Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers

The Lord Somers

Personal information
Full name	Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers-Cocks
Born	20 March 1887(1887-03-20) Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England
Died	14 July 1944(1944-07-14) (aged 57) Eastnor Castle, Hereford, England
Batting style	Right-handed
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1906	MCC
1923–1925	Worcestershire
Career statistics
Competition	First-class
Matches	17
Runs scored	390
Batting average	13.44
100s/50s	0/1
Top score	52
Balls bowled	12
Wickets	0
Bowling average	–
5 wickets in innings	–
10 wickets in match	–
Best bowling	–
Catches/stumpings	10/0
Source: CricketArchive, 15 March 2009

Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers, KCMG, DSO, MC (20 March 1887, Freshwater, Isle of Wight–14 July 1944, Eastnor Castle, Hereford), son of Herbert Haldane Somers-Cocks by Blanche Margaret Standish Clogstoun. He was an Army Officer in World War I, a British administrator and served as the 16th Governor of the State of Victoria, Australia between 1926 and 1931.

In 1906 he joined the 1st Regiment of Life Guards of the British Army, later taking leave to farm in Canada before rejoining his regiment in 1914 at the start of World War I. He commanded the 6th Battalion of the new Tank Corps in 1918. He was twice wounded, mentioned in dispatches, awarded the Military Cross, the Distinguished Service Order, and appointed to the Légion d'honneur.

He was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Boy Scouts in 1932, was deputy Chief Scout from 1935 to 1941, and was designated by Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement, who had been Chief Scout of the World, as his successor as Chief Scout. He was appointed as Chief Scout of the British Empire in March 1941, on the death of Baden-Powell. He served until his death in 1944. He was succeeded by Lord Rowallan.

Lord Somers married Daisy Finola Meeking in 1921 and had issue, an only daughter:

• Hon. (Violet) Elizabeth Verena Somers-Cocks (1922–1986), who married Major Benjamin Alexander Frederick Hervey-Bathurst (1920–1997), 2nd son of Sir Frederick Edward William Hervey-Bathurst, 5th Bt.

In 1929, at his own expense, he brought together teenage boys from different backgrounds in Australia to what was named Lord Somers Camp which continues to this day. Somers revisited Australia and his camp in 1933, and again in 1937 when, as president of the Marylebone Cricket Club, he accompanied the English touring team.

Cricket

Lord Somers was also an able cricketer, and played 17 first-class games. In 1904, whilst a schoolboy at Charterhouse, he made 115 against Westminster, and two years later he made his first-class debut for MCC against Worcestershire, scoring 0 and 13. He rarely had enough time to play cricket, but in the 1920s he made a further 16 first-class appearances for Worcestershire, his highest score being 52 against Essex in May 1925. Lord Somers became both a vice-president of Worcestershire CCC and, in 1936, President of MCC.

He should not be confused with the Arthur Somers-Cocks who played ten games for Barbados around the turn of the twentieth century.

References

• Player profile: Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers from CricketArchive
• Player profile: Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6th Baron Somers from ESPNcricinfo

See also

Honorary titles
Preceded by Sir John Cottrell, Bt	Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire 1933–1944	Succeeded by Sir Richard Cottrell, Bt
Political offices
New title New government	Lord-in-Waiting 1924–1926	Succeeded by The Earl of Airlie
Government offices
Preceded by The Earl of Stradbroke	Governor of Victoria 1926–1931	Succeeded by The Lord Huntingfield
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Philip Cocks	Baron Somers 1899–1944	Succeeded by Arthur Somers-Cocks
The Boy Scouts Association
Preceded by Robert Baden-Powell	Chief Scout of the British Empire 1941–1944	Succeeded by The Lord Rowallan