Who is This ? ? ?

[Uncle George]

When he was first offered this high office he “with characteristic modesty” refused. Ll.G remembers: “It required the joint persuasion of Mr. Bonar Law and myself to wring from him a reluctant consent. We had every reason to be proud of the pressure we exerted on the occasion, for no minister ever served his country more effectively in an emergency.”

[Knotty]

He was an unelected Minister, but did not serve in the War Cabinet as far as I can make out, can I assume he was on the Privy Council?

[Uncle George]

He was admitted to the PC, yes. Here’s the historian Richard Toye:

 

”Although Lloyd George probably did not deserve as much personal credit as he later tried to claim for novelties such as the highly successful convoy system for shipping, he did make the brilliant appointment of [this man].”

[Guest]

Auckland Geddes?  Brother of Eric but not related to Barbera Bel?

[Uncle George]

Auckland Geddes?  Brother of Eric but not related to Barbera Bel?

I fear not. Here’s a clue: my chap was, apparently, a Sabbatarian; he declined to even read newspapers on Sundays. (The look in his eyes makes this so believable.)

[neverforget]

1 minute ago, Uncle George said:

I fear not. Here’s a clue: my chap was, apparently, a Sabbatarian; he declined to even read newspapers on Sundays. (The look in his eyes makes this so believable.)

No idea who he was yet, but I would imagine he certainly wasn't the life and soul of any parties. Mind boggling how people can adopt such ridiculous measures of self imposed slavery and servitude. 🙄

[Uncle George]

7 minutes ago, neverforget said:

No idea who he was yet, but I would imagine he certainly wasn't the life and soul of any parties. Mind boggling how people can adopt such ridiculous measures of self imposed slavery and servitude. 🙄

But they do, of course, walk with God. So that’s alright then.

[neverforget]

1 minute ago, Uncle George said:

But they do, of course, walk with God. So that’s alright then.

😊 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Uncle George said:

But they do, of course, walk with God. So that’s alright then.

 

      As you posted the current WIT on a Sunday, then for reasons of personal belief and morality, I am unable to answer it:

 

 

................  I also haven't got a clue anyway

[Uncle George]

 

      As you posted the current WIT on a Sunday, then for reasons of personal belief and morality, I am unable to answer it:

 

 

................  I also haven't got a clue anyway

I am dazzled by your probity.

[Fattyowls]

I'd be dazzled by his probity too if I knew what it was. It may have something to do with the moral high ground to which WiT? has ascended over the last few posts. It's somewhere I don't frequent, and I haven't got a clue who it is anyway.

 

Pete.

[Uncle George]

My recent posts have mentioned: the convoy system; Sabbatarianism; the word ‘dazzled’. All or most of these are clues.

[Knotty]

 Found him, the Minister for Shipping, Sir Joseph Maclay, later Baron Maclay. The post was created as part of the war effort, dissolved in 1921, but resurrected in a slightly different guise in WW2

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Paton_Maclay,_1st_Baron_Maclay

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Shipping
 

Maclay lost two sons, William (d.1915) and Ebenezer (d.1918) during the War.

[Uncle George]

8 minutes ago, Knotty said:

 Found him, the Minister for Shipping, Sir Joseph Maclay, later Baron Maclay. The post was created as part of the war effort, dissolved in 1921, but resurrected in a slightly different guise in WW2

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Paton_Maclay,_1st_Baron_Maclay

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_of_Shipping
 

Maclay lost two sons, William (d.1915) and Ebenezer (d.1918) during the War.

Yes indeed. He promoted the convoy system and the use of dazzle camouflage, amongst other things. Image from Wikipedia. Ll.G quote from his ‘War Memoirs’. Richard Toye quote from his ‘Lloyd George and Churchill - Rivals for Greatness’ (2007).

[Guest]

Let's try this chap then-  Cannot see he has come up before but he has been mentioned-so should not last long, as he is obviously known to you lot.

 

 

  I suppose you beggars will be howling for a clue as well. Oh, alright-don't want too much trouble from you during the lockdown:

 

1) Our man had a very close association with Bootle.

 

2) The picture is taken from his obituary, which, in a sense, is a superior piece of bragging........

[Uncle George]

Let's try this chap then-  Cannot see he has come up before but he has been mentioned-so should not last long, as he is obviously known to you lot.

 

 

  I suppose you beggars will be howling for a clue as well. Oh, alright-don't want too much trouble from you during the lockdown:

 

1) Our man had a very close association with Bootle.

 

2) The picture is taken from his obituary, which, in a sense, is a superior piece of bragging........

Is he Lawrence Bragg?

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, Uncle George said:

Is he Lawrence Bragg?

 

          No- but you are on the right track having elucidated what "bragging" means as a clue.

 

Our chap spent a fair bit of time at No12....  and not the Chief Whip's Office in Downing Street.

[Guest]

Oh- and this one is just for Pete.......

 

Our man was very close to this chap:

 

 

      Calm down Pete-get some fresh air-the palpitations and the gasping for breath  will pass...

[Fattyowls]

Alec Lindsay, left back for Bury and Stoke City too, unless I'm very much mistaken. As for fresh air there is far too much cold rain in it at the moment so I'll pass on that one thanks.

 

Pete.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Fattyowls said:

Alec Lindsay, left back for Bury and Stoke City too, unless I'm very much mistaken. As for fresh air there is far too much cold rain in it at the moment so I'll pass on that one thanks.

 

Pete.

 

    Correctamento Pete-  BUT what is the link between him and the current WIT???      Lets make it a lot easier-   here is another footballer with an even closer link to the WIT:

 

Edited 19 January , 2021 by Guest

[Uncle George]

Alec Lindsay, eh? And I thought he was Peter Thompson. But his name is right there on the photograph! I hear you say. This is true, but only so far as it goes.

 

Which is to say, I’m getting nowhere with this one.

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, Uncle George said:

Alec Lindsay, eh? And I thought he was Peter Thompson. But his name is right there on the photograph! I hear you say. This is true, but only so far as it goes.

 

Which is to say, I’m getting nowhere with this one.

 

     Then let me assist-  This chap has been set before- by ME!!    But several of you lot have referenced him, so I thought I would give him another go with some tougher clues (Of the Simpson's  "Doh" kind when you know what they mean.)

    Our chap served in 2 different army units......   the first was The Manchester Regiment- the second....well, that would be telling too much.

 

UG- You will get it-Nil Desperandum. WIT is not a forlorn hope-unlike Argyle.

 

Oh, he also managed to do something which sounds rather painful- he was a holder of a thistle.

 

 

 

Edited 19 January , 2021 by Guest

[Guest]

Oh- and he managed to do something which sounds rather painful- he was a holder of a thistle...........

 

Let's get this finished-   57840

 

 

Edited 19 January , 2021 by Guest

[Uncle George]

Oh- and he managed to do something which sounds rather painful- he was a holder of a thistle...........

 

Let's get this finished-   57840

 

 

David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford, a Knight of the Thistle, private RAMC no. 57840.

[Guest]

54 minutes ago, Uncle George said:

David Lindsay, Earl of Crawford, a Knight of the Thistle, private RAMC no. 57840.

 

Bingo!!!    Crawford seems to be remembered only for being a Private in the RAMC  (actually, as far up as Acting-Corporal-he regarded Sergeant as the height of his career potential-hence, this may be a factor in his turning down the offer of Viceroy of India)  - So, clues chosen to avoid what he is usually remembered for:

 

 

1) Our man had a very close association with Bootle.

   His wife was originally Florence BOOTLE -Wilbraham

 

2) The picture is taken from his obituary, which, in a sense, is a superior piece of bragging........

    As he was such a dedicated public servant and because of his enthusiasm, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1934. His memoir in the Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society was written by the Nobel physicist, William Henry Bragg. It is alos where the first picture came from-  His obit. is online and gives a very sympathetic portrait of him-a revelation that scientists occasionally have the ability to write fluent English

3) ALEC LINDSAY-   Well, the picture was there to make Pete choke- but Crawford was ALEXANDER LINDSAY-which is "relatively" close

4)  "Our chap spent a fair bit of time at No12....  and not the Chief Whip's Office in Downing Street."  

      He served in the RAMC on the Western Front at 12 CCS

5)   

 

This was the old-time footballer  ALEX LINDSAY- same name!!

6) " Our chap served in 2 different army units......   the first was The Manchester Regiment- the second....well, that would be telling too much"

     Crawford was essentially a man of Lancashire,where the family money came from-coal.  His father was a spectacularly indulgent book collector who amassed a fantastic library-"Biblotheca Lindesiana"- and blew most of the family money in the process. Our man had to face a  £107,000 death duties bill and flogged off much of the library-53 tons of it were shipped down to the London bookseller Quaritch (who had made himself rich by ripping off the 26th Earl anyway).

    Thus, Crawford had previously served as a militia officer with The Manchester Regiment

7)  Oh, he also managed to do something which sounds rather painful- he was a holder of a thistle

    Yes, and as a peer of Scotland he held the honour of Knight of the Thistle. Well done UG- his RAMC service number was a giveaway

   One of the nice things about WIT is that one learns about some very interesting people and events-and Crawford  is certainly one of them. I have been browsing in his diaries  from his time in France- well worth a read. Comes across as a thoroughly decent man. Has a few swipes at Churchill in particular - as a supposed Lt Col commanding an infantry battalion Churchill seemed to be very gifted in getting home leave-and also looking after himself very well when in France-baths, food,drink,etc.. Well worth a read.