Charles John Wingfield
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles John Wingfield KCSI, CB, MP
(16 April 1820 – 27 January 1892), who had a distinguished career with the Bengal Civil Service, was later elected as the first Member of Parliament
for the United Kingdom's Parliament constituency of Gravesend
.
and Haileybury
.
Wingfield's father, William Wingfield
(1772–1858), was a Master in Chancery
and served as a Member of Parliament for Bodmin
in 1806. William changed his surname to Wingfield-Baker in 1849 by Royal licensure after his inheritance of Orsett Hall
in Essex
. Several of William's children changed their surname as well. From William's first marriage to Lady Charlotte-Maria (died 1807), eldest daughter of Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby
, Wingfield had several older half siblings including: George-Digby, John-Digby, Mary, Caroline, Frances-Eliza, and Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker
, a Member of Parliament for South Essex.
By his father's marriage to Wingfield's mother, Elizabeth Mills, Wingfield had several additional siblings, including: William-Wriothesley-Digby, Frederick, Henry, Kenelm-Digby, Julia, and Lucy.
clemency policy during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
. While in the BCS, he held several offices including Commissioner of Gorakhpur
, which is the post he held when appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath on 18 May 1860, and Vice-Chairman of the East India Association
's Council. From 15 February 1859 to 20 April 1860, he was the Chief Commissioner of Oude
. On 24 May 1866, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India.
A Liberal
, Wingifled was elected to Parliament over Bedford Clapperton Trevelyan Pim
, serving served during the period of 18 November 1868 to 5 February 1874 when Wingfield was unseated by Pim.
, London.
In his will (proved
on 4 March 1892), Wingfield bequethed money to at least two charities, including the London and the National Dental Hospitals.
in Lucknow
, Uttar Pradesh
, India
.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(16 April 1820 – 27 January 1892), who had a distinguished career with the Bengal Civil Service, was later elected as the first Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the United Kingdom's Parliament constituency of Gravesend
Gravesend (UK Parliament constituency)
Gravesend was a county constituency centred on the town of Gravesend, Kent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
.
Early years
Wingfield was educated at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Haileybury
East India Company College
The East India College was a college in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in February 1806 as the training establishment for the British East India Company . At that time, the BEIC provided general and vocational education for young gentlemen of sixteen to eighteen years old,...
.
Wingfield's father, William Wingfield
William Wingfield (MP)
William Wingfield KC, MP , was an attorney, judge, and Member of Parliament in 19th century England.-Early years:...
(1772–1858), was a Master in Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
and served as a Member of Parliament for Bodmin
Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)
Bodmin was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England and later the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1868 general...
in 1806. William changed his surname to Wingfield-Baker in 1849 by Royal licensure after his inheritance of Orsett Hall
Orsett Hall
Orsett Hall was a 17th century grade 2 listed building in Orsett, Essex . It was set in of parkland and was the centre of the Orsett Hall agricultural estate. The house was destroyed by fire on 11 May 2007 and rebuilt in the same style and on the same footprint as the original building in 2009...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. Several of William's children changed their surname as well. From William's first marriage to Lady Charlotte-Maria (died 1807), eldest daughter of Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby
Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby
Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby was a British peer and Member of Parliament.Digby was the younger son of Hon. Edward Digby, son of William Digby, 5th Baron Digby. His mother was Charlotte Fox, daughter of Sir Stephen Fox. Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, was his uncle and Charles James Fox his cousin...
, Wingfield had several older half siblings including: George-Digby, John-Digby, Mary, Caroline, Frances-Eliza, and Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker
Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker
Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker MP, DL, was a Liberal Party politician, High Sheriff and Deputy Lieutenant in the English county of Essex...
, a Member of Parliament for South Essex.
By his father's marriage to Wingfield's mother, Elizabeth Mills, Wingfield had several additional siblings, including: William-Wriothesley-Digby, Frederick, Henry, Kenelm-Digby, Julia, and Lucy.
Career
Wingfield served in the Bengal Civil Service from 1840 to 1866. He was a proponent of Charles Canning'sCharles Canning, 1st Earl Canning
Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning KG, GCB, PC , known as The Viscount Canning from 1837 to 1859, was an English statesman and Governor-General of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.-Background and education:...
clemency policy during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
. While in the BCS, he held several offices including Commissioner of Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...
, which is the post he held when appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath on 18 May 1860, and Vice-Chairman of the East India Association
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
's Council. From 15 February 1859 to 20 April 1860, he was the Chief Commissioner of Oude
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
. On 24 May 1866, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India.
A Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
, Wingifled was elected to Parliament over Bedford Clapperton Trevelyan Pim
Bedford Clapperton Trevelyan Pim
Admiral Bedford Clapperton Trevelyan Pim, RN, MP, FRGS was a Royal Navy officer, Arctic explorer, barrister, and author...
, serving served during the period of 18 November 1868 to 5 February 1874 when Wingfield was unseated by Pim.
Personal life
Wingfield never married. His residence was located first at 12 Albert Mansions, Victoria Street, London, and at the time of his death on 27 January 1892 at 66 Portland PlacePortland Place
Portland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London, England.-History and topography:The street was laid out by the brothers Robert and James Adam for the Duke of Portland in the late 18th century and originally ran north from the gardens of a detached mansion called Foley House...
, London.
In his will (proved
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
on 4 March 1892), Wingfield bequethed money to at least two charities, including the London and the National Dental Hospitals.
Legacy
The 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) Wingfield Park, named in his honor, is half a mile south of Sikandar BaghSikandar Bagh
Sikandar Bagh , formerly known by the British as Sikunder/Sikandra/Secundra Bagh, is a villa and garden enclosed by a fortified wall, with loopholes, gateway and corner bastions, approx. 150 yards square, c. 4.5 acres, located in the city of Lucknow, Oudh, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by the...
in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.