Sir Albert Gladstone, 5th Baronet

Who was Sir Albert Gladstone, 5th Baronet?

Sir Albert Charles Gladstone, 5th Baronet MBE was a British businessman and rower who won a gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Gladstone was born at Hawarden Castle, Flintshire, Wales, the eldest son of the Reverend Stephen Edward Gladstone and Annie Crosthwaite Wilson, and the grandson of the former Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone. As a twelve-year-old, he attended William Gladstone's state funeral. Gladstone was educated at Eton College and graduated from Christ Church, Oxford in 1909 with a BA.

During his time at Oxford he was a member of the rowing eight and rowed for Oxford in the Boat Race on four occasions between 1906 and 1909. He was a member of the Christ Church eight that won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 1908. Four weeks later, he was a crew member of the Leander eight, which won the gold medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Gladstone served in World War I in Mesopotamia and Gallipoli, and was Mentioned in Despatches. He was promoted to Captain in the 2nd/5th Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army Reserve, and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1919.