Stanley Leighton
Encyclopedia
Stanley Leighton was an English barrister, landowner, artist and Conservative
politician.
Leighton was the son of Sir Baldwin Leighton, 7th Baronet
of Loton Park and his wife Mary Parker. He was educated at Harrow School
and Balliol College, Oxford
. He then attended Inner Temple
and was called to the bar on 18 November 1861, proceeding to the Oxford Circuit. In 1867 he travelled to the colonies with his friend and fellow-barrister, Rees Davies. His diaries record a trip to India and Ceylon in 1867-1868 and the pair visited Australia in 1868 where Leighton produced many original sketches. In 1869 his parents passed on to him the Sweeney estate at Oswestry
which had come to his mother through the Parker family. He became J.P.
for Shropshire in 1869 and also Deputy Lieutenant
. He was also a Captain of the 15th Shropshire Rifles which he remained until 1888
Leighton owned brickworks at Sweeney, near Oswestry,which he leased to the Oswestry Coal & Brick Co. Ltd. before1880, then to the Sweeney Brick Co. Ltd., and after 1885 it was leased to Kay & Hindle Ltd. as the Sweeney Brick & Terra-cotta Works. In 1875, he purchased Llwyds Mansion, an impressive timber framed building in the centre of Oswestry dating from 1604, which was then renovated and divided into shops.
In 1874 Leighton stood unsuccessfully for Bewdley
but at a by-election in 1876 he was elected Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
and held the seat until it was reorganised in 1885. He was then elected for Oswestry
and held the seat until his death.
Leighton was an antiquary and active member of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
which was founded by William Morris
and Philip Webb
in 1877, to oppose what they saw as the insensitive renovation of ancient buildings then occurring in Victorian
England
. In 1888 he was Hon Commissioner for Australia at the Paris Exhibition 1888, and he was author of Records of Oswestry. His Shropshire houses: past & present; illustrated from drawings (1901) was complete and in the printers hands at the time of his death at the age of 63.
Leighton married Jessie Marie Williams-Wynn, daughter of Herbert Bertie Watkin Williams-Wynn on 28 August 1873. Their son Bertie Parker Leighton (1875-1952) was also MP for Oswestry for many years and inherited the Sweeney Estate.
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...
politician.
Leighton was the son of Sir Baldwin Leighton, 7th Baronet
Sir Baldwin Leighton, 7th Baronet
Sir Baldwin Leighton, 7th Baronet was an English landowner and politician, who sat in the House of Commons from 1859 to 1865....
of Loton Park and his wife Mary Parker. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. He then attended 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...
and was called to the bar on 18 November 1861, proceeding to the Oxford Circuit. In 1867 he travelled to the colonies with his friend and fellow-barrister, Rees Davies. His diaries record a trip to India and Ceylon in 1867-1868 and the pair visited Australia in 1868 where Leighton produced many original sketches. In 1869 his parents passed on to him the Sweeney estate at Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
which had come to his mother through the Parker family. He became 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 Shropshire in 1869 and also 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....
. He was also a Captain of the 15th Shropshire Rifles which he remained until 1888
Leighton owned brickworks at Sweeney, near Oswestry,which he leased to the Oswestry Coal & Brick Co. Ltd. before1880, then to the Sweeney Brick Co. Ltd., and after 1885 it was leased to Kay & Hindle Ltd. as the Sweeney Brick & Terra-cotta Works. In 1875, he purchased Llwyds Mansion, an impressive timber framed building in the centre of Oswestry dating from 1604, which was then renovated and divided into shops.
In 1874 Leighton stood unsuccessfully for Bewdley
Bewdley (UK Parliament constituency)
Bewdley was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1605 until 1950. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough in Worcestershire, represented by one Member of Parliament; the name was then transferred to a county constituency from 1885 until...
but at a by-election in 1876 he was elected 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 North Shropshire
North Shropshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Shropshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From its first creation in 1832 to the abolition of the first creation in 1885 it elected two Knights of the Shire...
and held the seat until it was reorganised in 1885. He was then elected for Oswestry
Oswestry (UK Parliament constituency)
Oswestry is a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983, when it was renamed North Shropshire...
and held the seat until his death.
Leighton was an antiquary and active member of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings was founded by William Morris, Philip Webb and J.J.Stevenson, and other notable members of the Pre Raphaelite brotherhood, in 1877, to oppose what they saw as the insensitive renovation of ancient buildings then occurring in Victorian...
which was founded by William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
and Philip Webb
Philip Webb
Another Philip Webb — Philip Edward Webb was the architect son of leading architect Sir Aston Webb. Along with his brother, Maurice, he assisted his father towards the end of his career....
in 1877, to oppose what they saw as the insensitive renovation of ancient buildings then occurring in Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
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...
. In 1888 he was Hon Commissioner for Australia at the Paris Exhibition 1888, and he was author of Records of Oswestry. His Shropshire houses: past & present; illustrated from drawings (1901) was complete and in the printers hands at the time of his death at the age of 63.
Leighton married Jessie Marie Williams-Wynn, daughter of Herbert Bertie Watkin Williams-Wynn on 28 August 1873. Their son Bertie Parker Leighton (1875-1952) was also MP for Oswestry for many years and inherited the Sweeney Estate.