Charles Freshfield
Encyclopedia
Charles Kaye Freshfield was a 19th century lawyer
and Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
in the British House of Commons
.
Freshfield was born in Lothbury
, London
the son of James William Freshfield
and his wife Mary Blacket. His father was a lawyer who established the firm of Freshfields. The family moved to Abney House
near Stoke Newington
and Charles Freshfield was educated at Charterhouse School
. He qualified as a solicitor
in 1834 and joined the family firm. He was Solicitor to the Bank of England
from 1840 to 1869 when he retired from Freshfields. During his time at Freshfields he was heavily involved with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
, until the latter got into financial difficulties in 1867. He was subsequently a Director of the East Indian Railway Company
and the Ottoman
Smyrna
Railway. He lived at Hampstead and later at Upper Gatton Park, Merstham
, Surrey, and also had a residence at 21 Half Moon Street. He became Member of Parliament for Dover
in 1865. He lost his seat in 1868, but was re-elected in January 1874 and April 1880. He retired from parliament in 1885. Later, he settled in Brighton
and lived for some years at Pennant Lodge in the north-west corner of Queen's Park
. He was a member of the Council of Brighton College
. At the time of his death he lived at Collingwood House on Marine Parade.
On 7 October 1834 Freshfield married Elizabeth Sims Stephenson (1812-1849), only daughter of Daniel Stephenson, an Elder Brother of Trinity House
. They had six children, but all but two daughters died young. Elizabeth also died early in 1849. His brothers John and Henry Freshfield were also active in the family legal firm. He was uncle to Douglas Freshfield
the travel writer and cousin to Edmund Blacket
, the Australian architect.
and in 2004 the most expensive house in the city.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and Conservative Party
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...
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,...
in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
.
Freshfield was born in Lothbury
Lothbury
Lothbury is a street in the City of London. It runs east-west, between Gresham Street to the west and Throgmorton Street to the east. The area was populated with coppersmiths in the Middle Ages before later becoming home to a number of merchants and bankers. The Bank of England is on the southern...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
the son of James William Freshfield
James William Freshfield
James William Freshfield was an English lawyer and founder of the international law firm of Freshfields. He was also a Conservative politician and Member of Parliament, representing the seats of Penryn and Boston.-Early life:...
and his wife Mary Blacket. His father was a lawyer who established the firm of Freshfields. The family moved to Abney House
Abney Park
The historic grounds of Abney Park are situated in Stoke Newington, London, England. It is a 13ha park dating from just before 1700, named after Lady Mary Abney and associated with Dr Isaac Watts. In the early 18th century, the park was accessed via the frontages and gardens of two large mansions...
near Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
and Charles Freshfield 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...
. He qualified as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in 1834 and joined the family firm. He was Solicitor to the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
from 1840 to 1869 when he retired from Freshfields. During his time at Freshfields he was heavily involved with the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, and a large part of Surrey...
, until the latter got into financial difficulties in 1867. He was subsequently a Director of the East Indian Railway Company
East Indian Railway Company
The East Indian Railway Company, later known as the East Indian Railway , introduced railways to eastern and northern India, while the Companies such as the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, South Indian Railway, Central India Railway and the North-Western Railway operated in other parts of India...
and the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Smyrna
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
Railway. He lived at Hampstead and later at Upper Gatton Park, Merstham
Merstham
Merstham is a village in the Reigate and Banstead borough of Surrey, England, in the London commuter belt. It is just north of Redhill, near the intersection of the M25 and M23 motorways, on the edge of the North Downs and on the North Downs Way.-History:...
, Surrey, and also had a residence at 21 Half Moon Street. He became Member of Parliament for Dover
Dover (UK Parliament constituency)
Dover is a 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.-Boundaries:...
in 1865. He lost his seat in 1868, but was re-elected in January 1874 and April 1880. He retired from parliament in 1885. Later, he settled in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and lived for some years at Pennant Lodge in the north-west corner of Queen's Park
Queen's Park (London)
Queen's Park, managed by the City of London Corporation, is an area of northwest London, England, located on the boundary between the London Borough of Brent and the City of Westminster.-Toponymy:...
. He was a member of the Council of Brighton College
Brighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
. At the time of his death he lived at Collingwood House on Marine Parade.
On 7 October 1834 Freshfield married Elizabeth Sims Stephenson (1812-1849), only daughter of Daniel Stephenson, an Elder Brother of Trinity House
Trinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
. They had six children, but all but two daughters died young. Elizabeth also died early in 1849. His brothers John and Henry Freshfield were also active in the family legal firm. He was uncle to Douglas Freshfield
Douglas Freshfield
Douglas William Freshfield was a British lawyer, mountaineer and author, who edited the Alpine Journal from 1872 to 1880...
the travel writer and cousin to Edmund Blacket
Edmund Blacket
Edmund Thomas Blacket was an Australian architect, best known for his designs for the University of Sydney, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St...
, the Australian architect.
Legacy
When house-building began in the nearby Park Road East in Brighton in 1880-82, the road was renamed Freshfield Road in his honour. Three other streets in Brighton bear his name. Among his later Brighton homes was 9 Eastern Terrace, later to be briefly the home of King Manuel II of PortugalManuel II of Portugal
Manuel II , named Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Bragança Orleães Sabóia e Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha — , was the last King of Portugal from 1908 to 1910, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father and elder brother Manuel...
and in 2004 the most expensive house in the city.