Henry Meysey-Thompson, 1st Baron Knaresborough
Encyclopedia
Henry Meysey Meysey-Thompson, 1st Baron Knaresborough (30 August 1845 – 3 March 1929) was a Liberal
(and later Liberal Unionist) politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1880 and 1905 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Knaresborough
.
Meysey-Thompson was born at Kirby Hall, near Great Ouseburn
, North Yorkshire
, the son of Sir Harry Meysey-Thompson, 1st Baronet and his wife Elizabeth Anne Croft, daughter of Sir John Croft, 1st Baronet. He was educated at Eton College
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
where he won his blue in athletics and was awarded BA in 1868. He became a private secretary to William Ewart Gladstone
. In 1874, he succeeded to the Meysey-Thompson baronetcy which had been created for his father less than two months earlier. He was a J.P.
for the North and West Ridings of Yorkshire, and captain in the Yorkshire Hussars Yeoman Cavalry.
At the 1880 general election
Meysey-Thompson was elected Liberal Member of Parliament
(MP) for Knaresborough
, but his election was declared void on 23 July 1880. In 1885 he stood for parliament unsuccessfully at North Lincolnshire
. At the 1885 general election
he was elected MP for Brigg
. However in 1886, as one of the MPs who opposed Gladstone's Irish Home Rule Bill, he joined the breakaway Liberal Unionist Party, but was not re-elected.
Meysey-Thompson was elected MP for Handsworth (on the outskirts of Birmingham
), at the 1892 general election
and held that seat until he was ennobled on 26 December 1905 as Baron Knaresborough.
Lord Knaresborough was chairman of the North Eastern Railway
from 1912 to 1922. He died in London at the age of 83.
Meysey-Thompson married Ethel Adeline Pottinger, daughter of Sir Henry Pottinger, 3rd Baronet in 1885. Their son Claude died in 1915 at Ypres
from wounds received in action in World War I
. The peerage became extinct on the death of Lord Knaresborough in 1929 but the baronetcy passed to a nephew.
His brothers, Albert and Charles
won the FA Cup
with the Wanderers
in 1872 and 1873 respectively.
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...
(and later Liberal Unionist) politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1880 and 1905 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Knaresborough
Baron Knaresborough
The Meysey-Thompson Baronetcy, of Kirby Hall in the County of York, was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 26 March 1874 for Harry Meysey-Thompson, Liberal Member of Parliament for Whitby. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baronet. He was a Liberal, and later...
.
Meysey-Thompson was born at Kirby Hall, near Great Ouseburn
Great Ouseburn
Great Ouseburn is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated 4 miles south east of Boroughbridge....
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, the son of Sir Harry Meysey-Thompson, 1st Baronet and his wife Elizabeth Anne Croft, daughter of Sir John Croft, 1st Baronet. He was educated at Eton College
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 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...
where he won his blue in athletics and was awarded BA in 1868. He became a private secretary to William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
. In 1874, he succeeded to the Meysey-Thompson baronetcy which had been created for his father less than two months earlier. He was a J.P.
Justice 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 North and West Ridings of Yorkshire, and captain in the Yorkshire Hussars Yeoman Cavalry.
At the 1880 general election
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 *...
Meysey-Thompson was elected Liberal 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,...
(MP) for Knaresborough
Knaresborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Knaresborough was a parliamentary constituency which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, and then one MP until its abolition in 1885.-Before the Great Reform Act:...
, but his election was declared void on 23 July 1880. In 1885 he stood for parliament unsuccessfully at North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Lincolnshire, formally known as the Northern Division of Lincolnshire or as Parts of Lindsey, was a county constituency in the Lindsey district of Lincolnshire...
. 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:...
he was elected MP for Brigg
Brigg (UK Parliament constituency)
Brigg was a county constituency centred on the town of Brigg in North Lincolnshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
. However in 1886, as one of the MPs who opposed Gladstone's Irish Home Rule Bill, he joined the breakaway Liberal Unionist Party, but was not re-elected.
Meysey-Thompson was elected MP for Handsworth (on the outskirts of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
), at the 1892 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
and held that seat until he was ennobled on 26 December 1905 as Baron Knaresborough.
Lord Knaresborough was chairman of the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
from 1912 to 1922. He died in London at the age of 83.
Meysey-Thompson married Ethel Adeline Pottinger, daughter of Sir Henry Pottinger, 3rd Baronet in 1885. Their son Claude died in 1915 at Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
from wounds received in action in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The peerage became extinct on the death of Lord Knaresborough in 1929 but the baronetcy passed to a nephew.
His brothers, Albert and Charles
Charles Meysey-Thompson
Revd. Charles Maude Meysey-Thompson was an English clergyman who, as an amateur footballer, won the FA Cup in 1873 with the Wanderers...
won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
with the Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
in 1872 and 1873 respectively.