On 14 February 1861 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the part-time 3rd (Crickhowell) Brecknockshire Rifle Volunteer Corps.
On 15 May 1867, his company commander was promoted to command the 1st Administrative Battalion, Brecknockshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, and on the same day Bailey was appointed the battalion's first Honorary Colonel.
[3][4][1] He retained the position with the unit's successor, the 1st (Brecknockshire) Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers, until his death, when he was succeeded by his eldest son.
In 1865 he was elected to the British House of Commons for Herefordshire, a seat he held until 1885 when the constituency was abolished, and then represented Hereford between 1886 and 1892.
[1] He married Mary Ann, daughter of Henry Lucas, MD, on 9 April 1861, and they had the following children:[1] Lord Glanusk died in January 1906, aged 65, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son Joseph, who became the 2nd Baron.