry Brassey, 1st Baron Brassey of Apethorpe

Henry Leonard Campbell Brassey, 1st Baron Brassey of Apethorpe (7 March 1870-22 October 1958), known as Sir Henry Brassey, 1st Baronet, from 1922 to 1938, was a British Conservative politician.

Brassey was the second but eldest surviving son of Henry Arthur Brassey and his wife Anna Harriet (née Stevenson). The railway contractor Thomas Brassey was his grandfather and Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey, his uncle. In 1904 he purchased Apethorpe Hall. He was elected to the House of Commons for Northamptonshire North in 1910, a seat he held until 1918, and then represented Peterborough between 1918 and 1929. Brassey fought in the First World War, achieving the rank of Major in the Northamptonshire Yeomanry and in the West Kent Yeomanry Cavalry. He also served as a Justice of the Peace for Northamptonshire and for Kent, as High Sheriff of Northamptonshire in 1907 and as Deputy Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. In 1922 he was created a Baronet, of Apethorpe in the County of Northampton, and in 1938 he was further honoured when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Brassey of Apethorpe, of Apethorpe in the County of Northampton.

Lord Brassey of Apethorpe married Lady Violet Mary, daughter of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond, in 1894. They had six sons (two of whom died as infants). Lady Brassey of Apethorpe died in 1946, aged 72. Brassey survived her by twelve years and died in October 1958, aged 88. He was succeeded in his titles by his fifth but eldest surviving son Bernard.

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/ www.thepeerage.com]