OBITUARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 17, 31 October 1932, Page 5

OBITUARY.

FIELD-MARSHAL BARON METHUEN. (United Press Association*—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 8.40 a.m:) LONDON, October 30. Field-Marshal Baron Methuen is dead, aged 87. Paul Sanford Methuen was the third baron, and one of England’s bestknown soldiers. In fact, during tnc period of the South African War his name was almost a household one. He joined the Scots Guards in 1864. He afterwards served in the Ashanti campaign of 1874 and the, Egyptian War of 1882, hut it was as the commander of Methuen’s Horse in Bechuanalahd in 1884-85 that he first became famous as a leader of cavalry, and this was accentuated by his leadership of the Ist Army' Corps in the South African War of 1899-1902. He came from a long line of soldiers, diplomats and politicians. The Baron was created' a Field-Marshal in 1911, and in January, 1915, he was appointed Governor of Malta, which post lie resigned in 1919. When he returned to England he was made Constable of the Tower. He was twice married, liis first wife dying a year .after their wedding, in 1879, and in 1884 he married Miss Mary Sanford, of, Nynehead Court. They had three sons and two daughters. •• 1 Lord Methuen was created K.C.V.O. in 1897, K.C.B. in 1900, G.C.B. > 1902; G.C.V.O. in 1910, and GX’.M.G. in 1919. The English title of Baron .Methuen of Corsham (Wiltshire) was first created in 1838 for- Paul Methuen, who had been a Tory member of Parliament for Wilts from 1812 to 1819, and then sat as Whig for North Wilts from 1833 to 1838. His father, also named Paul, was the cousin and heir of the wealthy Sir Paul Methuen, also a well-known politician, courtier, diplomatist, and patron of art and literature, who was the son of John Methuen, Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1697 to 1703, and Ambassador to Portugal. It was John Methuen who in 1703 negotiated the famous “Methuen Treaty,” which, in return for the admission of English woollens into Portugal, granted differential duties favouring the importation of Portuguese wines into England to the disadvantage of French, and thus displaced the drinking of Burgendy by that of port. He and liis son were both buried in Westminster Abbey. The first baron was succeeded by liis son, and the latter by liis son, the third baron, and each of the heirs for several generations has been known as Paul Methuen.