Captain Arthur Granville Soames, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, was a member of Her Majesty"s Coldstream Guards.
Background
He was born on 12 October 1886 in Wingerworth, Derbyshire, England. He was the son of Harold Soames, brewer, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire and his wife Katherine Mary Hill, who came from a long line of Russian merchants based in Street St. Petersburg.
Career
He was the brother of Auriol Davidson née Soames (who died under a train in Cheshunt in April 1919) and of Olave Saint Clair Baden-Powell née Soames, World Chief Guide. He was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant into the Coldstream Guards 16 August 1905, Lieutenant 21 September 1907, and served with the regiment during the First World War. In November, 1926, then living at Ashwell Manor, Tyler"s Green, Penn, Buckinghamshire, he was made Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, and again the following year, 1927
Personal life
Sanchia Mary (Bunty) Soames (21 September 1914 - 1 January 1953)
Diana Katherine (Dido) Soames (24 September 1917 - ?), m.
1939 Lieutenant.Col.
Hugh William Cairns, Medical Corps
They divorced in 1934, and Arthur re-married twice:
On 23 October 1934 in London to Annette Constance Jardine née Fraser (b. September 1876, East Grinstead, Sussex, England
On 16 March 1948 to Audrey Alma Humphreys. He inherited the mansion and estate of Sheffield Park, Sussex, from his father"s childless brother, Arthur Gilstrap Soames and sold the estate in 1953.
He also disposed of part of his extensive library around that time.
He died in a London hospital on 6 July 1962 aged 75.