Sir Philip Grey Egerton, 11th Baronet

Sir Philip le Belward Grey Egerton, 11th Baronet (28 March 1833 – 1 September 1891) was an English army officer who served in the Rifle Brigade in the Crimean War and later in the Coldstream Guards and Cheshire Regiment. Egerton inherited his family's Cheshire estate and the title of baronet in 1881.

Early life

Egerton was the first son of Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, 10th Baronet and Anna Elizabeth Legh. He was born 28 March 1833 at the family estate at Oulton Park and was christened on 25 July 1833. He attended Eton College between 1846 and 1850.

Army and government service

At the age of 19, Egerton purchased a commission as an ensign in the Rifle Brigade on 23 January 1852. He was promoted to second lieutenant without purchase on 11 August 1854, and around this time was dispatched to fight in the Crimean War. Egerton served at the Battle of Alma on 20 September 1854 and at the Battle of Balaclava, where he received the surrender of the governor of the fort. For his war service he was awarded the Crimea Medal with an Alma clasp and the Turkish Crimea Medal.

He was promoted again to captain in the Rifle Brigade on 23 March 1855. On 25 August 1857, Egerton transferred from the Rifle Brigade to a position as lieutenant and captain in the Coldstream Guards. He retired from the Coldstream Guards on 31 December 1861.

Following his army service, Egerton was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Cheshire on 5 June 1863.

On 18 August 1869, Egerton rejoined the army as a major in the 2nd Royal Cheshire Militia. As part of the 1881 Childers Reforms the militia became part of the 4th (Militia) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, and Egerton appears to have served as major with the regiment until his retirement on 28 March 1883. Upon retirement he was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel and permitted to wear the uniform of that rank.

Family life

Egerton married the Hon. Henrietta Elizabeth Sophia, the eldest daughter of Albert Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough on 18 July 1861. They had three sons and three daughters, of whom only one son (Philip) and one daughter (Violet) survived to adulthood:

• Philip Albert (born and died 13 April 1862 in Kensal Green, London; buried 15 April 1862)
• Philip Henry Brian (29 April 1864 – 4 July 1937)
• Violet Edith Grey-Egerton (1 May 1870 – 1 March 1906)
• Constance Ida (died 1871)
• Sybil Constance Grey (6 August 1874 – 5 September 1874)
• Arthur de Malpas Grey (24 November 1877 – 2 August 1879)

On his father's death on 6 April 1881, he inherited the Grey-Egerton Baronetcy, and the family's estate at Oulton Park.

Sir Philip le Belward Egerton died on 1 September 1891 and is buried at St Peter's Church, Little Budworth. Henrietta, his wife, died in 1924.