Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl of Meath, Keskustapuolue (Centre Party), Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, GBE, Personal Computer was a British politician and philanthropist.
Background
The Honourable Reginald Brabazon was born into an old Anglo-Irish family in London, the second son of Lord Brabazon. When his father succeeded as 11th Earl of Meath in 1851, Reginald, now heir (his elder brother, Jacques, died of diphtheria in 1844), was styled Lord Brabazon. In 1868 he married Lady Mary Jane Maitland, daughter of the 11th Earl of Lauderdale.
Education
He was educated at Eton College and in 1863 joined the Foreign Office as a clerk, and later became a diplomat.
Career
On the insistence of his in-laws, Brabazon refused to accept a posting to Athens (which they considered too remote) in 1873 and was effectively suspended without pay, finally resigning from the Diplomatic Service in 1877. Both were subsequently involved in many charitable organisations. In May 1887, Brabazon succeeded his father as 12th Earl of Meath.
Lord Meath was also a prominent Conservative politician in the House of Lords and an ardent imperialist, and was responsible for the introduction in England of Empire Day, which was officially recognised by the British Government in 1916.
He was also Chief Scout Commissioner for Ireland. There is a statue in his honour outside the Columbia Hotel near Lancaster Gate, in London.
Recordings of his voice exist made in October 1910, in the form of three speeches on the Empire Movement, Gramophone Company 12" G&T black label "Monarch" records, cat. 01040 to 01042. There are some streets and squares in The Coombe, Dublin, named in his honour: Reginald Street, Reginald Square and Brabazon Square.
Membership
He was a member of the London County Council, the Privy Council of Ireland and the Senate of Southern Ireland.