Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale

Baring followed in the footsteps of his father, the famed "Maker of Modern Egypt"–– Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer. Baring graduated from Oxford University with First Class Honours in modern history before serving in the Indian Civil Service. He then joined Britain's Foreign Office, where he was sent first to Southern Rhodesia before being posted in South Africa as High Commissioner.[3]

In 1949, as British High Commissioner in South Africa, Baring played a key role in preventing Seretse Khama, the heir to the throne of the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, from becoming its king. This action he recommended to the British government on the grounds that Khama had wed a white English woman, Ruth Williams, and that the inter-racial marriage had been opposed by apartheid South Africa, a neighbouring state.

Working in close collaboration with Percivale Liesching, who was Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations at the time, Baring was able to persuade government ministers not only that Khama should be prevented from becoming king but that he should be exiled from his country. Baring's role in what became known as the Seretse Khama affair is documented in Colour Bar: The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation[4] by the historian Susan Williams.

As Governor of Kenya, Baring declared a State of Emergency on 20 October 1952 before launching Operation Jock Scott, which targeted Mau Mau leaders, especially Jomo Kenyatta.[5]

In June 1957, Baring passed on to Alan Lennox-Boyd a secret memorandum[6] written by Eric Griffiths-Jones, the attorney general of Kenya. The memorandum described the abuse of Mau Mau detainees. The paper alleges that Baring supplied a covering letter that asserted that inflicting "violent shock" was the only way of dealing with Mau Mau insurgents.[6]

Baring left Kenya in 1959. He returned to his family estate of Howick Hall, which was inherited by his wife Lady Mary Cecil Grey, daughter of Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey. He was known to enjoy birdwatching. He later accepted a post with the government's Colonial Development Corporation.[7]

Baring married Lady Mary Cecil Grey, daughter of Charles Grey, 5th Earl Grey, and Lady Mabel Laura Georgiana Palmer (daughter of William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne), on 24 April 1935. They had three children:[8]

• Hon Katherine Mary Alice Baring (born 30 March 1936), married Sir Humphry Wakefield, 2nd Bt.
• Charles Evelyn Baring, 2nd Baron Howick of Glendale (born 30 December 1937)
• Hon Elizabeth Beatrice Baring (born 10 January 1940), married Nicholas Albany Gibbs.

Baring died on 10 March 1973 at the age of 69 and was succeeded in the barony by his son, Charles.

Baring was created:[9]

• Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1942, advanced to GCMG in 1955.
• Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1947.
• 1st Baron Howick of Glendale in 1960
• Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) in 1972.

• Baring administrative tactics
• Mau Mau torture victims to receive compensation – Hague