Richard Byron, 12th Baron Byron

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Geoffrey Gordon Byron, 12th Baron Byron DSO (3 November 1899 – 15 June 1989) was a British peer and army officer. He was a descendant of a cousin of Romantic poet and writer, George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron.

Early life and education

Byron was born to Colonel Richard Byron and Mabel Mackenzie Winter. He was educated at Eton College in Eton, UK.

Professional life

Byron was Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Bombay between 1921 and 1922, and Military Secretary to the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of New Zealand in 1937. He fought in the Second World War. He was Lieutenant-Colonel of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards in 1941. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1944.

Family life

Byron married Margaret Mary Steuart in 1926, but they were divorced in 1946, and later that same year, he married Dorigen Margaret Esdaile, and had two sons by her:

• The Hon. Richard Noel Byron (1948–1985)
• Robert James Byron, 13th Baron Byron (1950)

Byron succeeded to the title of 12th Baron Byron in 1983 upon the death of his fifth cousin Rupert Frederick George Byron, in Australia. Lord Byron died on 15 June 1989 at age 89, whereupon his surviving son Robert Byron became the 13th Baron.

Styles of address

• 1899-1941: Mr Richard Byron
• 1941-1944: Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Byron
• 1944-1983: Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Byron DSO
• 1983-1989: Lieutenant-Colonel The Rt Hon The Lord Byron DSO

References

• Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, USA: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, pp. 630–632
• Lundy, Darryl. "Richard Byron, 12th Baron Byron". The Peerage. Retrieved 26 November 2009. ,
• Lundy, Darryl. "Robert Byron, 13th Baron Byron". The Peerage. Retrieved 26 November 2009.