He was born into a millionaire brewing family on 4 August 1904. His father, Charles Nall-Cain, was created a baronet in 1921 and Baron Brocket of Brocket Hall in 1933. After his death a year later, Arthur succeeded to his titles.[1]
At the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Brocket continued to work for an understanding between Britain and Germany. He urged a negotiated peace settlement and tried to arrange talks with Hitler. He had contact with Hermann Göring through the SwedishornithologistBengt Berg. Brocket also worked closely with the historian Arthur Bryant, who shared his far right views, to bring the negotiations to the attention of the UK Foreign Office. However, Brocket was informed that the proposal to grant Germany control over Poland and Czechoslovakia was not acceptable to the British government.[5] Brocket was interned at the outbreak of war and his properties sequestrated by the War Office.[6]
Landowner
In the 1930s, Brocket bought Inverie House and the Knoydart estate in Lochaber, Scotland. He would eventually own 13,000 acres (53 km2) in England and 62,000 in Scotland.[3] As an absentee landlord, he only used the Knoydart estate for shooting and fishing while opposing the rights of crofters and dismissing and evicting workers. At the outbreak of war, the house and estate was taken over by the British Army when Brocket was interned; it was used to train commandos and SOE agents.[7] After the war, the British government returned ownership of the estate to Brocket. He ordered that anything which might have been used or touched by SOE agents removed from Inverie House; all the cutlery, crockery and toilets were dumped in the sea at the mouth of Loch Nevis.[8]
In 1948, some returning Highland soldiers, who would become known as Seven Men of Knoydart, decided to take a stand against Brocket and the way he managed his estate. The group claimed portions of the Knoydart estate in a land raid. But after Brocket took legal action to get them evicted, the group agreed to vacate the land as a good faith action for court. However, once they left they were dispossessed and they lost the case.[9] Shortly afterwards Brocket sold the Knoydart estate. In 1949, he bought the Carton House estate in Ireland.
Ronald Charles Manus Nall-Cain (1928–1961), eldest son and heir apparent, who pre-deceased his father, having in 1950 married Elizabeth Mary Stallard, a daughter of R.J. Stallard of Bake House, Petersfield, Hampshire.[11]
David Lawrence Robert Nall-Cain (born 1930), 2nd son, who inherited Carton House from his father. He married Katherine Elizabeth Palmer, a daughter of William Matthew Palmer, Viscount Wolmer (1912-1942), eldest son and heir apparent of Roundell Palmer, 3rd Earl of Selborne (1887–1971).[11] In 1977 he sold Carton to the Mallaghan family.[12]
On wreaths of the colours 1st a cat saliant guardant Erminois holding between the paws a dexter hand couped Gules (Cain) 2nd a bee Proper between two roses Gules barbed seeded stalked and leaved Proper (Nall).
Escutcheon
Quarterly 1st & 4th Argent three salmon haurient Gules in chief an oak tree eradicated Proper (Cain) 2nd & 3rd Argent a bee Proper between three roses Gules (Nall).
^Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN0-900178-06-X.