Edward John Sartoris
Encyclopedia
Edward John Sartoris was a British
landowner and Liberal
politician of French
ancestry.
, near Paris
and his wife Matilda née Tunno, Edward was born in London and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
. In 1842 he married the opera singer Adelaide Kemble
. The family initially leased Knuston Hall near Irchester
, Northamptonshire
. In 1863, on the death of his maternal uncle Edward Rose Tunno, he inherited estates at Warnford
, Hampshire
and Llangennech
, Carmarthenshire
. The Welsh estate included large coal deposits.
was represented in the House of Commons by two members of parliament
. For many years prior to 1868 elections had been uncontested, with both MPs being Conservatives
. The members were effectively chosen by the powerful Campbell family, Earls Cawdor
.
The Second Reform Act
of 1867 had greatly increased the franchise, allowing large numbers of working class men to vote for the first time. This, along with difficulties in the Conservative Party over candidate selection, led the Carmarthenshire Liberals to decide to contest the 1868 general election
. Rather than choosing a member of the landed gentry, the party chose Sartoris as their candidate. As a relative newcomer to the area he benefitted from being seen as an "outsider", not subject to the traditional land owning interests. He was also based in the rapidly industrialising Llanelli
district, the only part of the county where there was population growth. With an efficient party machine, largely organised by non-conformist clergymen of the district, Sartoris secured a spectacular victory, his 3,280 votes easily winning the first seat in the constituency. The Conservative Party learnt from their defeat, at the next election in 1874
Earl Cawdor's eldest son, Viscount Emlyn
, regained the seat from Sartoris.
for the county, and an enthusuiastic sportsman and yachtsman. In 1878 his yacht May won the Hamble River Regatta. He died in Hampshire in November 1888 aged 74.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
landowner and 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...
politician of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
ancestry.
Early life
The eldest son of Urban Sartoris of SceauxSceaux
Sceaux is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Sceaux, Yonne, in the Yonne département* Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, in the Hauts-de-Seine département, famous for the Château de Sceaux...
, near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and his wife Matilda née Tunno, Edward was born in London and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. In 1842 he married the opera singer Adelaide Kemble
Adelaide Kemble
Adelaide Kemble was an English opera singer of the Victorian era, and a member of the Kemble family of actors. She was the younger sister of Fanny Kemble, the famous actress and anti-slavery activist...
. The family initially leased Knuston Hall near Irchester
Irchester
Irchester is a civil parish and village in the county of Northamptonshire, England. It is about 2 miles south-east of the town of Wellingborough and 2 miles south-west of Rushden, and equidistant from London, south, and Birmingham, to the north-west...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. In 1863, on the death of his maternal uncle Edward Rose Tunno, he inherited estates at Warnford
Warnford
Warnford is a village and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England.The village lies on the A32 in the valley of the River Meon between West Meon and Exton. It has a church and a pub, . There is an infrequent bus service from Bishop's Waltham to Petersfield...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and Llangennech
Llangennech
Llangennech is a village in the area of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, West Wales, United Kingdom.It is governed by Carmarthenshire County Council and Llanelli Rural council. It falls in the Llanelli parliament Constituency. Llangennech is also the name of an electoral ward coterminous with the village...
, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
. The Welsh estate included large coal deposits.
Member of parliament
The County of CarmarthenshireCarmarthenshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Carmarthenshire was a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was increased to two members for the 1832 general election....
was represented in the House of Commons by 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,...
. For many years prior to 1868 elections had been uncontested, with both MPs being Conservatives
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...
. The members were effectively chosen by the powerful Campbell family, Earls Cawdor
Earl Cawdor
Earl Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for John Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor...
.
The Second Reform Act
Reform Act 1867
The Representation of the People Act 1867, 30 & 31 Vict. c. 102 was a piece of British legislation that enfranchised the urban male working class in England and Wales....
of 1867 had greatly increased the franchise, allowing large numbers of working class men to vote for the first time. This, along with difficulties in the Conservative Party over candidate selection, led the Carmarthenshire Liberals to decide to contest 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...
. Rather than choosing a member of the landed gentry, the party chose Sartoris as their candidate. As a relative newcomer to the area he benefitted from being seen as an "outsider", not subject to the traditional land owning interests. He was also based in the rapidly industrialising Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
district, the only part of the county where there was population growth. With an efficient party machine, largely organised by non-conformist clergymen of the district, Sartoris secured a spectacular victory, his 3,280 votes easily winning the first seat in the constituency. The Conservative Party learnt from their defeat, at the next election 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 *...
Earl Cawdor's eldest son, Viscount Emlyn
Frederick Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor
Frederick Archibald Vaughan Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor PC, DL, JP , styled Viscount Emlyn from 1860 to 1898, was a British Conservative politician...
, regained the seat from Sartoris.
Later life
Sartoris retired to his Hampshire estate, Warnford Park. He was a justice of the peaceJustice 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 the county, and an enthusuiastic sportsman and yachtsman. In 1878 his yacht May won the Hamble River Regatta. He died in Hampshire in November 1888 aged 74.