George Harcourt Vanden-Bampde-Johnstone, 3rd Baron Derwent

George Harcourt Vanden-Bampde-Johnstone, 3rd Baron Derwent (22 October 1899 – 13 January 1949), was a British author, diplomat and Liberal politician.

Baron Derwent

Early life

Derwent was born in London on 22 October 1899, the son of Hon. Edward Henry Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, younger son of Harcourt Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 1st Baron Derwent.[1] Derwent was educated at Sandroyd School then Charterhouse and Merton College, Oxford where he won the Newdigate Prize in 1920.[1][2] He succeeded as the third Baron Derwent on the death of his uncle in 1929.[1]

Diplomatic and war service

On leaving Merton he joined the diplomatic service and served as an honorary attaché from 1929 at Warsaw, Brussels and Madrid. At the start of the Second World War he was in Berne before he returned to the United Kingdom in 1942 to serve in the Royal Air Force until 1944.[1][2]

Author and poet

As an author and poet Derwent wrote under his own name but also the pen name George Vanden.[1] Two volumes of poetry were published in 1931 (Fifty Poems) and 1943 (Before Zero Hour).[1]

Politician

Derwent was a Liberal party politician and president of the Yorkshire Liberal Federation.[1]

Family life

Derwent married Countess Sabine Czaykowska Iliesco in 1929, the daughter of Romanian General Iliesco.[3] She died in 1941 and they had no children so when Derwent died aged 49 in Paris on his way back from a health visit to Switzerland, he was succeeded by his younger brother Patrick.[1]

References

1. "Lord Derwent". Obituaries. The Times (51279). London. 14 January 1949. col E, p. 7.
2. Levens, R.G.C., ed. (1964). Merton College Register 1900-1964. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p. 113.
3. thepeerage.com