Vivian Lockett was educated at Wellington and Trinity College, Cambridge and the royal Military College, Sandhurst. While at Cambridge he failed to win a polo blue which is something of a surprise as he had the most distinguished Westchester Cup record of any of the 1920 British Olympians, playing in a total of five matches in 1913, 1914 and 1921. His record in Army polo was even more noteworthy; he maintained a ten goal handicap for many years, was a member of the team which won the inter-regimental tournament in India in 1913 and 1914, and, when polo re-started in England after the war, played on the winning team in the inter-regimental championship every year from 1920 to 1930, with the exception of 1927. On leaving Sandhurst, Lockett initially joined the Royal Field Artillery before transferring to the 17th Lancers. After the regiment had become the 17/21 Lancers he succeeded to his fellow Old Wellingtonian and Olympic gold medallist, Tim Melville , as Commanding Officer in 1927. Colonial Lockett retired from the Army in 1933 but was recalled in 1940 and commanded the Cavalry Training Centre in Edinburgh. In 1915 he married, Violet, the daughter of Russell Coleman, an East Anglian land owner. They made their home in Norfolk. They had three children, one of whom was killed in North Africa in World War II while serving with his father’s old regiment.
Great Britain