Bro. Col. Thomas Bradney Shaw-Hellier
Worshipful Master St. Patrick's Lodge No. 295, 1878.

Thomas Bradney Shaw-Hellier was born on 2nd October, 1836 and was effectively the last of the Shaw-Hellier line when he died in Italy in 1910. He was the only son of Thomas Shaw-Hellier, latterly of Rodbaston Hall. Thomas was educated at Winchester and Brasenose College, Oxford, commencing his studies there in 1855.

It was at Brasenose College, whilst a "commoner", that he was initiated into Apollo University Lodge No. 357 in 1858. He subsequently became a joining member of "Staffordshire Knot" Lodge No. 726, in his home county.

His military career commenced when he was appointed an Ensign (Army) with the 2nd Regiment of the King's Own Staffordshire Militia (the Territorials of the time) in 1858. He was promoted to Lieutenant in the Militia on the 28th September, 1860. His association with the 4th Royal  Irish Dragoon Guards commenced with his purchase of a Cornetcy on the 27th September, 1861.(1) He was promoted Captain in 1867 and Major in 1876.
(1) A Cornet (Cavalry) or Ensign was the most junior commissioned rank in the army - the cost of a Cornetcy at that time would have been the considerable sum of £450.00 and would have been paid to the officer previously holding the rank, who had either retired or purchased a promotion himself. 

Bro. Col. Thomas Bradney Shaw-Hellier
(2nd October, 1836 - 1910)
Worshipful Master, 1878. 

As you can see from the Lodge history, Thomas Bradney Shaw-Hellier, when a Major in the 4th Royal  Irish Dragoon Guards, was instrumental in the revival of the Warrant No. 295 in 1878.

The previous year on the 5th November, 1877 Grand Lodge received a letter from a Bro. John Hanly, 4th Dragoon Guards, then stationed at the Curragh Camp, saying that he and Major Shaw-Hellier have been talking of a Lodge in their Regiment and understood that "years ago" "there was one and that it is in abeyance and whether a new Charter (i.e. Warrant) is necessary? We have a good many Brethren in the Regt. Officers, N.C.O’s etc. I am RA and Mark of Fermoy. Captain Murphy of Dundalk Lodge 47, Major Hellier No. 3 Cork and several others and we find we might do some good for Masonry if we had a Lodge established."

You will note that Bro. Hanly states that Major Shaw-Hellier was also a member of Lodge 3, Cork.

Subsequently Major Shaw-Hellier, Bro. Hanly and Captain Lawrence Murphy presented a Memorial to Grand Lodge for the revival of  Warrant No. 295. They indicated they would be glad to get the old Warrant as well as a new one (they got the old one endorsed) and hoped it will turn out a good working Lodge. 

The Warrant was reissued to the memorialists and with the assistance of the Brethren of Lodge No. 570, of the 5th Dragoon Guards, the Warrant of No. 295, St. Patrick's Lodge, was presented to the Brethren of the 4th Dragoon Guards, and the Lodge constituted in due form and Saluted at a meeting of Lodge No. 570, held on the 14th January, 1878. 

Bro. Thomas Bradney Shaw-Hellier,
in the uniform of the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards

Bro. Thomas Bradley Shaw-Hellier was then installed Worshipful Master for the usual time, and saluted according to ancient custom.    
  
Bro. Thomas Bradley Shaw-Hellier then presented to the Brethren a case containing a Silver Trowel, Square, Compasses, Ivory Maul and Ten Collars with the Star of St. Patrick. (These are still in possession of the Lodge).

The Regiment was subsequently posted to York and we see from correspondence that Bro. Thomas Bradley Shaw-Hellier having completed his year as Worshipful Master, taking on the office of Lodge Secretary.

Major Shaw-Hellier was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in 1882, as Lieutenant-Colonel commanding, he served again as Master in 1884.

He commanded the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards from 1882 to 1886. He saw active service in Egypt in 1882,leading the Regiment at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir on the 13th September, 1882. It was the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards led by Shaw-Hellier who accompanied General Drury Lowe to occupy Cairo in the hours folllowing the battle. A column of troopers and sowars walked and trotted the 25 miles to the environs of Cairo, meeting no opposition, and evoking little interest from the fellahin on the route. By 4.30 that afternoon they had reached the Abbassiyeh barracks on the north-eastern outskirts of the city, and here Drury Lowe halted his force, sending forward two Troops of the 4th with some Bengal Cavalrymen and an interpreter. There was a tense moment when they beheld a large body of Egyptian cavalry deploying outside the barracks, but then it was seen that every man bore a white flag on his lance. He received the Campaign Medal and Bronze Star for his servive in Egypt. He retired from the Regiment in 1886 and went on half-pay.

Two years later was appointed Commandant at Kneller Hall, a post he held with great distinction until his retirement in 1893. A busy and far-sighted administrator, Shaw-Hellier was ahead of his time in strongly advocating commissions for the Bandmasters (or Directors of Music) of Staff Bands - a policy approved by Queen Victoria in 1898.

He seems to have retired to a villa in Taormina Sicily in about 1907. The Villa San Giorgio that he built there was designed by C.R. Ashbee, the Arts and Crafts designer, who was also responsible for architectural work back at the Wodehouse, Wombourne.

Thomas Bradney Shaw Hellier died in Sicily in 1910.

Many thanks to John Morgan for some of the personal biographical information and the photograph reproduced above. More detailed biographical information can be found John's website "Morgan Web Site", a site dedicated to John Morgan's family history.