38 Facts About Thomas Kelly-Kenny

General Sir Thomas Kelly-Kenny was a British Army general who served in the Second Boer War.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was educated as a lay student at St Patrick's College, Carlow.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny assumed in 1874 the additional name of Kenny, under the will of his maternal uncle, Dr Mathias Kenny, a survivor of the Peninsular War and the Battle of Waterloo.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was appointed ensign without purchase in the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment of Foot on 2 February 1858 and was appointed to command the escort of General Sir James Jackson, General Officer Commanding Cape of Good Hope.

When this officer was succeeded by General Wynward, Thomas Kelly-Kenny was appointed aide-de-camp.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny resigned this post on the outbreak of war with China in 1860 and accompanied his regiment to the Far East where he was appointed ADC to the commander of the 3rd Brigade, Sir Alfred Jephson, holding this post for the duration of the war.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was promoted lieutenant by purchase on 12 October 1860, the day Pekin surrendered to the allies, and engaged in the China war at Sinho and at the taking of Tanku and Taku forts.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was appointed captain by purchase on 20 July 1866.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General in Bombay from 25 May 1869 to April 1870 when he was sent to Abyssinia on the outbreak of war.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was in charge of the transport train and was mentioned by Lord Napier in despatches for "zeal, energy and ability".

Thomas Kelly-Kenny took a keen interest in affairs in his native County Clare and in 1876 he was appointed Justice of the Peace for Clare, as were his father Matthew Kelly, his uncle Mathias Kenny and his brother Matthew Butler Kelly.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was patron of the school at Scropul near Treanmanagh founded by his uncle Dr Mathias Kenny.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny's family had a strong history of involvement in politics and local government.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny's uncle Fr Timothy Kelly was an active campaigner for famine relief as parish priest of Kilrush in the famine years.

In 1879, the then Major Thomas Kelly-Kenny put his name forward for the April by-election in County Clare.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was opposed by the Catholic clergy, so withdrew his candidacy and did not go to the poll.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny expressed a wish for the downfall of the Liberal and Tory parties in Ireland and the end of Landlord Tyrannies.

Cecil Stacpoole Kenny recounts that Major Thomas Kelly-Kenny's name was one of the three on the roll that went to the Lord Lieutenant for the High Sheriff of Clare in 1880 but he did not succeed.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was later appointed Deputy Lieutenant for Clare in 1901.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was promoted lieutenant colonel on 26 July 1881, and colonel in July 1885.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was Assistant Adjutant General and QMG North-Eastern District from 1 July 1889 to 21 September 1892, where he commanded the training camp at Strensall Camp, Yorkshire.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny became AAG Aldershot Garrison on 28 December 1893 on the staff of the Duke of Connaught and then commanded the 3rd Brigade at Aldershot from 18 March 1896, with the rank of major-general, taking over from Major General Francis Clery.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was twice mentioned in despatches and received the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was involved in the relief of Kimberley, the battles of Paardeberg, Poplar Grove and Driefontein.

At the battle of Paardeberg, Thomas Kelly-Kenny had a conservative plan to besiege General Cronje and bombard his Boer force from a safe distance with superior artillery.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny overruled Kelly-Kenny and ordered an assault on the Boer trenches.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was a close friend of King Edward VII who treated him as confidential military advisor.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny did not work well with his colleagues, who tried to get his powers reduced.

In September 1902, Thomas Kelly-Kenny accompanied Lord Roberts and St John Brodrick, Secretary of State for War, on a visit to Germany to attend the German army manoeuvrers as guest of the Emperor Wilhelm.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny accepted the appointment as Colonel of his regiment, The Queen's on 16 April 1902, and served as such until his death.

On 21 June 1904 Thomas Kelly-Kenny was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny became quite well known, appearing on cigarette cards commemorating his Boer War successes.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was friendly with several members of the Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales and Prince Arthur of Connaught and stayed in both Sandringham and Frogmore as a guest of the Prince of Wales on shooting parties.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny was a regular at court and was on friendly terms with Queen Alexandra, who carved a tea table for him herself.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny accompanied the French ex-Empress Eugenie on a yachting tour around Ireland in 1909.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny lived largely in Britain, where his clubs were Army and Navy and Arthur's, and he let his house at Doolough Lodge in County Clare to his brother Matthew Butler Kelly JP, who is recorded as living at that address in Thom's Directories.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny sold his lands to the tenants under the 1909 Land Purchase Act in 1909.

Thomas Kelly-Kenny is buried in Hove Cemetery having left strict instructions in his will that he did not want a military funeral.