Brinsley FitzGerald


Lieutenant-Colonel Brinsley FitzGerald, CB was an Irish stockbroker.

Early life

Brinsley FitzGerald was born on 25 September 1859, the fourth son of Sir Peter FitzGerald, 1st Baronet of Valencia, 19th Knight of Kerry and Julia Hussey. He was educated at Rugby School and University College, Oxford.

Career

FitzGerald worked as a land agent in Ireland for seven years, and from 1895 until 1918 was a member of the London Stock Exchange, with the firm of Basil Montgomery FitzGerald and Co.
He was appointed a second-lieutenant in the West Somerset Yeomanry on 18 January 1900. Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War in late 1899, he had volunteered for active service and was attached as a lieutenant to the 25th Company of the 7th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, on 24 February 1900. The company left the United Kingdom for South Africa in the SS Mahratta in early March 1900. After arrival, FitzGerald served with the company, and later as ADC to General French, for which he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Queen's Medal with six clasps. He also served during the European War as private secretary to French in 1914, for which he was awarded the CB, the Legion d'Honneur and the Order of Leopold.

Personal life

In 1918, he married Margarita Drexel, the former wife of banker Anthony Joseph Drexel Jr., son of banker Anthony Joseph Drexel. Margaretta and Drexel were married from 1886 until their divorce in 1917, seven months before she wed FitzGerald. Brinsley and Margarita did not have any children, however, Drexel had four children from her previous marriage: Margaretta Drexel ; Anthony Joseph Drexel II ; John Armstrong Drexel, aviation pioneer; and Louis Clapier Norris Drexel.
FitzGerald lived at Ashdown Park, Ashbury, Swindon, and was a member of White's and the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes. He died on 9 February 1931.