Charles Stuart-Wortley, 1st Baron Stuart of Wortley
Encyclopedia
Charles Beilby Stuart-Wortley, 1st Baron Stuart of Wortley PC (15 September 1851 – 24 April 1926), was a British Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 until 1916, shortly before he was raised to the peerage
. He served as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
between 1885-1886 and 1886-1892 in the Conservative administrations headed by Lord Salisbury
.
, Stuart-Wortley was the son of James Stuart-Wortley
, youngest son of James Stuart-Wortley, 1st Baron Wharncliffe, son of James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie
, second son of Prime Minister John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
. His mother was the Hon. Jane Lawley. He was educated at Rugby
and Balliol College, Oxford
and called to the bar at Inner Temple
in 1876. He was secretary to the Royal Commission on the Sale of Benefices from 1879 to 1880.
to be elected as a Member of Parliament
for Sheffield
, and when this constituency was broken up under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
, he was elected in the 1885 general election
as MP for the new Sheffield Hallam constituency. He served under Lord Salisbury
as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
between 1885 and 1886 and again from 1886 to 1892. In 1896 he was admitted to the Privy Council. Stuart-Wortley resigned from the House of Commons
on 16 December 1916 and in 1917 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Stuart of Wortley, of the City of Sheffield.
and niece of the author Anthony Trollope
, in 1880. She died in July 1881 and Stuart married as his second wife Alice Sophia Caroline Millais (1862-1936), daughter of the artist John Everett Millais
. Known to her family as Carrie, she and her husband shared an interest in music, playing the Grieg and Schumann concertos on two grand pianos at their home. Among her friends were the art critic Claude Phillips
, the arts patron Frank Schuster
, Lady Charles Beresford and the composer Edward Elgar
to whom she was known as Alice and 'Windflower'.
He died in April 1926, aged 74, when the barony became extinct.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 until 1916, shortly before he was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
. He served as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
-Non-permanent and parliamentary under-secretaries, 1782-present:*April 1782: Evan Nepean*April 1782: Thomas Orde*July 1782: Henry Strachey*April 1783: George North*February 1784: Hon. John Townshend*June 1789: Scrope Bernard*July 1794: The Hon...
between 1885-1886 and 1886-1892 in the Conservative administrations headed by Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
.
Background and education
A member of the Stuart family headed by the Marquess of ButeMarquess of Bute
Marquess of the County of Bute, shortened in general usage to Marquess of Bute, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for John Stuart, 4th Earl of Bute.-Family history:...
, Stuart-Wortley was the son of James Stuart-Wortley
James Stuart-Wortley (Liberal politician)
James Archibald Stuart-Wortley, PC, QC was a British Conservative Party politician.The youngest son of James Archibald Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, 1st Baron Wharncliffe, he was educated at Christ Church, Oxford....
, youngest son of James Stuart-Wortley, 1st Baron Wharncliffe, son of James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie
James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie
James Archibald Stuart, later Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie , British politician and soldier, was the second son of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute and his wife Mary Stuart, Countess of Bute....
, second son of Prime Minister John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute KG, PC , styled Lord Mount Stuart before 1723, was a Scottish nobleman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain under George III, and was arguably the last important favourite in British politics...
. His mother was the Hon. Jane Lawley. He was educated at Rugby
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
and called to the bar at Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1876. He was secretary to the Royal Commission on the Sale of Benefices from 1879 to 1880.
Political career
In 1880 Stuart-Wortley was the first ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
to be elected as a 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 Sheffield
Sheffield (UK Parliament constituency)
Sheffield was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom 1832 to 1885. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of elections....
, and when this constituency was broken up under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, he was elected in the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
as MP for the new Sheffield Hallam constituency. He served under Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
-Non-permanent and parliamentary under-secretaries, 1782-present:*April 1782: Evan Nepean*April 1782: Thomas Orde*July 1782: Henry Strachey*April 1783: George North*February 1784: Hon. John Townshend*June 1789: Scrope Bernard*July 1794: The Hon...
between 1885 and 1886 and again from 1886 to 1892. In 1896 he was admitted to the Privy Council. Stuart-Wortley resigned from the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
on 16 December 1916 and in 1917 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Stuart of Wortley, of the City of Sheffield.
Personal life
Lord Stuart of Wortley married Beatrice, daughter of Thomas Adolphus TrollopeThomas Adolphus Trollope
Thomas Adolphus Trollope was born in Bloomsbury, London on 29 April 1810, the eldest son of Thomas Anthony & Frances Trollope . He was educated at Harrow School and Winchester College...
and niece of the author Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
, in 1880. She died in July 1881 and Stuart married as his second wife Alice Sophia Caroline Millais (1862-1936), daughter of the artist John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
. Known to her family as Carrie, she and her husband shared an interest in music, playing the Grieg and Schumann concertos on two grand pianos at their home. Among her friends were the art critic Claude Phillips
Claude Phillips
Sir Claude Phillips was an English writer, art historian and critic for the Daily Telegraph, Manchester Guardian and other publications during the late 19th century...
, the arts patron Frank Schuster
Leo Frank Schuster
Leo Frank Schuster , was a patron of the arts in the United Kingdom, normally known to his friends as "Frankie". His home at 22 Old Queen Street, London, became a meeting-place for artists, writers and musicians, including Siegfried Sassoon, John Singer Sargent, Walter Sickert, Sir Edward Elgar...
, Lady Charles Beresford and the composer Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
to whom she was known as Alice and 'Windflower'.
He died in April 1926, aged 74, when the barony became extinct.