Cameron Cobbold, 1st Baron Cobbold
Cameron Fromanteel Cobbold, 1st Baron Cobbold | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date London, England |
| Died | November 1, 1987 (aged 83) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, public servant |
| Known for | Governor of the Bank of England (1949–1961), Lord Chamberlain (1963–1971) |
Cameron Fromanteel Cobbold, 1st Baron Cobbold (14 September 1904 – 1 November 1987) was a prominent British banker who held the position of Governor of the Bank of England from 1949 until 1961 and later served as Lord Chamberlain between 1963 and 1971.
Early life
Cobbold was born in London to Lt.-Col. Clement John Fromanteel Cobbold and Stella Willoughby Savile Cameron. He received his education at Eton College and attended King's College, Cambridge for one academic year.
Bank of England
Cobbold joined the Bank of England in 1933 after being invited by then-Governor Montagu Norman. He advanced to the role of Deputy Governor in 1945 and was appointed Governor in 1949. While serving as Governor, he was inducted into the Privy Council in 1959 and was ennobled as Baron Cobbold, of Knebworth in Hertfordshire, in 1960. He stepped down from his position in 1961.
Cobbold Commission
In 1962, Cobbold led the Cobbold Commission, which assessed the proposed union of North Borneo and Sarawak with Malaya to establish Malaysia. That same year, he was honoured with the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and appointed as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth II, a role he fulfilled until 1971. During his tenure, the Lord Chamberlain's authority over theatrical censorship ended in 1968. Additionally, he was inducted into the Order of the Garter in 1970. He also served as a Deputy Lieutenant for Hertfordshire starting in 1972 and was awarded Austria’s Grand Decoration in Gold with Sash for Services in 1966.
Marriage and children
On 3 April 1930, Cobbold wed Lady Hermione Millicent Bulwer-Lytton, daughter and heiress of Victor Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton. Their principal residence was Knebworth House located in Hertfordshire. The couple had four children:
- Jane Cobbold (1931–1937)
- Hon. Susan Victoria Cobbold (born 1933)
- David Antony Fromanteel Lytton Cobbold, 2nd Baron Cobbold (1937–2022)
- Hon. Rowland John Fromanteel Cobbold (born 1944)
Lord Cobbold passed away at Knebworth in November 1987 at the age of 83. His barony was inherited by his eldest son, David.
Further reading
Clive Hodges: Cobbold & Kin: Life Stories from an East Anglian Family (Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 2014)