John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley
British politician
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John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley, CBE, MC, JP (11 November 1883 – 16 April 1941), styled Lord Wodehouse from 1902 to 1932, was a British hereditary peer and Liberal politician. He was a champion polo player.[1]
The Earl of Kimberley | ||||||||||||||||||
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John Wodehouse in 1920 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament for Mid Norfolk | ||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1906–1910 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Frederick Wilson | |||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | William Boyle | |||||||||||||||||
| Member of the House of Lords | ||||||||||||||||||
Lord Temporal | ||||||||||||||||||
| In office 7 January 1932 – 16 April 1941 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | The 2nd Earl of Kimberley | |||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | The 4th Earl of Kimberley | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 11 November 1883 | |||||||||||||||||
| Died | 16 April 1941 (aged 57) Westminster, London, England | |||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Frances Margaret Montagu | |||||||||||||||||
| Children | John Wodehouse, 4th Earl of Kimberley | |||||||||||||||||
| Parent | ||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Trinity Hall, Cambridge | |||||||||||||||||
| Sports career | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Polo | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Military career | ||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||
Branch |  British Army | |||||||||||||||||
Service years | 1911–1933 | |||||||||||||||||
Rank | Captain | |||||||||||||||||
Conflicts | First World War | |||||||||||||||||
| Awards | Military Cross War Merit Cross (Italy) | |||||||||||||||||
Background
Wodehouse was the eldest son of John Wodehouse, 2nd Earl of Kimberley. He attended Eton College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.[2] At Cambridge, he was a committee member of the University Pitt Club.[3] He started playing polo at university, where he was a member of the Light Blue team.[2] He later played for the Old Cantabs team.[2]
He holds the unique distinction of being the only person to win a gold medal at the Olympics in 1920 and a silver medal in 1908, both for polo.[4]
Political career and military service
Wodehouse was elected Member of Parliament for Mid Norfolk at the general election of 1906. Aged 22 years and 2 months, he was the youngest Liberal candidate at that election. Throughout his service, he was Baby of the House of Commons. In the former year[clarification needed], he became JP for the county of Norfolk.[5] He sat in Parliament until the January 1910 general election.
Lord Wodehouse was commissioned a lieutenant in the Norfolk Yeomanry in 1911 and served with them until the beginning of the First World War in 1914. He served as a captain in the 16th Lancers during the war, when he was wounded and twice mentioned in despatches.[5] He was at the Western Front in France from 1914 to 1917, and on the Italian Front during 1917–18.[6] He won the MC in the latter year and also received the Italian War Merit Cross.[5] His younger brother, Edward, also served in the 16th Lancers, but was killed in 1918.[7] Another brother, Philip, died serving in 1919.[8]
From outside Parliament, he served as unpaid assistant private secretary to the Colonial Secretary, then Winston Churchill, in 1921–22, and was awarded the CBE in 1925.[5] From 1921 to 1933 he remained on the Reserve of Officers.
He succeeded to his father's peerages in 1932, giving him a seat in the House of Lords.
Family
Lord Kimberley married the twice-divorced Frances Margaret Montagu,[9] daughter of Leonard Howard Loyd Irby, on 5 May 1922.
In April 1941, aged 57, he was killed in The Blitz at 48 Jermyn Street, Westminster, London,[10] and was succeeded by his only child, John.[2]
Kimberley's son John was the godson of the writer P. G. Wodehouse, a distant cousin, both being descended from Sir Armine Wodehouse, 5th Baronet.[11] According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, P. G. Wodehouse based the character of Bertie Wooster on him.
