Major-General Thomas Charles Pleydell Calley (28 January 1856 – 14 February 1932) was a British Army officer and Liberal Unionist politician.

Military career Calley was the son of Henry Calley, JP, DL, of Burderop Park, Wiltshire, and was educated at Harrow School and at Christ Church, Oxford."CALLEY, Hon. Maj.-Gen. Thomas Charles Pleydell", Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2007

He joined the 1st Life Guards in 1876 and served in Egypt in 1882, where he took part in the Battle of Tel el-Kebir. In 1886 he was appointed captain, promoted to major in 1894, lieutenant-colonel in 1898, and a brevet colonel in November 1900 for service in the Second Boer War in South Africa 1899–1900. He was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in July 1901, and served as Silver Stick in Waiting to King Edward VII during his coronation in August 1902. Four months later, he was appointed in command of the 1st Life Guards, serving as such until 1906, during which he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1905. He relinquished command in December 1906 and then went on half-pay. In July 1907 he was promoted to substantive colonel. He went on to become a brigade commander of the London Mounted Brigade from April 1908 until 1912.

He was elected at the January 1910 general election as member of parliament (MP) for Cricklade, winning the seat from the sitting Liberal MP John Massie. However, at the general election in December 1910, he narrowly lost the seat to another Liberal candidate and did not stand for Parliament again.

He was General Officer Commanding 60th (2/2nd London) Division from October 1914, when he was promoted to temporary brigadier general, to December 1915 during the First World War.Becke, Maj A.F. History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . pp. 25-32 In September 1917 he was granted the honorary rank of major general.

Family Calley married, in 1883, Emily Chappell, daughter of T. D. Chappell, of Teddington. They had one daughter.

References

External links

Portraits of Major-General Thomas Charles Pleydell Calley in the National Portrait Gallery, London