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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 403

(x) The Baronet's Badge worn by Sir F. H. Newnes, 2nd Baronet Newnes of Wildcroft, a leading turn of the century newspaperman and Liberal politician, son of the 'Founding Father of Popular Journalism' Sir George Newnes

Baronet's neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse inscribed 'Newnes of Wildcroft 1895', hallmarked for London 1929, good very fine, in its fitted case of issue

[C.B.E.] London Gazette 10 June 1954.

Frank Hillyard Newnes was born in Manchester, the son of Sir George Newnes and his wife Priscilla. His father was a Liberal Politician and founder of the publisher George Newnes Ltd., his periodicals Tit-bits and The Strand Magazine are considered forerunners of Modern Popular journalism. The younger Newnes attended Clare College, Cambridge and graduated with an M.A. and L.L.B. in 1897.

He joined his father's publisher that same year and worked there for many years, also following him into politics to become the Liberal M.P. for Bassetlaw, North Nottinghamshire in 1906. He managed to take the seat from the Conservatives however lost it again in the next election in January 1910. The same year his father died and Newnes inherited the baronetcy as well as the publishing business.

Newnes married Emmeline de Rutzen, the daughter of Sir Albert de Rutzen, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Bow Street, in 1913. After the outbreak of the Great War the next year he decided to join up, being commissioned Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1915. He did not remain in that service however, transferring to the Army and being advanced Captain with the 12th Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. Notably he did not see any service entitling him to Campaign medals, as such this badge is his only named entitlement.

After the war Newnes became Director of a number of companies in the publishing trade, as well as Chairman of Country Life Ltd. He was the Director of his father's publication, The Westminster Gazette, a Liberal newspaper which Prime Minister Gladstone allowed to be decorated with the Party's green colours, leading to it being dubbed 'Pea-Green Incorruptible'.

Outside of the political and publishing worlds, Newnes was deeply involved in matters of public health. He joined the Voluntary Hospitals Committee for London and was a member of the management committees of the Royal Free Hospital and its Medical School. He also became Chairman of the Post-Graduate Institute of Dental Surgery and the Eastern Dental Hospital, the latter being the reason for his award of the C.B.E. Furthermore, he was President of the Printers Pension Corporation and Vice President of the Periodical Proprietors Association.

Newnes later died in Western Australia on 10 July 1955; sold together with copied research including a biography of Sir George Newnes (the recipient's father).

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£600 to £800

Starting price
£480