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Sir Joseph Frederick Laycock
Born (1867-06-12)12 June 1867
Died 10 January 1952(1952-01-10) (aged 84)
Place of birth Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England
Place of death East Retford, Nottinghamshire, England
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Rank Brigadier-General
Commands held

Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery

CRHA ANZAC Mounted Division
Battles/wars Second Boer War
First World War
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Territorial Decoration
Spouse(s) Katherine Mary Hare
Relations Robert Laycock (son with Kitty Hare)
Maynard Greville (son with Daisy Greville)
Mercy Greville (daughter with Daisy Greville)

Template:Burnham churchill image map Brigadier-General Sir Joseph Frederick Laycock KCMG DSO TD (12 June 1867 – 10 January 1952), sometimes known as Joe Laycock, was a British Army officer and Olympic sailor.

Laycock was the only son to Robert Laycock (1833–1881), barrister, and MP for North Lincolnshire in 1880-81, and Annie (née Allhusen), daughter to Christian Allhusen. He was borne at the Nottinghamshire Wiseton Hall (demolished 1960), purchased by his grandfather c.1866, which was Laycock's principal residence throughout his life. He was at one time a Deputy Lieutenant, Lord Lieutenant and, in 1906, High sheriff of Nottinghamshire.[1][2][3]

Laycock married, on 14 November 1902, Katherine Mary (Kitty) Hare (1872–1959), a granddaughter to William Hare, 2nd Earl of Listowel. Kitty, the former Marchioness of Downshire, was married to the Arthur Hill, 6th Marquess of Downshire (1871–1918), who had divorced her citing adultery with Laycock.[4] Laycock was also in an adulterous relationship with Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick, issue occurring before and during his marriage with Kitty. Daisy's fourth child, Maynard (1898–1960), and fifth, Mercy (1904-1968), were fathered by Lacock.[5][6] Laycock's son from his marriage to Kitty Hare, Robert Laycock, was knighted and awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his services in the Second World War.

Laycock was friends with Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster,[7] and they competed together in the 1908 Olympics at Water Motorsport.[8]

Military career[]

Laycock served with the Nottinghamshire (Sherwood Rangers) Yeomanry in South Africa during the Second Boer War 1899-1900, for which he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1900.[9]

He was the first colonel of the Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery when it was formed in 1908 as part of the new Territorial Force, and funded the founding of the battery himself.[7]

During the First World War he served with his battery in the Middle East and also served with the Duke of Westminster's armoured car unit when it was involved in a widely reported incident where it rescued prisoners of war from Senussi tribesmen.[10] Later he became the Commander Royal Artillery for the ANZAC Mounted Division.[11]

During the Second World War, Laycock commanded the Nottinghamshire Home Guard.[8]

References[]

  1. "No. 27890". 27 February 1906. p. 1433. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27890/page/1433 
  2. Jacks, Leonard (1881), The Great Houses of Nottinghamshire and the County Families W. and A.S. Bradshaw. Nottingham, pp. 174-178
  3. Joseph Frederick Laycock obituary, The Times, 11 January 1952
  4. "The Downshire Divorce", The Star, Issue 7423, 9 June 1902
  5. Anand, Sushila (2008), Daisy: The Life and Loves of the Countess of Warwick, Piatkus. ISBN 978-0-7499-5169-6
  6. Nicolson, Juliet (25 March 2008), "Babbling Brooke's doomed romance", Mail Online, retrieved 10 October 2017
  7. 7.0 7.1 Nottingham Evening Post 20 May 1997
  8. 8.0 8.1 Burke, Sir Bernard (1969), Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry: Volume 2, Burke's Peerage (p. 390)
  9. "No. 27359". 27 September 1901. p. 6303. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27359/page/6303 
  10. The Western Frontier Force Archived 13 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine.[dead link]
  11. Farndale, Martin (1988). The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base, 1914-18. Henry Ling. pp. 440. 
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