Irwin Cox
Encyclopedia
Edward Bainbridge Cox, JP
, DL
, who used the pen-name I.E.B.C. (9 July 1838 – 27 August 1922) was a British
Barrister, magazine proprietor and politician. He served as a Unionist
Member of Parliament
for Harrow
at the beginning of the Twentieth Century.
, Somerset
, the son of Edward William Cox who was a Serjeant-at-law
and who served as Member of Parliament
for Taunton
from 1868 to 1869. He attended Magdalene College
, Cambridge
where he read law; afterwards he studied for the Bar, and was called by the Middle Temple
in 1864.
, Mill Hill
, Middlesex. His wife, whom he married in 1865, was the daughter of the Vicar of Mill Hill.
(he owned a first edition of Izaak Walton
's "The Compleat Angler") and shooting; at Moat Mount, he began to conserve game for shooting. Among those who visited to enjoy the sport was Sir Robert Baden-Powell
. Developing the family newspaper business, Cox also became proprietor of The Field
, and also edited the annual Angler's Diary under the initials "I.E.B.C.".
County Council as a Conservative
, and became an Alderman
in 1901. He enjoyed local government and was High Sheriff
of the County for the year 1898 to 1899, also becoming a Deputy Lieutenant
. Meanwhile he was Chairman of the Petty Sessional Division of Gore from 1894. When the sitting Member of Parliament for Harrow
, William Ambrose
, was appointed a Judge, Cox was unanimously selected to follow him. Although standing as a Conservative, Cox pledged to vote against the Conservative government's Street Traffic Bill which regulated bus transport. Cox won the election despite an energetic challenge from the Liberal candidate.
's government", and he also went along with Joseph Chamberlain
's campaign for tariff reform. However, Cox did not entirely enjoy Parliamentary life; although re-elected at the 1900 general election
, no speech by him in the House of Commons is recorded. He announced in 1904 his decision to stand down before the next election and his name rarely appears in Division Lists after then.
He went back to writing books on angling and shooting, and also hosted fox hunting. Cox died in 1922 at the age of 84.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, DL
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....
, who used the pen-name I.E.B.C. (9 July 1838 – 27 August 1922) 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...
Barrister, magazine proprietor and politician. He served as a Unionist
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...
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 Harrow
Harrow (UK Parliament constituency)
Harrow was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Harrow suburb of North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
at the beginning of the Twentieth Century.
Early career
Cox was born in TauntonTaunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, the son of Edward William Cox who was a Serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
and who served as 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 Taunton
Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)
Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset...
from 1868 to 1869. He attended Magdalene College
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
where he read law; afterwards he studied for the Bar, and was called by the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1864.
Family connections
Initially, Cox assisted his father who ran the Law Times newspaper, and later took over the management of his father's properties (he was Lord of the Manor of Taunton, and owned about 2,000 acres). His father died in 1879 and he took over permanently, moving to the home he inherited at Moat MountMoat Mount Open Space and Mote End Farm
Moat Mount Open Space is a Local Nature Reserve, Borough Grade II, in Mill Hill in the London Borough of Barnet. The site is an extensive area bounded by Barnet Way, Barnet Road and Hendon Wood Lane. It includes Barnet Gate Wood and Scratchwood Countryside Park, but is separate from Scratchwood...
, Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
, Middlesex. His wife, whom he married in 1865, was the daughter of the Vicar of Mill Hill.
Recreations
Cox had many recreations, including anglingAngling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
(he owned a first edition of Izaak Walton
Izaak Walton
Izaak Walton was an English writer. Best known as the author of The Compleat Angler, he also wrote a number of short biographies which have been collected under the title of Walton's Lives.-Biography:...
's "The Compleat Angler") and shooting; at Moat Mount, he began to conserve game for shooting. Among those who visited to enjoy the sport was Sir Robert Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
. Developing the family newspaper business, Cox also became proprietor of The Field
The Field (magazine)
The Field is the world's oldest country and field sports magazine, having been published continuously since 1853.The famous sportsman Robert Smith Surtees, the creator of Jorrocks, was the driving force behind the initial publication...
, and also edited the annual Angler's Diary under the initials "I.E.B.C.".
Politics
When it was established in 1889, Cox was elected to MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
County Council as a Conservative
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...
, and became an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1901. He enjoyed local government and was High Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of the County for the year 1898 to 1899, also becoming a Deputy Lieutenant
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....
. Meanwhile he was Chairman of the Petty Sessional Division of Gore from 1894. When the sitting Member of Parliament for Harrow
Harrow (UK Parliament constituency)
Harrow was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Harrow suburb of North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, William Ambrose
William Ambrose
William Ambrose KC was an English judge and Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1899....
, was appointed a Judge, Cox was unanimously selected to follow him. Although standing as a Conservative, Cox pledged to vote against the Conservative government's Street Traffic Bill which regulated bus transport. Cox won the election despite an energetic challenge from the Liberal candidate.
Parliament
Cox was a self-described "strong supporter of Mr. BalfourArthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
's government", and he also went along with Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
's campaign for tariff reform. However, Cox did not entirely enjoy Parliamentary life; although re-elected at the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, no speech by him in the House of Commons is recorded. He announced in 1904 his decision to stand down before the next election and his name rarely appears in Division Lists after then.
He went back to writing books on angling and shooting, and also hosted fox hunting. Cox died in 1922 at the age of 84.