Sir George Geoffrey Gilbert Butler

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(15 August 1887 – 2 May 1929) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

historian, academic and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

, 1923–1929. He was from a prominent family of intellectuals and academics. He was the ninth son of Spencer Perceval Butler and a nephew of

Henry Montagu Butler Henry Montagu Butler (2 July 1833 – 14 January 1918) was an English academic and clergyman, who served as headmaster of Harrow School (1860–85), Dean of Gloucester (1885–86) and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge (1886–1918). Early ...

Master of Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, is headed by a master who oversees the general operation of the college. The role is officially appointed by the monarch at the recommendation of the college, and involves p ...

. Three of his brothers were also knighted: Sir Cyril Butler, Sir Montagu Butler, and Sir

Harcourt Butler Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler (1 August 1869 – 2 March 1938) was an officer of the Indian Civil Service who was the leading British official in Burma for much of his career, serving as Lieutenant-Governor (1915–17 and 1922–23) and later Go ...

. He was educated at

Clifton College Clifton College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in the city of Bristol in South West England, founded in 1862 and offering both boarding school, boarding and day school for pupils aged 13–18. In its early years, unlike mo ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

, where he won the Chancellor's Medal for English Verse and was elected president of the

Cambridge Union Society The Cambridge Union Society, also known as the Cambridge Union, is a historic Debate, debating and free speech society in Cambridge, England, and the largest society in the University of Cambridge. The society was founded in 1815 making it the ...

. He was uncle of and mentor to

Rab Butler Richard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden (9 December 1902 – 8 March 1982), also known as R. A. Butler and familiarly known from his initials as Rab, was a prominent British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politici ...

, and was an early sponsor of

Liddell Hart Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart (31 October 1895 – 29 January 1970), commonly known throughout most of his career as Captain B. H. Liddell Hart, was a British soldier, military historian, and military theorist. He wrote a series of military his ...

, a former student who would upon the senior Butler's death that "I have never had a better friend, in every sense of the word." An avid

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

, he was a significant figure in the intellectual and political history of his party between the World Wars. In April and May 1917, he was a member of the

Balfour Mission The Balfour Mission, also referred to as the Balfour Visit, was a formal diplomatic visit to the United States by the British government during World War I, shortly after the United States declaration of war on Germany (1917). The mission's purp ...

, intended to promote cooperation between the US and UK during World War I.

References

1887 births 1929 deaths Knights Bachelor Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Fellows of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Presidents of the Cambridge Union Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the University of Cambridge UK MPs 1923–1924 UK MPs 1924–1929

Geoffrey Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to: People * Geoffrey (given name), including a list of people with the name Geoffrey or Geoffroy * Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name * Geoffroy (musician) (born 1987), Canadian ...

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