General Sir Cecil Frederick Nevil Macready, 1st Baronet, GCMG, KCB, PC (7 May 1862–9 January 1946), known as Sir Nevil Macready and affectionately as Make-Ready (close to the correct pronunciation of his name), was a British Army officer. He served in senior staff appointments in the First World War and was the last British military commander in Ireland, and also served for two years as Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis in London. A baronet (traditional abbreviation Bart, modern abbreviation Bt), is the holder of an hereditary title awarded by the British Crown, known as a baronetcy. ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... January 9 is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First... The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner or, more colloquially, as the Met Commissioner) is the head of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation). ...

Early life

Macready was the son of the prominent actor William Charles Macready. He was born in Cheltenham and was brought up in the bohemian circles frequented by his parents (his mother, Cecile, was the granddaughter of the painter, Sir William Beechey), and was educated at Marlborough College (for two years, before falling ill) and Cheltenham College. He later claimed that he was far too lazy to pursue an artistic career himself, and although he expressed an interest in a stage career, his father, who loathed his own profession, expressly forbade it (although he continued to be involved in amateur dramatics all his life and was also a talented singer). He therefore joined the Army, passing out from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and being commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders in October 1881. William Charles Macready (March 3, 1793 - April 27, 1873), English actor, was born in London, and educated at Rugby. ... Cheltenham (or Cheltenham Spa) is a spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, England, near Gloucester and Cirencester. ... Sir William Beechey (1753 - 1839), English portrait-painter, was born at Burford. ... Marlborough College is a British boarding school in the county of Wiltshire, founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, although it now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. ... Cheltenham College is a public school in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. ... Amateur Dramatics is how Community Theater is referred to in the UK. Categories: Theatre stubs ... New College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (commonly known as Sandhurst) is the British Army officer initial training centre. ... The Gordon Highlanders was a British Army infantry regiment from 1881 until 1994. ... 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Regimental career

He joined the 1st Battalion at Malta, and in 1882 went with them to Egypt, fighting at the Battle of Tel al-Kebir. He stayed in Egypt, and in 1884 was appointed garrison adjutant and staff lieutenant of military police at Alexandria. In 1886, he married Sophia Atkin (died 1931), an Irishwoman; they had two daughters and a son. Macready remained in Alexandria until early 1889, when he returned to England to rejoin his regiment, and then served in Ceylon and India. He was promoted captain in 1891. He was transferred to Dublin in 1892, and in 1894 became adjutant of the regiment's 2nd Volunteer Battalion in Aberdeenshire. In 1899, he was promoted major and returned to India to join the 2nd Battalion, which was sent to South Africa in September. 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... September 13, 1882. ... 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Garrison House, built 1675, Dover, NH, USA In the military, garrison is the collective term for the body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base. ... An adjutant (from the Latin adiutor, itself from the verb adiutare, to help) is an officer who assists a more senior officer. ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ... It has been suggested that Gendarmerie be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Alexandria (disambiguation). ... 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... Ireland, located west of the European land mass, is part of the continent of Europe Ireland (; Irish: Éire) is the third largest island in Europe. ... 1889 (MDCCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... A regiment is a military unit, larger than a company and smaller than a division. ... Captain is both a nautical term and a rank in various uniformed organizations. ... 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The traditional county of Aberdeenshire (Siorrachd Obar Dheathain in Gaelic) borders Banffshire and Inverness-shire to the west, Perthshire, Angus and Kincardineshire to the south, and the North Sea to the north and east. ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Major is a military rank denoting an officer of mid-level command status. ...

Boer War and South Africa

Macready saw active service in the Second Boer War, serving in the besieged garrison at Ladysmith from October 1899 to February 1900. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1900, and in June 1901 headed a commission investigating cattle-raiding in Zululand. He stayed in South Africa in a series of staff posts, including Assistant Provost Marshal at Port Elizabeth (1901), Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General of the district west of Johannesburg (December 1901–1902), Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief Staff Officer of Cape Colony (1902–1905), and Assistant Quartermaster-General of Cape Colony (1905–1906). He was twice mentioned in dispatches and was promoted colonel in November 1903. He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1906. He returned to England in October 1906. Combatants British Empire Orange Free State, South African Republic Commanders Frederick Roberts later Lord Kitchener Christiaan Rudolf de Wet and Paul Kruger Casualties Military dead:22,000 Civilian dead:N/A Total dead:22,000 Military dead:6,500 Civilian dead:24,000 Total dead:30,500 The Second Boer... Ladysmith is the name of several places: in Canada: Ladysmith, British Columbia in the United States: Ladysmith, Wisconsin in South Africa: Ladysmith, South Africa Siege of Ladysmith, 1900 Ladismith This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ... Lieutenant Colonel (Lieutenant-Colonel in British English from the French grades spelling) is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine corps and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a Major and below a Colonel. ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Zululand was the Zulu-dominated area of what is now northern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. ... The Provost Marshal is the officer in the armed forces who is in charge of the military police (often called the provost). ... Port Elizabeth is a city in South Africa, situated in the Eastern Cape Province, at 33°58′ S 25°36′ E. The city is located on Algoa Bay, and is one of the major seaports in South Africa. ... An adjutant general is the chief administrative officer to a military general. ... , City motto: Unity in Development Province Gauteng Mayor Amos Masondo Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Official language English and Dutch1 Capital Cape Town Largest City Cape Town Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 1st 569,020 km² (1910) Negligible Population  - Total (1911)  - Density Ranked 1st 2,564,965 4. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) is a military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service. ... Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

War Office

In 1907, Macready was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General in the Directorate of Personal Services at the War Office in London, and helped to form the Territorial Force. He commanded the 2nd Infantry Brigade at Aldershot from May 1909, being promoted to brigadier-general, and in June 1910 returned to the War Office as Director of Personal Services, responsible for a variety of personnel matters. Also having responsibility for military aid to the civil power, he played a large part in a series of labour disputes and in deploying troops to Ireland in anticipation of disturbances there. Unusually for an army officer of the time, he had marked liberal tendencies, believed in the right to strike, and supported Irish home rule. He was contemptuous of politics, socialism, communism, pacifism and capitalism (unless the employers treated their employees very well). He was promoted major-general in October 1910, and in November he took direct command of troops deployed to deal with a possible miners' strike, in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales, insisting that his troops remained subordinate both to the police and to the Home Office and not answerable to the panicking local magistrates. This policy probably helped to avert serious unrest in 1910 and again in a similar situation in 1912. A civil CB was added to his military CB in 1911, and in 1912, he was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB). After the Curragh incident in Ireland in March 1914, Macready was made General Officer Commanding Belfast District and was nominated as military governor-designate of Belfast in the event of civil war breaking out, something averted by the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ... In the United Kingdom the Territorial Army is a part of the British Army composed of reserve units, or part-time soldiers. ... Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, on heathland 55 km (35 miles) southwest of London, and is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Brigadier General (sometimes known as a one-star general from the United States insignia) is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Devolution or Home rule is the pooling of powers from central government to government at regional or local level. ... Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to social control. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Rhondda Cynon Taff (Welsh: Rhondda Cynon Tâf) is a county borough in Glamorgan, South Wales. ... Approximate extent of South Wales South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the East and South, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the North and West. ... The modern concept of Small Office and Home Office or SoHo , or Small or Home Office deals with the category of business which can be from 1 to 10 workers. ... A magistrate is a judicial officer with limited authority to administer and enforce the law. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Military Badge of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... The Curragh incident July 20, 1914 is also known as the Curragh Mutiny. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... General Officer Commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth (and some other) nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54. ... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight for political power or control of an area. ... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First...

First World War

Macready was immediately sent to France as Adjutant-General of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). In 1915, he was created a Knight Commander of St Michael and St George (KCMG). In February 1916, having efficiently carried out this job, he was recalled to London as Adjutant-General to the Forces, one of the most senior staff appointments in the British Army. He was promoted lieutenant-general in June 1916 (although he was already temporarily in that rank). He was an enthusiastic proponent of the employment of female labour to free men up to go to the front. He also abolished the compulsory wearing of moustaches by British soldiers, and immediately shaved off his own, which he had hated. In 1918, he was promoted full general and raised to Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George (GCMG). He had been mentioned in dispatches four times during the war, been made a Grand Officier of the Légion d'honneur of France, and a member of the Order of the Crown of Belgium, the Order of the Crown of Italy, and the Order of the Sacred Treasures of Japan. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in almost every country in the world. ... Edgar Allan Poe had a simple moustache. ... A General is an officer of high military rank. ... Knights badge of the Legion of Honour The Légion dhonneur (Legion of Honor (AmE) or Legion of Honour (ComE)) is an Order of Chivalry first established by Napoléon Bonaparte, First Consul of the French Republic, on May 19, 1802. ... Please see Order of the Crown for other decorations bearing this name Order of the Crown Belgium The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was first created in the year 1897. ... The Order of the Sacred Treasures ) is a Japanese Order (decoration), established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. ...

Commissioner of Police

In August 1918, Macready somewhat reluctantly took the post of Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, head of the London Metropolitan Police, to which Prime Minister Asquith had intended to appoint him before war broke out in 1914. Morale was low, and many men were currently on strike over pay and trade union recognition. Macready got them back to work by granting a pay rise and promising the introduction of machinery for collective bargaining. He was popular among the constables and sergeants, whom he got to know far more than his predecessors had done. He abolished the system of punishment by deducting fines from men's pay over a period of months or even years. He also abolished the shilling a day deduction made from the pay of men on sick leave. He had an intense dislike of trade unions, and never took the short-lived National Union of Police and Prison Officers seriously, which partly led to the strike of 1919. Only a small percentage of the men went out on strike, and they were all dismissed, although Macready wrote a good reference for every one who asked. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) (commonly referred to by its former official name of the Metropolitan Police, or colloquially as The Met; often referred to in legislation as the Police of the Metropolis) is the Home Office (territorial) police force responsible for Greater London, England, with the exception of the... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the head of government and so exercises many of the executive functions nominally vested in the Sovereign, who is head of state. ... The Right Honourable Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC (12 September 1852–15 February 1928) served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Collective agreement is a labor contract between an employer and one or more unions. ... A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. ... This article is about the rank of sergeant. ... The shilling (or informally: bob) was an English coin first issued in 1548 for Henry VIII, although arguably the testoon issued about 1487 for Henry VII was the first English shilling. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Ireland

In 1920, Macready was sent to command the troops in Ireland as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), although he had formed a deep dislike for the country and its people. Nevertheless, he was a good and dynamic commander, increasing morale, improving policy, and securing additional troops and equipment. He refused to also take command of the Royal Irish Constabulary, however, which many perceive as a mistake. However, as the chair of a military committee of review appointed by the Cabinet, he did oppose the the recruitment of of the Black and Tans and Auxiliary Division[1], who generally only made matters worse. Like many others he was a strident critic of the Black and Tans[2] He was instrumental in negotiating the truce in July 1921, and, following the treaty and creation of the Irish Free State in 1922, in withdrawing the troops without great incident. He retired in 1923 and was created a Baronet. He had been sworn of the Privy Council of Ireland in 1920. General Officer Commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth (and some other) nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. ... The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was one of Irelands two police forces in the early twentieth century, alongside the Dublin Metropolitan Police. ... Black and Tans For other senses, see Black and tan (disambiguation). ... The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary, generally known as the Auxiliaries or Auxies, was a paramilitary organization within the RIC during the Anglo-Irish War. ... Black and Tans For other senses, see Black and tan (disambiguation). ... == T.R.U.C.E == Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Childrens Entertainment. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... A treaty is a binding agreement under international law concluded by subjects of international law, namely states and international organizations. ... The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) (1922–1937) was the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties that were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... A baronet (traditional abbreviation Bart, modern abbreviation Bt), is the holder of an hereditary title awarded by the British Crown, known as a baronetcy. ... The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922. ...

Later life

In 1924, he published his two-volume memoirs, Annals of an Active Life. He briefly returned to police service during the 1926 General Strike, when he served as a staff officer to the Chief Commandant of the Metropolitan Special Constabulary. He died at his home in London in 1946. 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... As a literary genre, a memoir forms a subclass of autobiography, although it is an older form of writing. ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Subsidised Mineowner - Poor Beggar! from the Trade Union Unity Magazine (1925) Foraging for coal in the strike Tyldesley miners outside the Miners Hall during the strike The UK General Strike of 1926 lasted nine days, from 3 May 1926 to 12 May 1926, and was called by the General... The Special Constabulary is a part-time volunteer section of the British police. ...

Macready's son, Lieutenant-General Sir Gordon Macready (1891–1956), was also a distinguished soldier and inherited the baronetcy on his father's death. 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ... It has been suggested that Henry Classification System be merged into this article or section. ... The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (usually just referred to as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner or, more colloquially, as the Met Commissioner) is the head of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. ... Brigadier-General Sir William Thomas Francis Horwood GBE KCB DSO (9 November 1868–16 November 1943) served as Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, head of Londons Metropolitan Police, from 1920 to 1928. ... Frederick Shaw (11 December 1799-30 June 1876) was an Irish Conservative MP in the United Kingdom Parliament. ... The office of Commander-in-Chief, Ireland was the commander of British forces in Ireland before 1922. ...

References

• The Times Digital Archive
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Martin Fido & Keith Skinner, The Official Encyclopedia of Scotland Yard (Virgin Books, London:1999)