Hon Henry George Louis Crichton

Henry George Louis Crichton was born in Ireland on 7 April 1844. He was the youngest son of John, 3rd Earl of Erne and Selina Crichton (née Beresford). He was educated at Radley College and studied at Christchurch, Oxford. He was commissioned as a cornet into the 10th Hussars on 13 June 1863, lieutenant 6 Nov 1867, captain 29 Oct 1873. He transferred to the 21st Hussars in 1874 and was ADC to Sir Thomas McMahon in that year. He was promoted to major on 1 July 1881 and was brigade major at Curragh. He was appointed to the command of the Hampshire Carabiniers on 16 Jan 1884. He retired as Commandant on 19 June 1895 and was appointed Honorary Colonel of the regiment on 10 June 1905. The Hampshire Yeomanry had reached a low point in its history by the early 1880s and there were rumours of its disbandment. It seemed impossible that it could be revived, but within a few years of Henry Crichton’s accession to the command of the unit in 1884 it had risen like a phoenix to become one of the two premier yeomanry regiments, along with the Middlesex Yeomanry. He restyled the regiment as the Hampshire Carabiniers. He was elected to the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1901, and took a great interest in Solent yachting, becoming Commodore of the Royal Southern and the Castle Yacht Clubs. He was owner of a 90-ton steam yacht Chimera. He was ADC to King Edward VII and held the appointment of Vice Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire as well as JP. He was appointed KCB in 1911. He lived at Netley Castle, Netley Abbey, Hants. He was married twice, first to Letitia Cole-Hamilton, on 17 Aug 1869, with whom he had two daughters and five sons. Letitia died on 13 Jan 1888 and he married Lady Jane Emma Baring, daughter of the Earl of Northbrook, on 29 Jan 1890. The photo shows him in the blue and silver mess uniform of the Hampshire Carabiniers in 1890.