• Skip to content
  • Websites in the network
  • Herts Memories
  • Herts Past Policing
  • Our Dacorum
  • Our Hatfield
  • Our Hertford and Ware
  • Our Oxhey
  • Our Stevenage
  • Our Welwyn Garden City
  • Out of Sight, Out of Mind
  • Herts Memories
  • Herts Past Policing
  • Our Dacorum
  • Our Hatfield
  • Our Hertford and Ware
  • Our Oxhey
  • Our Stevenage
  • Our Welwyn Garden City
  • Out of Sight, Out of Mind
 
  • Log in
  • Contact us
Herts Memories
Herts Memories
Gateway to Hertfordshire's community archive network
  • Home
  • About us
  • Herts history
  • Advice and Resources
  • Noticeboard
  • Blog
  • Get involved
  • Follow us on Twitter
You are here: Home>Herts history>Diaries and Letters>Hertfordshire Voices>The Letters of Lionel Halsey

The Letters of Lionel Halsey

By the age of thirteen, in 1885, Lionel Halsey had taken his first steps on the way to what was to become a distinguished naval career and was undergoing training on the Britannia. By 1891 he had attained the rank of Sub-Lieutenant, and two years later Lieutenant. Even if he had not joined the navy to see the world, he certainly saw a great deal of it having served among other places with the Mediterranean Fleet, on the North American Station, then based at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and in South Africa. His promotion to Captain in 1905 led eventually to taking command of HMS New Zealand in 1912 where he stayed until June 1915.

It was from HMS New Zealand that he kept up a constant flow of letters to Gaddesden Place the home of his father Sir Thomas Frederick Halsey and his mother Mary. Lionel was their fourth son, having been born on 26 February 1872 and it appears from his letters that they were a very close family. The tone of the letters, when they talk about the war, changes from almost a light-hearted optimism to bleak reality and a wish to see the end of it all.

After the war he was appointed to serve the Prince of Wales as treasurer, which he did until 1936 after which he served King George V1 for a while before retiring. In the meantime his services had been recognised by many overseas governments, among which were: France, awarding him the Legion of Honour; Russia, the Order of St Vladimir and St Anne; Japan, the Order of the Rising Sun; and America the Distinguished Service Order.

He was Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, took an active roll in the affairs of the County and had a house at Biggleswade. He died 0n 26th October 1949.

  • Halsey 21st February, 1914
    Halsey 21st February, 1914
    Letter from Vigo
  • Halsey 7th March, 1914
    Halsey 7th March, 1914
    To listen to the audio clips, click play on the bar below the first image on the right. Halsey Sat 7 Mar ...
  • Halsey 3rd May 1914
    Halsey 3rd May 1914
    To listen to the audio clips, click play on the bar on the right. Halsey 3 May 1914    From: H.M.S.New Zealand ...
  • Halsey 19th May, 1914
    Halsey 19th May, 1914
    To listen to the audio clips, click play on the bar below the image on the right. Halsey 19 May 1914 ...
  • Halsey 24 June 1914
    Halsey 24 June 1914
    From: The British Embassey St Petersburg
  • Halsey 30 July 1914
    Halsey 30 July 1914
    From: H M S New Zealand at sea
  • Halsey 17 August 1914
    Halsey 17 August 1914
    To listen to the audio clip, click play on the bar on the right. My Dear Father Just one line to let ...
  • Halsey 17 September 1914
    Halsey 17 September 1914
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 24 September 1914
    Halsey 24 September 1914
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 15 November 1914
    Halsey 15 November 1914
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 7 Dec 1914
    Halsey 7 Dec 1914
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 6 January 1915
    Halsey 6 January 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 3rd Feb 1915
    Halsey 3rd Feb 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 26 Feb 1915
    Halsey 26 Feb 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 29 March 1915
    Halsey 29 March 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 16 April 1915
    Halsey 16 April 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 3rd May 1915
    Halsey 3rd May 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 2nd June 1915
    Halsey 2nd June 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
  • Halsey 4th June 1915
    Halsey 4th June 1915
    From HMS New Zealand
Hertfordshire Voices
  • Hitchin Evacuees
  • An Officer's Diary
  • Hellier Gosselin's Diaries
  • Hertfordshire and The Civil War
  • John Edwin Cussans
  • Personal Papers of 883440 Sergeant R.C. Couzins
  • The Daybook of Frederick Thomas Chennels, 1872
  • The Diaries of Adela Capel, May 1841 - April 1842
  • The Diaries of Ann Couzens, 1958-1962
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck of Hertford, 1860-1861
  • The Diaries of Elinor Ritchie, 1914 to 1918
  • The Diaries of Henry Lomas of Watford, 1826
  • The Diaries of John Carrington, 1798 - 1810
  • The Diaries of Mary, Countess Cowper
  • The Diaries of Mrs Louisa Arrowsmith, 1822 - 1831
  • The Diary of Benjamin Woodcock, 1837
  • The Letters of Arthur Martin-Leake, 1914-1918
  • The letters of Captain Martin Leake
  • The Letters of Julian Grenfell, 1914
  • The Letters of Lionel Halsey
  • THE LETTERS OF WILLIAM BAKER - MP AND GENTLEMAN
  • The Weather Diary of Sir John Wittewronge, 1684-89
What's new
  • Wadesmill. Barclay
    Wadesmill can boast of the first toll road in the country, dating back to 1663. According to the information plaque this ...
  • The Green Dragon Public House, Churchgate
    In the heart of the Churchgate Conservation Area of Cheshunt stands the Green Dragon pub, a timber-framed building that goes ...
More new pages
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy and cookies
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
Designed and built by Community Sites

Copyright Hertfordshire County Council. All rights reserved.

Heritage Lottery Fund (opens in new window) Hertfordshire County Council (opens in new window)