Sir William Cameron Gull, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Cameron Gull, 2nd Baronet (6 January 1860 – 15 December 1922), known as Sir Cameron Gull, was a leading barrister and Liberal Unionist Party
politician in England
, who served for five years as a Member of Parliament
(MP).
At the time of his birth, his father had a home-based practice at 8 Finsbury Square
, London. A year later, the family moved to a new home at 74 Brook Street, in London's Mayfair
district.
William was eductated at Eton College
and later studied law at the University of Oxford
, winning the Vinerian Scholarship
in 1883.
When his father died in 1890, Gull and his family lived at Gloucester Street, off Portman Square
. William was named as one of the executors of his father's will. He inherited the sum of £40,000 and all his father's real estate, which included the house in Mayfair and a house in Scotland
. He also inherited his father's title, becoming 2nd Baronet.
in the City of London
.
In 1890, he was a co-author of a Treatise of the Partnership Act 1890
, along with his father-in-law Nathaniel Lindley, Baron Lindley
then one of the Lord Justices of Appeal, and his brother-in-law Walter Barry Linley M.A., also a barrister at Lincoln's Inn. The Partnership Act 1890 established the legal rules that defined the nature of a legal partnership, the powers and obligations of partners and limitations of liability.
At the general election in July 1895
, Gull was elected as the Liberal Unionist
Member of Parliament
for the Barnstaple division
of Devon
. The Liberal Unionist party were to support the ruling Conservative
administration, led by Lord Salisbury, for the ensuing Parliament.
During his term as an MP, Gull supported the 1896 reform of Poor Law
barrack schools. He also took an interest in rail transport, rural affairs and in foreign affairs such as the Boxer Rebellion
in China and the conduct of the Boer War
At the 1900 general election
, held from 25 September to 24 October, Gull lost his Barnstaple seat to his Liberal
opponent Ernest Joseph Soares.
and Sarah Katherine Teale in 1886. They lived together at Frilsham House at Frilsham
in Berkshire
.
They had two sons and four daughters. The elder son, Francis William Lindley Gull, was born on 1 November 1889 and educated at Eton College, leaving the school in 1908. He served with the rank of Major in the Rifle Brigade, was wounded in France in the summer of 1916 and was eventually killed in action on 25 August 1918.
The younger son was Richard Cameron Gull. He became the 3rd Baronet upon his father's death in 1922.
The four daughters were Mary Edith Gull (born 23 Jul 1887); Amy Beatrice Gull (born 1888, died 9 Nov 1971); Jessie Katherine Gull (born 17 Dec 1892, died 17 Jun 1894); and Dorothea Susan Gull (born 5 Oct 1897).
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
politician in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, who served for five years as 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).
Early life
Gull was born on 6 January 1860, the third child of the leading 19th century physician Sir William Withey Gull and Susan Gull. His elder siblings were Caroline Cameron Gull (born in 1851) and Cameron Gull (born in 1858 and died in infancy).At the time of his birth, his father had a home-based practice at 8 Finsbury Square
Finsbury Square
Finsbury Square is a square in central London. It was developed in 1777 on the site of a previous area of green space to the east of London known as Finsbury Fields, in the parish of St Luke's and near Moorfields. It is sited on the east side of City Road, opposite the east side of Bunhill Fields....
, London. A year later, the family moved to a new home at 74 Brook Street, in London's Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
district.
William was eductated at Eton College
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 later studied law at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, winning the Vinerian Scholarship
Vinerian Scholarship
The Vinerian Scholarship is a scholarship given to the University of Oxford student that "gives the best performance in the examination for the Degree of Bachelor of Civil Law." Currently, £2,400 is given to the winner of the scholarship, with an additional £950 awarded to a proxime accessit...
in 1883.
When his father died in 1890, Gull and his family lived at Gloucester Street, off Portman Square
Portman Square
Portman Square is a square in London, part of the Portman Estate. It is located at the western end of Wigmore Street, which connects it to Cavendish Square to its east. It is served by London bus route 274...
. William was named as one of the executors of his father's will. He inherited the sum of £40,000 and all his father's real estate, which included the house in Mayfair and a house in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He also inherited his father's title, becoming 2nd Baronet.
Barrister and Member of Parliament
Gull practised as a barrister at Lincoln's InnLincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
.
In 1890, he was a co-author of a Treatise of the Partnership Act 1890
United Kingdom partnership law
United Kingdom partnership law refers to the rules under which partnerships are governed in the United Kingdom. Partnerships are a form of business association, which arises automatically when people carry on business with a view to a profit. . Partners are jointly and severally liable, just as...
, along with his father-in-law Nathaniel Lindley, Baron Lindley
Nathaniel Lindley, Baron Lindley
Sir Nathaniel Lindley, Baron Lindley SL PC FRS was an English judge.-Biography:He was the second son of the botanist John Lindley, born at Acton Green, London. He was educated at University College School, and studied for a time at University College, London...
then one of the Lord Justices of Appeal, and his brother-in-law Walter Barry Linley M.A., also a barrister at Lincoln's Inn. The Partnership Act 1890 established the legal rules that defined the nature of a legal partnership, the powers and obligations of partners and limitations of liability.
At the general election in July 1895
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
, Gull was elected as the Liberal Unionist
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
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 Barnstaple division
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...
of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. The Liberal Unionist party were to support the ruling 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...
administration, led by Lord Salisbury, for the ensuing Parliament.
During his term as an MP, Gull supported the 1896 reform of Poor Law
English Poor Laws
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
barrack schools. He also took an interest in rail transport, rural affairs and in foreign affairs such as the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
in China and the conduct of the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
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**...
, held from 25 September to 24 October, Gull lost his Barnstaple seat to his 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...
opponent Ernest Joseph Soares.
Family
Gull married the Hon. Annie Clayton Lindley, daughter of Nathaniel Lindley, Baron LindleyNathaniel Lindley, Baron Lindley
Sir Nathaniel Lindley, Baron Lindley SL PC FRS was an English judge.-Biography:He was the second son of the botanist John Lindley, born at Acton Green, London. He was educated at University College School, and studied for a time at University College, London...
and Sarah Katherine Teale in 1886. They lived together at Frilsham House at Frilsham
Frilsham
Frilsham is a village and civil parish, near Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire.It is a village near the Berkshire Downs, lying on a hill surrounded by woods and meadows. Neighbouring villages include Yattendon, Hermitage, Stanford Dingley and Hampstead Norreys. There are views over the...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
They had two sons and four daughters. The elder son, Francis William Lindley Gull, was born on 1 November 1889 and educated at Eton College, leaving the school in 1908. He served with the rank of Major in the Rifle Brigade, was wounded in France in the summer of 1916 and was eventually killed in action on 25 August 1918.
The younger son was Richard Cameron Gull. He became the 3rd Baronet upon his father's death in 1922.
The four daughters were Mary Edith Gull (born 23 Jul 1887); Amy Beatrice Gull (born 1888, died 9 Nov 1971); Jessie Katherine Gull (born 17 Dec 1892, died 17 Jun 1894); and Dorothea Susan Gull (born 5 Oct 1897).