Herbert Conyers Surtees

Herbert Conyers Surtees was born on 13 January 1858 and christened at St. James’s, Paddington, on 23 February 1858. He was the only son of Charles Freville Surtees and Bertha Surtees née Chauncey. Educated at Harrow and Sandhurst, he entered the Army in 1876, eventually rising to the rank of Brigadier-General in the Coldstream Guards. During the course of his military career he saw action in Egypt and South Africa, and during the Great War, in France and Belgium. He received numerous awards, including a knighthood in 1932.

In 1887 he married Madeline Augusta, daughter of Mr Edward Crabbe. The couple had two daughters.

Surtees was the Member of Parliament for Gateshead from 1918 to 1922. He was also the author of several publications, including various histories of the parishes in County Durham, a genealogy of the Surtees family, and a work on the monumental inscriptions in Durham Cathedral. He succeeded his father as Lord of the Manor of Mainsforth, and in later life, lived at Mainsforth Hall, Ferry Hill, Co. Durham.

Brigadier-General Sir Herbert Conyers Surtees died on 18 April 1933.

Photographed by Camille Silvy of London on 10 October 1862.

From an album assembled by Gertrude Frances Vesey of Long Ditton in Surrey.