Francis Robert Bonham
Encyclopedia
Francis Robert Bonham was a British party agent and politician. He was the only surviving son (another two died in infancy) of Francis Warren Bonham, a landowner from Kildare who had moved to London with his wife Dorothea. After home schooling Bonham was accepted into Corpus Christi College, Oxford
where he finished his BA in 1807, joining Lincoln's Inn
in 1808 and being called to the bar (although he never practised law) in 1814. In August 1830 he was elected a Member of Parliament for Rye
and served as assistant Tory Party
whip until 1831, when he was defeated in the general election
. After his defeat he continued to work in rye as a party agent for the 1832 election
, and until 1837 acted as the Tory Party's chief electoral expert (replacing William Holmes
). He served as Storekeeper of the Ordnance
in Robert Peel
's first government from 1834 and in 1835 was again returned to parliament, this time for Harwich
where he served until 1837 and again also served as assistant whip. Despite being out of parliament in 1841 Peel again appointed him Storekeeper of the Ordnance, a position he resigned in 1845 after a scandal involving improperly-bought railway shares. He remained as an unpaid volunteer for Peel until 1853, when he was appointed as a Commissioner for Income Tax to prevent him from becoming bankrupt. He died on 26 April 1863 at home, with his papers being collected by Peel and destroyed apart from a few texts now in the Peel papers of the British Library
.
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
where he finished his BA in 1807, joining Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1808 and being called to the bar (although he never practised law) in 1814. In August 1830 he was elected a Member of Parliament for Rye
Rye (UK Parliament constituency)
Rye was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Rye in East Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was halved under the Reform Act 1832....
and served as assistant Tory Party
Tories (political faction)
The Tories were members of two political parties which existed, sequentially, in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from the 17th to the early 19th centuries.-Overview:...
whip until 1831, when he was defeated in the general election
United Kingdom general election, 1831
The 1831 general election in the United Kingdom saw a landslide win by supporters of electoral reform, which was the major election issue. As a result it was the last unreformed election, as the Parliament which resulted ensured the passage of the Reform Act 1832. Polling was held from 28 April to...
. After his defeat he continued to work in rye as a party agent for the 1832 election
United Kingdom general election, 1832
-Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807....
, and until 1837 acted as the Tory Party's chief electoral expert (replacing William Holmes
William Holmes (1779-1851)
William Holmes was a British Tory politician of the early nineteenth century, and an MP for 28 years....
). He served as Storekeeper of the Ordnance
Storekeeper of the Ordnance
The Principal Storekeeper of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance and a member of the English Board of Ordnance from its constitution in 1597. He was responsible for the care and maintenance of ordnance stores. The office was abolished in 1855.-Storekeepers of the...
in Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
's first government from 1834 and in 1835 was again returned to parliament, this time for Harwich
Harwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Harwich was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Until its abolition for the 2010 general election it elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
where he served until 1837 and again also served as assistant whip. Despite being out of parliament in 1841 Peel again appointed him Storekeeper of the Ordnance, a position he resigned in 1845 after a scandal involving improperly-bought railway shares. He remained as an unpaid volunteer for Peel until 1853, when he was appointed as a Commissioner for Income Tax to prevent him from becoming bankrupt. He died on 26 April 1863 at home, with his papers being collected by Peel and destroyed apart from a few texts now in the Peel papers of the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.