David Chadwick (politician)
Encyclopedia
David Chadwick was an English
accountant and Liberal Party
politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880.
but later moved to Manchester
.
Chadwick was educated in Manchester, and began training as an accountant in 1843. By 1870 he was a senior partner in Chadwicks, Adamson, Collier, and Co., based in London and Manchester. He was a President of the Manchester Statistical Society, the first president of the Manchester Institute of Accountants, and an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers
.
At the 1865 general election
, Chadwick unsuccessfully contested the borough of Macclesfield
, but he won the seat at the 1868 general election
. Macclesfield then had two Members of Parliament
(MPs), and Chadwick and his fellow Liberal MP William Coare Brocklehurst
were re-elected in 1874
and in 1880
. However, an election petition
was lodged against the result of the 1880 general election in Macclesfield, and the result was declared void on 22 June 1880. The Election Court
found that an organised system of bribery and treating by the Liberal election agent had prevailed at the election; Chadwick and Brocklehurst were both unseated and a Royal Commission
was appointed to investigate. The inquiry opened on 1 October 1880, which found that there had been extensive bribery
in the borough. The writ was suspended, and the borough lost its right to representation in Parliament. William Mair, Liberal agent at the election, told the court that he had promised Chadwick that no money would be spent illegally. He was convicted in July 1881 of bribery and of making a false return of election expenses. Chadwick did not stand again.
Chadwick was also a prolific writer on a range of topics. His works included Suggestions for an Equitable Redistribution of Parliamentary Representation, The Financial Aspect of the Sanitary Question, Poor Rates and Principle of Rating, Social and Educational Statistics of Manchester, and The Rate of Wages in 200 Trades for 20 Years. He was described in 1870 as being "in favour of the ballot, national education, and reduction in national expenditure".
He erected the Macclesfield Free Library, and presented it to the town's corporation. He was also a governor of the estate of the Royal Holloway College in Surrey.
. Louisa died in 1873, and in 1878 he married Ursula Sopwith, daughter of the surgeon Thomas Sopwith
.
Chadwick died on 19 September 1895, aged 73, at his home The Poplars in Herne Hill
, London.
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...
accountant and Liberal Party
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 sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880.
Early life
David Chadwick was the son of John Chadwick, who was originally from MacclesfieldMacclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
but later moved to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Chadwick was educated in Manchester, and began training as an accountant in 1843. By 1870 he was a senior partner in Chadwicks, Adamson, Collier, and Co., based in London and Manchester. He was a President of the Manchester Statistical Society, the first president of the Manchester Institute of Accountants, and an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
.
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...
, Chadwick unsuccessfully contested the borough of Macclesfield
Macclesfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Macclesfield is a county 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 :...
, but he won the seat at the 1868 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
. Macclesfield then had two Members 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,...
(MPs), and Chadwick and his fellow Liberal MP William Coare Brocklehurst
William Coare Brocklehurst
William Coare Brocklehurst was an English Liberal Party politician and head of a family of silk producers in Macclesfield in the 19th century. He sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880 and from 1885 to 1886....
were re-elected in 1874
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-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 *...
and in 1880
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-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 *...
. However, an election petition
Election petition
An election petition refers to the procedure for challenging the result of a Parliamentary election or local government election in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong.- Outcomes :...
was lodged against the result of the 1880 general election in Macclesfield, and the result was declared void on 22 June 1880. The Election Court
Election court
An Election Court is, in United Kingdom election law, a special court convened to hear a petition against the result of a local government or Parliamentary election. The court is created to hear the individual case, and ceases to exist when it has made its decision.- Statutory basis :Election...
found that an organised system of bribery and treating by the Liberal election agent had prevailed at the election; Chadwick and Brocklehurst were both unseated and a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
was appointed to investigate. The inquiry opened on 1 October 1880, which found that there had been extensive bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
in the borough. The writ was suspended, and the borough lost its right to representation in Parliament. William Mair, Liberal agent at the election, told the court that he had promised Chadwick that no money would be spent illegally. He was convicted in July 1881 of bribery and of making a false return of election expenses. Chadwick did not stand again.
Chadwick was also a prolific writer on a range of topics. His works included Suggestions for an Equitable Redistribution of Parliamentary Representation, The Financial Aspect of the Sanitary Question, Poor Rates and Principle of Rating, Social and Educational Statistics of Manchester, and The Rate of Wages in 200 Trades for 20 Years. He was described in 1870 as being "in favour of the ballot, national education, and reduction in national expenditure".
He erected the Macclesfield Free Library, and presented it to the town's corporation. He was also a governor of the estate of the Royal Holloway College in Surrey.
Family
Chadwick married twice, firstly in 1844 to Louisa Bow, daughter of William Bow of BroughtonBroughton
-Places:Canada* Broughton, Nova Scotia* Broughton Archipelago, British ColumbiaEngland* Broughton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire* Broughton, Cambridgeshire* Broughton, Craven, North Yorkshire* Broughton, Cumbria* Broughton, Greater Manchester...
. Louisa died in 1873, and in 1878 he married Ursula Sopwith, daughter of the surgeon Thomas Sopwith
Thomas Sopwith
Sir Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith, CBE, Hon FRAeS was an English aviation pioneer and yachtsman.-Early life:...
.
Chadwick died on 19 September 1895, aged 73, at his home The Poplars in Herne Hill
Herne Hill
Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.-History:...
, London.