Sir Godfrey Baring, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Godfrey Baring, 1st Baronet (April 18, 1871 – November 24, 1957) was a Liberal
Member of Parliament
for the Isle of Wight
and later Barnstaple
.
The son of Lieutenant-General Charles Baring, he was a life-long resident of the Isle of Wight
. He became involved in politics and public affairs at an early age: he was elected president of the Isle of Wight Liberal Union aged 23, was made a justice of the peace
a year later and was High Sheriff of Hampshire
in 1897 at the age of 26. In 1898 he became chairman of the Isle of Wight County Council
, a position he held for the rest of his life.
A keen yachtsman, he was elected to the Royal Yacht Squadron
in 1892. He frequently entertained royalty during Cowes Week
at his residence, Nubia House.
At the 1906 general election
he was elected as member of parliament for the Isle of Wight, but lost the seat at the next election in January, 1910. He was created 1st Baronet Baring, of Nubia House, Isle of Wight
on 4 February 1911. He returned to parliament in the same year when he was elected MP for Barnstaple
at a by-election. He stood down from parliament at the 1918 general election
.
For 33 years he was a member of the mamagement committee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
. In 1951, while he was president of the RNLI, the new lifeboat at Clacton was named Sir Godfrey Baring. He was made a Knight Commander of the British Empire
in Elizabeth II
's first birthday honours in 1952 for public services and in recognition of the fact that he had been "Chairman of the Isle of Wight County Council for over fifty years and Chairman of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for twenty-seven years".
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...
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 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 later Barnstaple
Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency)
Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...
.
The son of Lieutenant-General Charles Baring, he was a life-long resident of 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 became involved in politics and public affairs at an early age: he was elected president of the Isle of Wight Liberal Union aged 23, was made a justice of the peace
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...
a year later and was High Sheriff of Hampshire
High Sheriff of Hampshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Hampshire, the title was often given as High Sheriff of the County of Southampton until 1959.-List of High Sheriffs:*1070–1096: Hugh de Port *1105: Henry de Port *1129: William de Pont de l'Arche...
in 1897 at the age of 26. In 1898 he became chairman of the Isle of Wight County Council
Isle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
, a position he held for the rest of his life.
A keen yachtsman, he was elected to the Royal Yacht Squadron
Royal Yacht Squadron
The Royal Yacht Squadron is the most prestigious yacht club in the United Kingdom and arguably the world. Its clubhouse is located in Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom...
in 1892. He frequently entertained royalty during Cowes Week
Cowes Week
Cowes Week is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily races, up to 1,000 boats, and 8,500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world...
at his residence, Nubia House.
At the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
he was elected as member of parliament for the Isle of Wight, but lost the seat at the next election in January, 1910. He was created 1st Baronet Baring, of Nubia House, Isle of Wight
Baring Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Baring family, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
on 4 February 1911. He returned to parliament in the same year when he was elected MP for Barnstaple
Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency)
Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...
at a by-election. He stood down from parliament at the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
.
For 33 years he was a member of the mamagement committee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
. In 1951, while he was president of the RNLI, the new lifeboat at Clacton was named Sir Godfrey Baring. He was made a Knight Commander of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
's first birthday honours in 1952 for public services and in recognition of the fact that he had been "Chairman of the Isle of Wight County Council for over fifty years and Chairman of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for twenty-seven years".