Hudson Kearley, 1st Viscount Devonport
Encyclopedia
Hudson Ewbanke Kearley, 1st Viscount Devonport, PC, DL
(1 September 1856 – 5 September 1934) was a British
grocer and politician. He founded the International Tea Company's Stores
, became the first chairman of the Port of London Authority
, and served as Minister of Food Control during World War I
.
) and joined Tetley & Sons
in 1872. In 1876, Devonport founded a tea importing company, known as Kearley and Tonge form 1887, and began retailing his own goods in 1878. In 1890, he had over 200 branches trading as International Stores and in 1895, both companies were combined to form International Tea Company's Stores
and shares were offered to the public.
Member of Parliament
for Devonport in the 1892 general election
. In 1903, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
, assisting the President of the Board of Trade, David Lloyd George
. He was created a baronet
, of Wittingham in the County of Buckingham, in 1908 and became a member of the Privy Council in 1909. He retired from the lower house after the January 1910 general election.
He played an important part in the passage of the Port of London
Bill in 1908 and served as unpaid chairman of the Port of London Authority
from 1909 until 1925.
He was elevated to the peerage
as Baron Devonport, of Wittington in the County of Buckingham, in July 1910. It was reported in The New York Times
that he declined to contribute to party funds in turn for the peerage, feeling that his party contribution and unpaid services in relation to the Port of London were great enough to warrant the distinction without payment. After proposing to submit the related correspondence to the press, no money was exchanged.
This did not save him from being the subject of a savage epigram
by Hilaire Belloc
:
The grocer Hudson Kearley, he
When purchasing his barony
Considered first, we understand,
The title of Lord Sugarsand,
Or then again he might have been
Lord Underweight of Margarine:
But being of the nobler sort
He took the title Devonport.
He was appointed as Minister of Food Control in December 1916 by Lloyd George and he submitted a proposal for compulsory rationing
in May 1917, seemingly delayed as to protect the interests of retailers. He resigned on 30 May, and became Viscount Devonport, of Wittington in the County of Buckingham, in July.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(1 September 1856 – 5 September 1934) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
grocer and politician. He founded the International Tea Company's Stores
International Tea Co. Stores
International Tea Co. Stores was a leading chain of grocers based in London. It was a constituent of the FT30 index of leading companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:...
, became the first chairman of the Port of London Authority
Port of London Authority
The Port of London Authority is a self-funding public trust established in 1908 by the Port of London Act to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and the authority is responsible for the public right of navigation and for conservancy of the...
, and served as Minister of Food Control during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Early life and business career
Devonport was the tenth and youngest child of George Ewbanke Kearley (1814–1876) and his wife, Mary Ann Hudson. He studied at Surrey County School (now Cranleigh SchoolCranleigh School
Cranleigh School is an independent English boarding school in the village of Cranleigh, Surrey. It was founded in 1865 as a boys' school and started to admit girls in the early 1970s. It is now co-educational. The current headmaster is Guy de W...
) and joined Tetley & Sons
Tetley
Tetley, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Global Beverages , is the world's second largest manufacturer and distributor of tea. Owned by India's Tata Group, Tetley's manufacturing and distribution business is spread across 40 countries and sells over 60 branded tea bags...
in 1872. In 1876, Devonport founded a tea importing company, known as Kearley and Tonge form 1887, and began retailing his own goods in 1878. In 1890, he had over 200 branches trading as International Stores and in 1895, both companies were combined to form International Tea Company's Stores
International Tea Co. Stores
International Tea Co. Stores was a leading chain of grocers based in London. It was a constituent of the FT30 index of leading companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:...
and shares were offered to the public.
Public service
Devonport was elected as a LiberalLiberal 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...
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 Devonport in the 1892 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
. In 1903, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade in the United Kingdom was a member of Parliament assigned to assist the Board of Trade and its President with administration and liaison with Parliament. It replaced the Vice-President of the Board of Trade....
, assisting the President of the Board of Trade, David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
. He was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, of Wittingham in the County of Buckingham, in 1908 and became a member of the Privy Council in 1909. He retired from the lower house after the January 1910 general election.
He played an important part in the passage of the Port of London
Port of London
The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Once the largest port in the world, it is currently the United Kingdom's second largest port, after Grimsby & Immingham...
Bill in 1908 and served as unpaid chairman of the Port of London Authority
Port of London Authority
The Port of London Authority is a self-funding public trust established in 1908 by the Port of London Act to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and the authority is responsible for the public right of navigation and for conservancy of the...
from 1909 until 1925.
He was elevated 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...
as Baron Devonport, of Wittington in the County of Buckingham, in July 1910. It was reported in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
that he declined to contribute to party funds in turn for the peerage, feeling that his party contribution and unpaid services in relation to the Port of London were great enough to warrant the distinction without payment. After proposing to submit the related correspondence to the press, no money was exchanged.
This did not save him from being the subject of a savage epigram
Epigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia....
by Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc
Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc was an Anglo-French writer and historian who became a naturalised British subject in 1902. He was one of the most prolific writers in England during the early twentieth century. He was known as a writer, orator, poet, satirist, man of letters and political activist...
:
The grocer Hudson Kearley, he
When purchasing his barony
Considered first, we understand,
The title of Lord Sugarsand,
Or then again he might have been
Lord Underweight of Margarine:
But being of the nobler sort
He took the title Devonport.
He was appointed as Minister of Food Control in December 1916 by Lloyd George and he submitted a proposal for compulsory rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
in May 1917, seemingly delayed as to protect the interests of retailers. He resigned on 30 May, and became Viscount Devonport, of Wittington in the County of Buckingham, in July.