#11552, Erskine William GLADSTONE

Gladstone was a great grandson of the former prime minister, William Ewart Gladstone. He was educated at Eton and joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1943 and saw action in WWII mainly based on destroyers in the Indian Ocean. Upon leaving the navy with the rank of lieutenant he took an honours degree in history at Christ Church, Oxford. He then entered the teaching profession with positions at Shrewsbury and Eton.

He was head master at Lancing from 1961 to 1969 whereupon he retired from the teaching profession. He was Chief Scout UK from 1972 to 1982 and during his tenure he took special interest in the development of Scouting in deprived areas, particularly the inner cities and new housing estates. In 1979 he was elected Chairman of the World Scout Committee. He lived at Hawarden Castle in Flintshire, Wales.