Sir Oswald Birley

The Hon. Cecil Knatchbull-Hugessen was the unanticipated heir to both the Barony created for his father and the Knatchbull Baronetcy. After a successful career at the Bar and in his mid-fifties he became 4th Lord Brabourne and the 13th Knatchbull Baronet. He was the son of 1st Lord Brabourne, Edward Knatchbull, the politician and author, the younger brother of the 2nd and, uncle of the 3rd, who was killed in action in the 1st World War. The death of his cousin Sir Wyndham Knatchbull, who had no children, in 1917 resulted in him becoming Sir Cecil Knatchbull, 13th Baronet and inheriting Mersham le Hatch.

Born in 1863 he was educated at Eton and King's College Cambridge. He was a scholar, being awarded the Pitt Scholarship, and a fine cricketer, getting his Blue at Cambridge and later playing for his home county, Kent. After practicing the law he later went into business and became Chairman of Consolidated Goldfields of South Africa.

He married Helena the daughter of the Imperial Chancellor in Vienna Hermann von Flesch Brunningen.