Henry Alfred Cumberbatch

Henry Alfred Cumberbatch CMG^[1] (27 June 1858 – 3 December 1918) was a British diplomat who served as a consul in Romania, Turkey and Lebanon.

Henry Alfred Cumberbatch CMG
Born	(1858-06-27)27 June 1858 Berdiansk, Taurida Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	3 December 1918(1918-12-03) (aged 60)
Occupation	Diplomat
Spouse	Helene Gertrude Rees
Children	5, including Henry Carlton Cumberbatch
Parent(s)	Robert William Cumberbatch Louisa Grace Hanson
Family	Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (grandson) Benedict Cumberbatch (great-grandson)
Awards	Order of St Michael & St George

Life and career

Henry Alfred Cumberbatch was born on 27 June 1858 in Berdiansk,^[1] (then part of the Russian Empire, now Ukraine), the son of Robert William Cumberbatch, who was consul there, and his wife Louisa Grace (née Hanson).^[1][2][3] He was educated at Christ's College, Finchley.^[1][4]

On August 1, 1876, at the age of 18, Cumberbatch was appointed student dragoman in the embassy in Constantinople.^[2][3] Cumberbatch followed his father into the diplomatic service, being appointed vice-consul at Bucharest, Romania, on 26 July 1879,^[5] later transferring to Sulina, before being promoted to consul at Adrianople in the Ottoman Empire (now Edirne, Turkey) on 20 March 1888.^[6] He was transferred to Angora on 22 July 1893,^[7] and while serving as consul there was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George on 20 May 1896.^[8] He was appointed consul at Smyrna (now İzmir, Turkey) on 18 November 1896,^[9] and consul-general there from 1 April 1900.^[10] Cumberbatch was mentioned by Gertrude Bell in her works after a meeting in 1907.^[11] On 22 January 1908 Cumberbatch was appointed consul-general for the Vilayet of Beirut and the Mutessariflik of the Lebanon, resident at Beirut,^[12] serving there until 1914.^[13]

Cumberbatch died 3 December 1918 and was buried 7 December 1918 at Brompton Cemetery, London.^[1]

Personal life

Cumberbatch married Helene Gertrude Rees, daughter of Thomas Bowen Rees and American born Ida Josephine Langdon, in Smyrna on 16 January 1891.^[1][11] Their children were:

1. Major Robert Cecil Cumberbatch (1892–1963)^[14][15]
2. Ida Sybil Cumberbatch (1895–1947)
3. Captain Sir Hugh Douglas Cumberbatch (1897–1951)^[16]
4. Commander Henry Carlton Cumberbatch RN (1900–1966)^[17]
5. Nancy Mary Cumberbatch (1905–1948)

Present descendants include his great-grandson, actor Benedict Cumberbatch, son of actor Timothy Carlton and grandson of Henry Carlton^[17] as well as descendants of Robert Cecil^[15] who married Nora Skender of Athens and Ida Sybil who married Henry Alwyn Barker of Alexandria.