Admiral Lord Jellicoe

On 2nd December 1909 Charles Cayzer wrote to his father from 22 Lewes Crescent “Next weekend, we have Jellicoe and Gwen staying with us here”. Gwen was Charles’s sister, Florence Gwendoline and Jellicoe, her husband, a famous public figure, Rear Admiral John Jellicoe. At the time he was Third Sea Lord in charge of naval construction during the naval armament race with Germany in the run up to the First World War. His image appeared on cigarette cards of the time and his visit would have been a matter of some pride to the family here.

During the war Jellicoe became First Sea Lord and Commander of the Fleet. He was in command at the Battle of Jutland, the only significant naval engagement of the war. One of the most popular hero figures of the war, he was raised to the peerage as Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa and voted £50,000 by a grateful parliament. He served as Governor General of New Zealand from 1920 to 1924 and was created an Earl on his return. Earl Jellicoe died in 1935 and is buried at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Andrew Doig