Background
Born at East Hill, Athlone, he was the second son of Richard Handcock, 4th Baron Castlemaine and his wife Honorary
Born at East Hill, Athlone, he was the second son of Richard Handcock, 4th Baron Castlemaine and his wife Honorary
Handcock was educated at Eton College and went then to Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1895.
He was a major landowner with 12,000 acres (49 km2). Louisa Matilda Harris, only daughter of William Harris, 2nd Baron Harris. In 1892, he succeeded his father as baron.
He was a Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Street John of Jerusalem.
Handcock served in the British Army as lieutenant of the 4th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. In 1898, he was elected a representative peer to the House of Lords.
Previously a Deputy Lieutenant of that county, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Westmeath in 1899, a post he held until its abolishment with the Irish Free State Constitution Acting in 1922.