Bede Clifford
Captain Sir Bede Edmund Hugh Clifford was a British diplomat and colonial administrator, born in New Zealand, where his parents had moved in an unsuccessful attempt at sheep-farming.
His parents were William Hugh Clifford, 10th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh and Catherine Mary Bassett. After New Zealand they moved to Tasmania; he did not attend a regular school until he was 10. He attended Xavier College, Melbourne where he was a gifted student. This was followed by study at Melbourne University, becoming a surveyor, then a merchant navy officer.
Career
After serving as an army captain in the Royal Fusiliers during World War I, where he gained the rank of Captain, he worked in imperial administration and diplomacy. From 1917 he was aide-de-camp, then Private Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Ronald Ferguson. From 1921 to 1931, he was Secretary to the Governor-General of South Africa, first to Prince Arthur of Connaught and then to the Earl of Athlone.In 1931, it was announced that Clifford would be appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahamas. He was later appointed the 24th Governor of Mauritius from 23 October 1937 to 16 April 1942. He then became Governor of Trinidad and Tobago from 1942 to 1947. and was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Death
Sir Clifford passed on Oct 6, 1969, in Guildford, England. A funeral was held on October 9, 1969, at Saint Cyprian's Chapel, Ugbrooke, Chudleigh, Devon, England, followed by burial in the family vault in Ugbrooke House Chapel Crypt.Family
Sir Clifford married Alice Devin Gundry on October 21, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio. She was born on December 11, 1901, in Cleveland, Ohio, and passed on June 26th, 1980, in Westmoreland, England. Alice was the daughter of John Murten Gundry and Francis Ruth Gilchrist. She was a third great-granddaughter of Col. David C. Chambers, a member of the 17th U.S. Congress.Together had three daughters:
- Anne Frances Mary Clifford, born on 5 January 1929, married John Julius Norwich, 2nd Viscount Norwich. They had two children: The Hon Alice Clare Antonia Opportune Clifford, later Artemis Cooper, the historian, who married Sir Antony Beevor; and Jason Charles Duff Bede Cooper, 3rd Viscount Norwich
- Patricia David Pandora Clifford, born on 29 January 1930, married Timothy Angus Jones, son of Sir Roderick Jones and Enid Bagnold, and was the mother of Annabel Astor, Viscountess Astor and the grandmother of Samantha Cameron, wife of the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron. She later married The Hon Michael Astor, son of Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor. Patricia and Timothy have two Children: Annanel Lucy Veronica Jones and Alexander Roderick Jones.
- Alice Devin Atalanta Clifford, born on 10 May 1932. She married Richard Fairey on 10 September 1955. He was the son of Sir Charles Richard Fairey and Henrietta Queenie Nicholson Markey. She married, secondly, W/Cdr. Timothy Ashmead Vigors, son of Captain Ludlow Ashmead Cliffe Vigors, on 31 October 1963. She and W/Cdr. Timothy Ashmead Vigors were divorced. She married, thirdly, Michael Henry Dennis Madden in 1972. Alice and Richard have one child: Leanda Alice Devin Joan Fairey. Alice and Timothy have one child: Thomas Ashmead Merton Vigors. Alice and Michael have one child: Henry George Bede Madden.