Richard Gaudin-Martin

Sir Richard Gaudin-Martin, 1st Baronet, DL (1838–1921) was a British diplomat and colonial administrator.

Family and early life

Born Richard Martin, in the south of England, he was the son of Sir William Martin, a judge. He initially trained as a cadet in the Royal Navy, later joining the Foreign Office. In 1874 he married Elizabeth Gaudin, only child of Philip Albert Gaudin of Greenfarm, Jersey. Together they had five children. He later assumed the additional surname of Gaudin, so that he might inherit under his father-in-law's will.

Public service

In 1871 the Foreign Office appointed him as Consul in Dublin.^[1] He was later to serve there as Deputy to the Earl Spencer, who was then undertaking his second term as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. On 29 May 1885, he was created a baronet, of Castleknock and Merrion Square,^[2] in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.

Sir Richard subsequently went to New Zealand with his family where he served as Acting Secretary for Crown Lands.

Later life

He remained in New Zealand, retiring to the South Island in 1909. He died on 1 November 1921 aged 83, and his title was inherited by his eldest son.

References

• Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (editor). A Complete Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage. Edinburgh: Grange Publishing Works, 1895.
• http://www.debretts.com/peerage_and_baronetage/baronets/gaudin-martin.html (accessed 30 November 2012)