The Earl of Lonsdale Country Life Magazine Portrait June 28 1930

The Earl of Lonsdale Country Life Magazine Portrait, Frontispiece, June 28 1930. LXVII No. 1745

The featured frontispiece this week is a portrait of The Earl of Lonsdale, one of the most influential figures in British sporting life of the early 20th century.

• Identity: Hugh Cecil Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale (1857–1944), a prominent aristocrat, sportsman, and patron.
• Equestrian Influence: He was instrumental in founding the International Horse Show at Olympia in 1907, serving as its first President and helping establish it as a major social and sporting event.
• Show Jumping: In 1925, he became the first President of the British Show Jumping Association, further cementing his role in developing equestrian sport.
• Boxing Legacy: As the first President of the National Sporting Club, he introduced the Lonsdale Belt in 1909—still one of the most prestigious prizes in British boxing.
• Motoring Pioneer: He was a founder and the first President of the Automobile Association (AA) in 1905, even influencing its iconic yellow livery, chosen as his personal colour.
• Wider Impact: Through his patronage, leadership, and personal enthusiasm, Lord Lonsdale played a central role in shaping modern British sport and leisure culture.

This is an authentic original page from Country Life magazine, part of the iconic series often affectionately referred to as the “Girls in Pearls” portraits — elegant society images that captured a distinctive era of British publishing and portraiture.

Size: Approximately 13.75 x 9 inches (35 x 23 cm)

Condition: Very good for its age. As with all vintage magazine pages, light signs of handling or minor age-related blemishes may be present. Please review the large photo carefully for full condition details.

This original Country Life Magazine frontispiece portrait forms part of The Old Map Shop’s curated archive of society portraits published between 1897 and 2026.