Francis Whitmore was the son of Thomas Whitmore, an officer in the Royal Horse Guards.
13 Facts About Francis Whitmore
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Francis Whitmore was educated at Eton and in 1892 he was commissioned into the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteers.
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Francis Whitmore later transferred to the Essex Yeomanry and served in the Boer War with the Imperial Yeomanry.
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Francis Whitmore served in the First World War and was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1915, eventually commanding the 10th Royal Hussars.
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Francis Whitmore was mentioned in despatches four times, and awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1917.
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Francis Whitmore became a Justice of the Peace in 1899 and was High Sheriff of Essex in 1922.
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Francis Whitmore served as Lord Lieutenant of Essex from 1936 to 1958 and was created a baronet, of Orsett, in the County of Essex in 1954.
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Francis Whitmore had a son and a daughter by his second wife.
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Francis Whitmore was a keen traveller, including a visit to the Empire State Building in New York in 1931 when it opened.
10.
The other hatchments in the church were restored at the expense of Francis Whitmore following a fire.
11.
Francis Whitmore painted portraits, two of which are in the Thurrock Museum.
12.
Francis Whitmore died in 1962 and was buried with full military honours at Orsett parish church.
13.
Francis Whitmore is commemorated in the name of a local pub, The Whitmore Arms.