Henry Richard Farquharson
Encyclopedia
Henry Richard Farquharson (1857 – 19 April 1895) was an English landowner and Conservative
politician.
Farquharson was born at Brighton
and became the owner of a large estate at Eastbury House, Tarrant Gunville
(near Blandford Forum in Dorset
). He was a fanatical breeder of Newfoundland dogs and had a pack of one hundred and twenty five. He imported them through the port of Poole, Dorset and had a Crufts
winner.
He was elected at the 1885 general election
as Member of Parliament
(MP) for West Dorset, and held the seat until his death. In 1891, an unnamed West of England M.P., now believed to have been Henry Richard Farquharson, was mentioned in a newspaper article as claiming that Jack the Ripper
, the infamous murderer in the impoverished Whitechapel District
in the East End of London, was the son of a surgeon and that he committed suicide after he had committed murder of Mary Jane Kelly
on the night of 9 November 1888. It is believed that the reference was to Montague John Druitt, a fellow West County man, who committed suicide at the end of November 1888 and whose body was retrieved from the Thames at Chiswick
a month later. Druitt was born in Wimborne Minster
, Dorset, England, the second son of prominent local surgeon William Druitt, and his wife Ann (née Harvey). In the 1892 election Farquharson libelled his opponent C. T. Gatty, and was forced to pay £5000 damages a year later. He died 19 April 1895 in the Red Sea on a voyage home from Colombo, Ceylon.
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.
Farquharson was born at Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and became the owner of a large estate at Eastbury House, Tarrant Gunville
Tarrant Gunville
Tarrant Gunville is a village in north Dorset, England, situated at the head of the Tarrant Valley on Cranborne Chase five miles north east of Blandford Forum. The village has a population of 236 . The large parish church is dedicated to St...
(near Blandford Forum in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
). He was a fanatical breeder of Newfoundland dogs and had a pack of one hundred and twenty five. He imported them through the port of Poole, Dorset and had a Crufts
Crufts
Crufts is an annual international Championship conformation show for dogs organised and hosted by the Kennel Club, currently held every March at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England. It is the largest annual dog show in the world, as declared by Guinness World Records, and lasts...
winner.
He was elected 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:...
as 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 West Dorset, and held the seat until his death. In 1891, an unnamed West of England M.P., now believed to have been Henry Richard Farquharson, was mentioned in a newspaper article as claiming that Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
, the infamous murderer in the impoverished Whitechapel District
Whitechapel District (Metropolis)
Whitechapel was a local government district within the metropolitan area of London, England from 1855 to 1900. It was formed by the Metropolis Management Act 1855 and was governed by the Whitechapel District Board of Works, which consisted of elected vestrymen.Until 1889 the district was in the...
in the East End of London, was the son of a surgeon and that he committed suicide after he had committed murder of Mary Jane Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly , also known as "Marie Jeanette" Kelly, "Fair Emma", "Ginger" and "Black Mary", is widely believed to be the fifth and final victim of the notorious unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper, who killed and mutilated prostitutes in the Whitechapel area of London from late August to...
on the night of 9 November 1888. It is believed that the reference was to Montague John Druitt, a fellow West County man, who committed suicide at the end of November 1888 and whose body was retrieved from the Thames at Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
a month later. Druitt was born in Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster is a market town in the East Dorset district of Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town...
, Dorset, England, the second son of prominent local surgeon William Druitt, and his wife Ann (née Harvey). In the 1892 election Farquharson libelled his opponent C. T. Gatty, and was forced to pay £5000 damages a year later. He died 19 April 1895 in the Red Sea on a voyage home from Colombo, Ceylon.