Michael Biddulph (British Army officer)

General Sir Michael Anthony Shrapnel Biddulph GCB (30 July 1823 – 23 July 1904) was a British Army officer who became Black Rod.

Sir Michael Biddulph
General Sir Michael Biddulph by Spy
Born30 July 1823
Died23 July 1904 (1904-07-24) (aged 80)
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1843–1890
RankGeneral
Battles/warsCrimean War
Second Anglo-Afghan War
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Military career

Educated at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, Biddulph was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1843.[1] He served in the Crimean War taking part in the Battles of Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman as well as the Siege of Sevastopol.[1] He was appointed Deputy Adjutant-General of Artillery in India in 1868, Commander of the Rohilkhand district in 1875 and Commander of the Quetta field force in 1878 serving in that role during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.[1] He was given command of the Rawalpindi district in India in 1880 and made President of the Ordnance Committee in 1887 until his retirement in 1890.[2]

In retirement he served as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod 1896–1904[3] and was an Extra Groom in Waiting to King Edward VII 1901–1904.[4] He also took to watercolor painting:[5]

Biddulph is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery.[6]

Family

In 1857 he married Katharine Stamati.[1]

References
  1. Men of the Time, eleventh edition
  2. "Biddulph, Sir Michael Anthony Shrapnel". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  3. "Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod". UK Parliament. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  4. "No. 27363". The London Gazette. 8 October 1901. p. 6569.
  5. "Michael Anthony Shrapnel Biddulph". Invaluable. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  6. "Kensal Green Cemetery". Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir James Drummond		 Black Rod
1895–1904		 Succeeded by
Sir Henry Stephenson
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