John Walter (third)
Encyclopedia
John Walter was an English newspaper publisher and Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1847 and 1885.
Walter was born at Printing-house Square, the eldest son of John Walter
, editor of The Times
. He was educated at Eton
and Exeter College, Oxford
, being called to the bar in 1847. On leaving Oxford he took part in the business management of The Times, and on his father's death became sole manager, though he devolved part of the work on Mowbray Morris. He was a man of scholarly tastes and serious religious views, and his conscientious character had a marked influence on the tone of the paper. It was under him that the successive improvements in the printing machinery, begun by his father in 1814, at last reached the stage of the "Walter Press" in 1869, the pioneer of modern newspaper printing-presses.
In 1847 Walter was elected to Parliament for Nottingham
as a moderate Liberal
, and was re-elected in 1852 and in 1857. In 1859 he was returned for Berkshire
, where he lived at Bearwood House
in Sindlesham
, and though defeated in 1865, was again elected in 1868, and held the seat until he retired in 1885.
Walter was twice married, firstly in 1842 to Emily Frances Court (d. 1858), and secondly in 1861 to Flora Macnabb. His eldest son by the first marriage, John, was accidentally drowned at Bear Wood in 1870; and he was succeeded by Arthur Fraser Walter
(1846–1910), his second son by his first marriage. A.F. Walter remained chief proprietor of The Times until 1908, when it was converted into a company. He then became chairman of the board of directors, and on his death was succeeded in this position by his son John.
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...
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1847 and 1885.
Walter was born at Printing-house Square, the eldest son of John Walter
John Walter (second)
John Walter was the son of John Walter, the founder of The Times, and second editor of it.He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and Trinity College, Oxford...
, editor of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. He 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 Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, being called to the bar in 1847. On leaving Oxford he took part in the business management of The Times, and on his father's death became sole manager, though he devolved part of the work on Mowbray Morris. He was a man of scholarly tastes and serious religious views, and his conscientious character had a marked influence on the tone of the paper. It was under him that the successive improvements in the printing machinery, begun by his father in 1814, at last reached the stage of the "Walter Press" in 1869, the pioneer of modern newspaper printing-presses.
In 1847 Walter was elected to Parliament for Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
as a moderate Liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, and was re-elected in 1852 and in 1857. In 1859 he was returned for Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, where he lived at Bearwood House
Bearwood College
Bearwood College is a secondary co-educational independent school located at Bearwood House at Sindlesham, near Wokingham, in the English county of Berkshire. Before the 1990s, it was the Royal Merchant Navy School.-History of the house:...
in Sindlesham
Sindlesham
Sindlesham is an estate village in the civil parish of Winnersh, Borough of Wokingham, and county of Berkshire, in South East England. Located by the M4 motorway, it is south-east of Reading and adjoins Winnersh village...
, and though defeated in 1865, was again elected in 1868, and held the seat until he retired in 1885.
Walter was twice married, firstly in 1842 to Emily Frances Court (d. 1858), and secondly in 1861 to Flora Macnabb. His eldest son by the first marriage, John, was accidentally drowned at Bear Wood in 1870; and he was succeeded by Arthur Fraser Walter
Arthur Fraser Walter
Arthur Fraser Walter an English newspaper proprietor and the second son of John Walter .Walter born on 12 September 1846. He studied at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. He entered Lincoln's Inn in 1870 to study law, and was called to the bar as a barrister in 1874, but never practised...
(1846–1910), his second son by his first marriage. A.F. Walter remained chief proprietor of The Times until 1908, when it was converted into a company. He then became chairman of the board of directors, and on his death was succeeded in this position by his son John.