Edward de Cobain
Encyclopedia
Edward Samuel Wesley de Cobain (1840 - 23 September 1908) was an Irish Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892 when he was expelled for failing to appear to answer charges. He was later imprisoned for homosexuality.
De Cobain was the son of the Rev. Edward De Cobain, of Ashley Hall, Belfast and his wife Harriet Ann Smyth, daughter of John Smyth of Smythborough, and the Shades of Ballynure, co. Monaghan. He was educated at Bell's Academy, Belfast. He was cashier for the Borough of Belfast. For five years he was Grand Master of the Orange Lodge of Belfast, and was Deputy Grand Master for Ireland. He was the author of political lectures and occasional poems.
At the 1885 general election
de Cobain was elected Member of Parliament
for Belfast East
. In April 1891, a warrant was issued for his arrest for "the commission of unnatural offences in Belfast" and he fled to the continent being seen at one time in Bilbao. He refused to resign his seat, saying it was tantamount to an admission of guilt. The House of Commons ordered him to attend and when he failed to do so he was expelled on 26 February 1892.
De Cobain sailed to New York in April 1892 where he lived for a while and conducted revivalist meetings until he returned to Belfast, where he was arrested in February 1893. He claimed that charges were the result of an attempt to blackmail him but the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour.
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 who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892 when he was expelled for failing to appear to answer charges. He was later imprisoned for homosexuality.
De Cobain was the son of the Rev. Edward De Cobain, of Ashley Hall, Belfast and his wife Harriet Ann Smyth, daughter of John Smyth of Smythborough, and the Shades of Ballynure, co. Monaghan. He was educated at Bell's Academy, Belfast. He was cashier for the Borough of Belfast. For five years he was Grand Master of the Orange Lodge of Belfast, and was Deputy Grand Master for Ireland. He was the author of political lectures and occasional poems.
At the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
de Cobain 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 Belfast East
Belfast East (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast East is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Naomi Long of the Alliance Party, elected in 2010...
. In April 1891, a warrant was issued for his arrest for "the commission of unnatural offences in Belfast" and he fled to the continent being seen at one time in Bilbao. He refused to resign his seat, saying it was tantamount to an admission of guilt. The House of Commons ordered him to attend and when he failed to do so he was expelled on 26 February 1892.
De Cobain sailed to New York in April 1892 where he lived for a while and conducted revivalist meetings until he returned to Belfast, where he was arrested in February 1893. He claimed that charges were the result of an attempt to blackmail him but the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour.