Thomas Calley

Major-General Thomas Charles Pleydell Calley CB CBE MVO (28 January 1856 – 14 February 1932)[1] was a British military officer and Liberal Unionist politician.

Thomas Calley
"1st Life Guards" Calley as caricatured by "Spy" (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, October 1906
Born	28 January 1856
Died	14 February 1932
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Major-General
Commands held	1st Life Guards London Mounted Brigade 60th (2/2nd London) Division
Battles/wars	Second Boer War First World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Member of the Royal Victorian Order

Military career

Calley was the son of Henry Calley, JP, DL, of Burderop Park, Wiltshire, and was educated at Harrow, and at Christ Church, Oxford.[2]

He joined the 1st Life Guards in 1876, and served in Egypt 1882, where he took part in the Battle of Tel el-Kebir. In 1886, he was appointed captain, promoted to major in 1894, lieutenant-colonel in 1898,[2] and a brevet colonel in November 1900 for service in the Second Boer War in South Africa 1899–1900.[3] After the war, he commanded the 1st Life Guards 1902–06, and served as Silver Stick in Waiting to King Edward VII during his coronation in August 1902.[4] He was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in July 1901,[5] and a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1905. He went on to become a brigade commander of the London Mounted Brigade (1908–12).[2]

He was elected at the January 1910 general election as Member of Parliament (MP) for Cricklade, winning the seat from the sitting Liberal MP John Massie. However, at the general election in December 1910, he narrowly lost the seat to another Liberal candidate, and did not stand for Parliament again.[6] He served as General Officer Commanding 60th (2/2nd London) Division from October 1914 to December 1915 during the First World War.[7]

Family

Calley married, in 1883, Emily Chappell, daughter of T. D. Chappell, of Teddington. They had one daughter.[8]

References

1. "House of Commons constituencies beginning with "W" (part 3)". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons pages. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
2. CALLEY, Hon. Maj.-Gen. Thomas Charles Pleydell’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007
3. "No. 27359". The London Gazette. 27 September 1901. p. 6304.
4. "The Coronation". The Times (36834). London. 31 July 1902. p. 8.
5. "No. 27336". The London Gazette. 23 July 1901. p. 4837.
6. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 415. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
7. Becke, Maj A.F. History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8. pp. 25-32
8. "Copy of an agreement between Chappel & Co. Ltd., of 49-50 New Bond Street, London". National Archives. Retrieved 27 June 2020.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Thomas Calley
• Portraits of Major-General Thomas Charles Pleydell Calley in the National Portrait Gallery, London