George Wyndham
Encyclopedia
George Wyndham PC was a British Conservative
politician, man of letters, noted for his elegance, and one of The Souls
.
, younger son of George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield
, and he was a direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham
. His mother was Madline, daughter of Major-General Sir Guy Campbell, 1st Baronet
, and Pamela, daughter of Irish revolutionary Lord Edward Fitzgerald
, whom Wyndham greatly resembled physically. Wyndham was educated at Eton
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
(MP) for Dover
in 1889, and held the seat until his death. In 1898 he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for War
under Lord Salisbury
, which he remained until 1900. He was closely involved in Irish affairs at two points. Having been private secretary to Arthur Balfour
during the years around 1890 when Balfour was Chief Secretary for Ireland
, Wyndham was himself made Chief Secretary by Salisbury in 1900. He brought forward a devolution
scheme to deal with the Home Rule
question coordinated with the Irish Reform Association
.
Wyndham furthered the 1902 Land Conference
and also successfully saw the significant 1903 Irish Land Act into law. This change in the law ushered in the most radical change in history in Ireland's land ownership. Before it, Ireland's land was largely owned by landlords; within years of the Acts, most of the land was owned by their former tenants, who had been subvented in their purchases by government subsidies. This could without exaggeration be called the most radical change in Irish life in history. He resigned along with the rest of the Unionist government in December 1905.
Wyndham was the leader of the "die-hard" opponents in the House of Commons of the Parliament Bill that became Parliament Act 1911
.
. She was Wyndham's senior by eight years. The couple settled at Clouds in Wiltshire
, designed for them by the Arts and Crafts movement
architect, Philip Webb
(1886). Wyndham died in June 1913, aged 49. Lady Sibell died in February 1929, aged 73. There has been speculation over the years that Wyndham was the natural father of Anthony Eden
, who was Prime Minister from 1955-7. Eden's mother, Sybil, Lady Eden, was evidently close to Wyndham, to whom Eden bore a striking resemblance.
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, man of letters, noted for his elegance, and one of The Souls
The Souls
The Souls were a small, loosely-knit but distinctive social group in England, from 1885 to about 1920. Their members included many of the most distinguished English politicians and intellectuals....
.
Background and education
Wyndham was the son of the Honourable Percy WyndhamPercy Wyndham (politician)
The Honourable Percy Scawen Wyndham DL, JP , was a British soldier, Conservative politician, collector and intellectual...
, younger son of George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield
George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield , was a British soldier and peer.A direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham, he was the eldest natural son of George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont, and Elizabeth Ilive. He entered the British Army and achieved the rank of Colonel. His parents were married...
, and he was a direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham
John Wyndham (1558-1645)
Sir John Wyndham JP was an aristocratic English landowner who played an important role in the establishment of defence organisation in the West Country against the threat of Spanish invasion....
. His mother was Madline, daughter of Major-General Sir Guy Campbell, 1st Baronet
Sir Guy Campbell, 1st Baronet
Major-General Sir Guy Campbell, 1st Baronet, CB was a British Army officer, the eldest son of Lieutenant-General Colin Campbell and his wife Mary, daughter of Guy Johnson...
, and Pamela, daughter of Irish revolutionary Lord Edward Fitzgerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary. He was the fifth son of the 1st Duke of Leinster and the Duchess of Leinster , he was born at Carton House, near Dublin, and died of wounds received in resisting arrest on charge of treason.-Early years:FitzGerald spent most of his...
, whom Wyndham greatly resembled physically. Wyndham was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Political career
Wyndham was elected as Member of ParliamentMember 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,...
(MP) 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 1889, and held the seat until his death. In 1898 he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for War
Under-Secretary of State for War
The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean . In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies...
under Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
, which he remained until 1900. He was closely involved in Irish affairs at two points. Having been private secretary to Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
during the years around 1890 when Balfour was Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
, Wyndham was himself made Chief Secretary by Salisbury in 1900. He brought forward a devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
scheme to deal with the Home Rule
Irish Home Rule Movement
The Irish Home Rule Movement articulated a longstanding Irish desire for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 by a demand for self-government within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The movement drew upon a legacy of patriotic thought that dated back at least to the late 17th...
question coordinated with the Irish Reform Association
Irish Reform Association
The Irish Reform Association was an attempt to introduce limited devolved self-government to Ireland by a group of reform oriented Irish unionist land owners who proposed to initially adopt something less than full Home Rule...
.
Wyndham furthered the 1902 Land Conference
Land Conference
The Land Conference was a successful conciliatory negotiation held in the Mansion House in Dublin, Ireland between 20 December 1902 and 4 January 1903. In a short period it produced a unanimously agreed report recommending an amiable solution to the long waged land war between tenant farmers and...
and also successfully saw the significant 1903 Irish Land Act into law. This change in the law ushered in the most radical change in history in Ireland's land ownership. Before it, Ireland's land was largely owned by landlords; within years of the Acts, most of the land was owned by their former tenants, who had been subvented in their purchases by government subsidies. This could without exaggeration be called the most radical change in Irish life in history. He resigned along with the rest of the Unionist government in December 1905.
Wyndham was the leader of the "die-hard" opponents in the House of Commons of the Parliament Bill that became Parliament Act 1911
Parliament Act 1911
The Parliament Act 1911 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is constitutionally important and partly governs the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords which make up the Houses of Parliament. This Act must be construed as one with the Parliament Act 1949...
.
Family
Wyndham married Sibell, Countess Grosvenor, daughter of Richard Lumley, 9th Earl of Scarbrough, in 1887, after the death of her first husband Victor Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor, son of the 1st Duke of WestminsterHugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster
Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster KG, PC, JP , styled Viscount Belgrave between 1831 and 1845 and Earl Grosvenor between 1845 and 1869 and known as the 3rd Marquess of Westminster between 1869 and 1874, was an English landowner, politician and racehorse owner.He inherited the estate of...
. She was Wyndham's senior by eight years. The couple settled at Clouds in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, designed for them by the Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
architect, Philip Webb
Philip Webb
Another Philip Webb — Philip Edward Webb was the architect son of leading architect Sir Aston Webb. Along with his brother, Maurice, he assisted his father towards the end of his career....
(1886). Wyndham died in June 1913, aged 49. Lady Sibell died in February 1929, aged 73. There has been speculation over the years that Wyndham was the natural father of Anthony Eden
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC was a British Conservative politician, who was Prime Minister from 1955 to 1957...
, who was Prime Minister from 1955-7. Eden's mother, Sybil, Lady Eden, was evidently close to Wyndham, to whom Eden bore a striking resemblance.
Works
- The Poems of Shakespeare (1898) editor
- Ronsard & La Pleiade, with Selections From Their Poetry and Some Translations in the Original Meters (1906)
- Sir Walter Scott (1908)
- The Springs of Romance in the Literature of Europe (1910) address, University of Edinburgh October, 1910
- Essays in Romantic Literature (1919) edited by Charles WhibleyCharles WhibleyCharles Whibley was an English literary journalist and author. Whibley’s style was described by Matthew as “often acerbic high-tory commentary”.-Life:...