The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Gifford, Right Hon. Edric Frederick
Gifford, Right Hon. Edric Frederick, 3rd Baron, V.C., sometime Colonial Secretary, Western Australia, is the eldest son of Robert Francis, 2nd Baron, by Charlotte, eldest daughter of Maurice, Lord Fitzhardinge. He was born on July 5th, 1849, educated at Harrow, and entered the 83rd Foot in 1869. He exchanged to 24th Foot in 1873; served in the Ashantee war with that regiment as lieutenant, and received the Victoria Cross on March 28th, 1874, for distinguished gallantry at the taking of Bequeh. His lordship exchanged into the 57th Foot in 1876, and retired with the rank of major on July 24th, 1880. He served on the staff of Sir Garnet Wolseley in 1875, when on a special mission to Natal, and in Cyprus in 1878-9; served in Zulu war in 1879 as A.D.C. to Sir G. Wolseley; took a leading part in the capture of Cetewayo; he was colonial secretary and senior member of the Executive Council of Western Australia from 1880 to 1882; colonial secretary at Gibraltar from Dec. 1882 to 1887, and became a director of the chartered British South Africa Company in 1889. He succeeded his father on May 13th, 1872, and married on April 22nd, 1880, Sophia Catherine, daughter of Lieut.-General John Alfred Street, C.B.