John St Aubyn, 1st Baron St Levan
Encyclopedia
John St Aubyn, 1st Baron St Levan (23 October 1829 – 14 May 1908), known as Sir John St Aubyn, 2nd Baronet, from 1872 to 1887, was a British
Liberal
, and later Liberal Unionist, politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1858 until 1887 when he was raised to the peerage
.
, Cornwall
, and his wife Emma (née Knollys), daughter of General William Knollys. He was educated at Eton
, and at Trinity College, Cambridge
. St Aubyn was Hon. Colonel of the 3rd Bttn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant
and J.P.
for Cornwall, and Deputy Special Warden of the Stannaries
.
for Cornwall West as a Liberal in 1858, a seat he held until 1885 when the constituency was replaced under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
. In his original election address, according to The Times, he promised to vote for . :
Whilst representing West Cornwall, he was always elected unopposed.
At the 1885 general election, St Aubyn was elected as MP for St Ives
in a contest that was fiercely contested. "The fight was severe", according to The Times. . He disagreed with William Ewart Gladstone
over Irish Home Rule and sat as a Liberal Unionist from 1886 to 1887. In the latter year St Aubyn was raised to the peerage as Baron St Levan
, of St Michael's Mount
in the County of Cornwall
.
, in 1856. They had six sons and seven daughters He died in 14 May 1908, aged 78 . He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son John. Lady St Levan died in 1910.
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...
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...
, and later Liberal Unionist, politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1858 until 1887 when 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...
.
Early life
St Aubyn was the son of Sir Edward St Aubyn, 1st Baronet, of St Michael's MountSt Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount is a tidal island located off the Mount's Bay coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a civil parish and is united with the town of Marazion by a man-made causeway of granite setts, passable between mid-tide and low water....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and his wife Emma (née Knollys), daughter of General William Knollys. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. St Aubyn was Hon. Colonel of the 3rd Bttn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles....
. He was also 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....
and J.P.
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...
for Cornwall, and Deputy Special Warden of the Stannaries
Lord Warden of the Stannaries
The Lord Warden of the Stannaries used to exercise judicial and military functions in Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is still the official who, upon the commission of the monarch or Duke of Cornwall for the time being, has the function of calling a Stannary Parliament of tinners...
.
Parliamentary service
St Aubyn was elected Member of ParliamentMember 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 Cornwall West as a Liberal in 1858, a seat he held until 1885 when the constituency was replaced 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...
. In his original election address, according to The Times, he promised to vote for . :
- abolition of Church RateChurch RateThe Church Rate was a tax formerly levied in each parish in England and Ireland for the benefit of the parish church. Out of these rates were defrayed the expenses of carrying on divine service, repairing the fabric of the church, and paying the salaries of the officials connected with it...
s - for the fullest extent of educationHistory of education in EnglandThe history of education in England can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon settlement of England, or even back to the Roman occupation. During the Middle Ages schools were established to teach Latin grammar, while apprenticeship was the main way to enter practical occupations. Two universities were...
- strict economy of the public service
- admission of Jews to Parliament
- abolition of the property qualificationParliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918 was the result of centuries of development in different kinds of constituencies. The three Reform Acts of the nineteenth century brought about some order by amending franchises in a uniform manner .After 1885 the occupation franchise The...
- for the ballot, in the event of any constituency needing the protection of it
Whilst representing West Cornwall, he was always elected unopposed.
At the 1885 general election, St Aubyn was elected as MP for St Ives
St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
in a contest that was fiercely contested. "The fight was severe", according to The Times. . He disagreed with William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
over Irish Home Rule and sat as a Liberal Unionist from 1886 to 1887. In the latter year St Aubyn was raised to the peerage as Baron St Levan
Baron St Levan
Baron St Levan, of St Michael's Mount in the County of Cornwall, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 4 July 1887 for the former Member of Parliament Sir John St Aubyn, 2nd Baronet. He had previously represented Cornwall West in House of Commons as a Liberal and St...
, of St Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount is a tidal island located off the Mount's Bay coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a civil parish and is united with the town of Marazion by a man-made causeway of granite setts, passable between mid-tide and low water....
in the County of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Marriage, children and death
Lord St Levan married Lady Elizabeth Clementina, daughter of John Townshend, 4th Marquess TownshendJohn Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend
Rear Admiral John Townshend, 4th Marquess Townshend , known as John Townshend until 1855, was a British naval commander....
, in 1856. They had six sons and seven daughters He died in 14 May 1908, aged 78 . He was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son John. Lady St Levan died in 1910.