Wykeham Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis

Colonel Wykeham Stanley Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis (4 March 1892 – 4 January 1982), was a British peer, cavalry officer and amateur cricketer. He served during the First World War and was later prominent in public life in the county of Kent, holding a range of public offices. He played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club, captaining the team between 1926 and 1928 and succeeded his father Fiennes Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis as Baron Cornwallis in 1935.

He was Lord Lieutenant of Kent from 1944 to 1972.

Early life and education Cornwallis was born at Linton Park in Linton in Kent, the second son of Fiennes Cornwallis and his wife Mabel Leigh. He was educated at Ludgrove School, where he captained the cricket team, and at Eton College before going on to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

His father was Member of Parliament for Maidstone and later became Chairman of Kent County Council. The hereditary title of Baron Cornwallis was created for him in 1927. Cornwallis served with A squadron initially, first engaging the enemy on 22 August near Mons. He fought in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, during which his horse, White Knight, was killed. In mid-September 1914 Cornwallis was wounded whilst advancing at the First Battle of the Aisne. He was evacuated to England, rejoining his unit in December. until its disbandment in 1956, and was then Hon Col of 5th Battalion, The Buffs, between 1957 and 1967 and its successor, 8th Battalion, The Queen's Regiment, from 1967 to 1968.

Public life Cornwallis played a prominent role in public life in Kent throughout his life. He became a Justice of the Peace in 1926 and succeeded his father as Baron Cornwallis in 1935, his older brother having died in 1921 during the Irish War of Independence.

The Cornwallis family were closely associated with Freemasonry in Kent. Cornwallis succeeded his father as Provincial Grand Master of Kent in 1935 until the county was divided into East and West Kent in 1973. He then served as Provincial Grand Master of East Kent until his death in 1982. The organisation's main charity is named after the Cornwallis family and was established following the death of the first Baron in 1935. Cornwallis' son, Fiennes Neil Wykeham Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis, was Pro Grand Master of United Grand Lodge of England between 1982 and 1992.

Cricket career

Cornwallis was serving under Field Marshal Haig when he played in a charity cricket match, taking a hat-trick. He was later invited by C. H. B. Marsham to play for Kent County Cricket Club against Sussex in the 1919 County Championship. Cornwallis, who had not played cricket since school, initially laughed off the invitation but was told by Haig to accept – being told it was "one of those things you have got to say you have done once, Cornie". He took a wicket in the match and went on to play several more times for Kent in 1919. He was capped by Kent in 1923 and captained the team after his retirement from the Army between 1924 and 1926, playing much more regularly during this period. During his three years as Kent captain he was only able to bowl 560 overs, although his leadership abilities were strong enough to see the county to top-five finishes in the County Championship in each season.

His younger brother, Oswald Cornwallis, served in the Royal Navy during the First and Second World Wars and played first-class cricket a few times for the Royal Navy. He also played one match for Hampshire in 1921 against Kent with the two brothers on opposing teams. The news of their older brother's death came during the match and both brothers were given leave to miss the majority of the match.

In 1917 Cornwallis returned to England from the Western Front to marry his first wife Cecily Etha Mary Walker, daughter of Captain Sir James Heron Walker, 3rd Baronet Walker of Sand Hutton at St Margaret's Church, Westminster. He died at his home Ashurst Park near Tunbridge Wells, where he had lived since 1970, in 1982 aged 89.