Reginald Talbot

Major General Sir Reginald Arthur James Talbot, KCB (11 July 1841 – 15 January 1929) was a British Army officer, Member of Parliament, and Governor of Victoria in Australia.

Major General The Honourable Sir Reginald Talbot KCB
As depicted by "Spy" (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, 22 July 1897. Caption reads Aldershot Cavalry.
11th Governor of Victoria
In office 25 April 1904 – 6 July 1908
Monarch	Edward VII
Premier	Sir Thomas Bent
Preceded by	Sir George Clarke
Succeeded by	Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael
Personal details
Born	11 July 1841 London, England
Died	15 January 1929 (aged 87) London, England
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Margaret Jane Stuart-Wortley
Occupation	Soldier
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1859–1903
Rank	Major General
Commands	British Troops in Egypt (1899–02) 1st Regiment of Life Guards (1885–86)
Battles/wars	Anglo-Zulu War Nile Expedition
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Early life

Talbot was born in London, the third son of Henry, Viscount Ingestre (later 3rd Earl Talbot and then 18th Earl of Shrewsbury) and Lady Sarah Elizabeth, née Beresford, daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Waterford. After attending Harrow School, he joined the British Army and became a sub-lieutenant in the 1st Regiment of Life Guards in 1859.[1]

Political and military career

From 1869 to 1874, Talbot represented Stafford in the British House of Commons for the Conservative Party. On 8 May 1877, he married Margaret Jane Stuart-Wortley, granddaughter of the 1st Baron Wharncliffe.[1]

He returned to active service in the army, fighting in the Anglo-Zulu War, Egypt and taking part in the unsuccessful Nile Expedition to relieve General Charles George Gordon in Khartoum.[1] Talbot was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1885 and was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1902. He became General Officer Commanding the British Troops in Egypt in 1899.[2]

Governor of Victoria

He was sworn in as Governor of Victoria on 25 April 1904. His tenure was marked by Talbot's determination to achieve visible improvement, and his reports to Britain favourably compared Victoria's economic and educational statistics to those of 1903.[1]

Talbot died in London on 15 January 1929.[1]

References

1. L. R. Gardiner, 'Talbot, Sir Reginald Arthur James (1841–1929)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 165.
2. "Army Commands" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2014.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Reginald Talbot