Ralph Beckett, 3rd Baron Grimthorpe

Ralph William Ernest Beckett, 3rd Baron Grimthorpe, TD, DL (1891–1963), was a banker and breeder of racehorses. Beckett was son of Ernest Beckett, 2nd Baron Grimthorpe. He was a partner in the Leeds firm of Beckett & Co., which later became part of the Westminster Bank, and in the aeronautical firm Airspeed Ltd. His racehorses included Fortina, which won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1947, and Fragrant Mac, which won the Scottish Grand National in 1952.

Personal life

Beckett was educated in 1903 at Eton College. He was educated at University College, Oxford.

Beckett gained the title of 3rd Baron Grimthorpe on 9 May 1917.

Beckett fought in World War I. He gained the rank of Lieutenant in the service of the Yorkshire Hussars. He was Lieutenant-Colonel of the Yorkshire Hussars between 1936 and 1940. Beckett fought in World War II, where he was mentioned in despatches. He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

He married, firstly, Mary Alice Archdale, daughter of Colonel Mervyn Henry Archdale and Mary de Bathe, on 3 September 1914. He and Mary Alice Archdale were divorced in 1945. He married, secondly, Angela Courage, daughter of Edward Hubert Courage and Beatrice Mary Awdry, on 25 March 1945. He died on 22 February 1963 at age 71.

Beckett frequently took part in the Cresta Run, St Moritz, Switzerland.