John Bowes-Lyon

The Honourable John Bowes-Lyon DL
Deputy lieutenantofForfarshire
In office 1920–1921
Personal details
Born	John Herbert Bowes-Lyon 1 April 1886
Died	7 February 1930(1930-02-07)(aged 43) Glamis Castle,Angus, Scotland
Resting place	St Paul's Walden Bury,Hertfordshire, England
Spouse	The Hon. Fenella Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis ​ ​ (m.1914)​
Children	5 incl.Princess Anne of Denmark,Nerissa and Katherine Bowes-Lyon
Parents	Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne(father) Cecilia Nina Cavendish-Bentinck(mother)
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	New College, Oxford
Occupation	Stockbroker atRowe & Pitman
Cricket information
Bowling	fast-medium
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1906-07	Oxford University
Military career
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1915-18
Unit	Black Watch Territorial Army

The Hon. John Herbert Bowes-Lyon(1 April 1886 – 7 February 1930) was the second son of the14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorneand theCountess of Strathmore and Kinghorne,and the brother ofElizabeth Bowes-Lyon,the future Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.He was an uncle toQueen Elizabeth II,although he died when she was a small child and before her sisterPrincess Margaretwas born.

Early life

John Bowes-Lyon was educated atEtonandNew College, Oxford,where he playedfirst-class cricketfor theuniversity sidein three matches in 1906 and 1907, playing as a fast-medium bowler.

Marriage and children

On 29 September 1914, Bowes-Lyon married the Hon. Fenella Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis (19 August 1889 – 19 July 1966), the younger daughter ofCharles Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton.They had five daughters:

• Patricia Bowes-Lyon (6 July 1916 – 18 June 1917) died in infancy
• Anne Ferelith Fenella Bowes-Lyon(4 December 1917 – 26 September 1980) married, on 28 April 1938, Lt.-Col. Thomas William Arnold Anson, Viscount Anson (4 May 1913 – 8 March 1958), son of the fourthEarl of Lichfield;they were divorced in 1948. They had two children. Anne remarriedPrince Georg of Denmark(16 April 1920 – 29 September 1986) on 16 September 1950.
  • Lady Elizabeth Shakerley,nee The Hon. Elizabeth Georgiana Anson
  • Patrick Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfield
• Nerissa Jane Irene Bowes-Lyon(18 February 1919 – 22 January 1986)
• Diana Cinderella Mildred Bowes-Lyon (14 December 1923 – 20 May 1986) married Peter Gordon Colin Somervell (5 May 1910 – 14 October 1993) on 24 February 1960. They had one daughter:
  • Katherine Somervell (23 August 1961) is a god-daughter ofQueen Elizabeth II.She married Robert W. P. Lagneau in 1991.
• Katherine Juliet Bowes-Lyon(4 July 1926 – 23 February 2014).

World War I

Before the outbreak ofWorld War I,Bowes-Lyon worked as a stockbroker in theCity of Londonfor the firm Rowe and Pitman.In 1915, he was posted with theBlack Watch.Just prior to theBattle of Aubers Ridgein that year, he accidentally shot himself in his left forefinger; it was amputated the following day. While receiving treatment in the UK, he admitted having experienced anervous breakdownin 1912 and also suffered fromneurasthenia.Late that year, he was posted to theMinistry of Munitionsand then in theTerritorial Armyin 1916. After the war, he was twice threatened withcourts-martialafter having failed to show on parade for demobilisation. He later returned to his job in the city. On 19 June 1920, he was appointed adeputy lieutenantofForfarshire.

Death

Bowes-Lyon died at the family home ofGlamis Castlejust after midnight on the morning of 7 February 1930 of pneumonia, aged 43, leaving his widow to care for their four young children. (Two of them, Nerissa and Katherine, were severely mentally disabled.)Three days later he was buried atSt Paul's Walden Bury.

Bowes-Lyon's widow, Fenella Trefusis, was a leading guest at the 1947wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten.She outlived him by thirty-six years and died on 19 July 1966, aged 76.