Sir Charles Clifford, 4th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Cavendish Clifford, 4th Baronet (7 January 1821 – 22 November 1895) was an English barrister and Liberal Party
politician. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) for over 20 years, representing seats on the Isle of Wight
, and served as private secretary to the Liberal statesman Viscount Palmerston.
and his wife Elizabeth Frances, the second daughter of the Whig parliamentarian Lord John Townshend
. He was educated at Charterhouse School
and at Christ Church, Oxford
where he graduated in 1843 with a 4th-class Bachelor of Arts
(B.A.) degree in classics
. He became a Fellow of All Souls
in 1845 and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple
in 1846.
He lived at Westfield House, Ryde
, on the Isle of Wight
. He succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1893, but the title became extinct on his death in 1895.
as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Isle of Wight
, and re-elected in 1859
, but did stand again at the 1865 general election
. He was returned to the House of Commons at a by-election in November 1870 for the borough of Newport
, and held that seat until the borough was disenfranchised at the 1885 general election
.
He was private secretary for many years to the Liberal statesman Viscount Palmerston, who served as Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary
and Prime Minister
.
He also held several local ceremonial appointments: he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant
of Hampshire
in 1847, and as a Lieutenant
of the Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers in January 1860, but had resigned the latter commission by February 1863.
' Ranae
and of the Aeschylus
's Prometheus Vinctus.
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...
politician. He was 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,...
(MP) for over 20 years, representing seats on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, and served as private secretary to the Liberal statesman Viscount Palmerston.
Family and early life
Clifford was the third son of Admiral Sir Augustus Clifford, 1st BaronetSir Augustus Clifford, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir Augustus William James Clifford, 1st Baronet, CB, MP was a British Royal Navy officer, court official, and usher of the Black Rod.-Naval career:...
and his wife Elizabeth Frances, the second daughter of the Whig parliamentarian Lord John Townshend
Lord John Townshend
Lord John Townshend PC , styled The Honourable John Townshend until 1787, was a British Whig politician.-Background:...
. He was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
where he graduated in 1843 with a 4th-class Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(B.A.) degree in classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
. He became a Fellow of All Souls
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
in 1845 and was called to the bar at the 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 1846.
He lived at Westfield House, Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
, on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. He succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1893, but the title became extinct on his death in 1895.
Political career
Clifford was elected at the 1857 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1857
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
as the 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,...
(MP) for the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency)
Isle of Wight is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election, it covers the whole of the Isle of Wight and elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system.-...
, and re-elected in 1859
United Kingdom general election, 1859
In the 1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs, led by Lord Palmerston, held their majority in the House of Commons over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives...
, but did stand again at the 1865 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1865
The 1865 United Kingdom general election saw the Liberals, led by Lord Palmerston, increase their large majority over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives to more than 80. The Whig Party changed its name to the Liberal Party between the previous election and this one.Palmerston died later in the same...
. He was returned to the House of Commons at a by-election in November 1870 for the borough of Newport
Newport (Isle of Wight) (UK Parliament constituency)
Newport was a parliamentary borough located in Newport , which was abolished in for the 1885 general election. It was occasionally referred to by the alternative name of Medina....
, and held that seat until the borough was disenfranchised at 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:...
.
He was private secretary for many years to the Liberal statesman Viscount Palmerston, who served as Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
and Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
.
He also held several local ceremonial appointments: he was appointed as 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....
of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
in 1847, and as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
of the Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers in January 1860, but had resigned the latter commission by February 1863.
Works
Clifford was the author of translations of AristophanesAristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
' Ranae
The Frogs
The Frogs is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It was performed at the Lenaia, one of the Festivals of Dionysus, in 405 BC, and received first place.-Plot:...
and of the Aeschylus
Aeschylus
Aeschylus was the first of the three ancient Greek tragedians whose work has survived, the others being Sophocles and Euripides, and is often described as the father of tragedy. His name derives from the Greek word aiskhos , meaning "shame"...
's Prometheus Vinctus.