John Wodehouse, 2nd Earl of Kimberley
Encyclopedia
John Wodehouse, 2nd Earl of Kimberley (10 December 1848 - 7 January 1932), known as Lord Wodehouse from 1866 to 1902, was a British
peer
and landowner, who was the first member of the Labour Party
in the House of Lords
.
Wodehouse was born at the family home in Montague Square, Marylebone
. His father John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley
was a leading Liberal
statesman in the government of William Ewart Gladstone
and the family were noted landowners in Norfolk
. Like his father he attended Eton College
.
He matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1867. On going down from Cambridge he managed the family estates near Wymondham
, becoming a specialist in agriculture. He was also active in the local Liberal Party, acting as party agent; on succeeding to the peerage in 1902 he took the Liberal whip. However, Kimberley was conscious of the increasing organisation of agricultural workers in Norfolk. Small farmers had formed the National Farmers Union
in 1908, and the National Union of Agricultural Workers was growing.
Unlike many other farms, Kimberley paid over the wage rate demanded by the NUAW, which made him very popular in the union but at a competitive disadvantage. He spoke up for his workers on Norfolk County Council. The agricultural workers in Norfolk were the backbone of the local Labour Party, and in the general election of 1918, Kimberley sent a telegram of support to the Labour candidate in South Norfolk who was opposing a Liberal who supported the Lloyd George
Coalition government
. He sent a further telegram in 1920 when there was a byelection which Labour won. This activity caused the press to nickname him the Labour Earl.
Kimberley was returned as a Labour candidate to Norfolk County Council in 1922, and was also Chairman of his Rural District Council and Board of Guardians. However, at this time there were no Labour members in the House of Lords and so he retained the Liberal whip. He transferred his allegiance formally in January 1924 when the first Labour government was formed. He was defeated for re-election to Norfolk County Council in 1925.
Two of Kimberley's sons died on active service in the Great War
. His eldest son John
, a noted Polo
player, inherited the Earldom on his death.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and landowner, who was the first member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Wodehouse was born at the family home in Montague Square, Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
. His father John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley
John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley
John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley KG , PC , known as the Lord Wodehouse from 1846 to 1866, was a British Liberal politician...
was a leading Liberal
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...
statesman in the government of 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...
and the family were noted landowners in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. Like his father he attended 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"....
.
He matriculated 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...
in 1867. On going down from Cambridge he managed the family estates near Wymondham
Wymondham
Wymondham is a historic market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 9.5 miles to the south west of the city of Norwich, on the A11 road to Thetford and London.- Before The Great Fire :...
, becoming a specialist in agriculture. He was also active in the local Liberal Party, acting as party agent; on succeeding to the peerage in 1902 he took the Liberal whip. However, Kimberley was conscious of the increasing organisation of agricultural workers in Norfolk. Small farmers had formed the National Farmers Union
National Farmers Union (UK)
The National Farmers Union is a member organisation/industry association for farmers in England and Wales. It is the largest farmers organisation in England and Wales, and has over 300 branch offices.-History:...
in 1908, and the National Union of Agricultural Workers was growing.
Unlike many other farms, Kimberley paid over the wage rate demanded by the NUAW, which made him very popular in the union but at a competitive disadvantage. He spoke up for his workers on Norfolk County Council. The agricultural workers in Norfolk were the backbone of the local Labour Party, and in the general election of 1918, Kimberley sent a telegram of support to the Labour candidate in South Norfolk who was opposing a Liberal who supported the Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
Coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
. He sent a further telegram in 1920 when there was a byelection which Labour won. This activity caused the press to nickname him the Labour Earl.
Kimberley was returned as a Labour candidate to Norfolk County Council in 1922, and was also Chairman of his Rural District Council and Board of Guardians. However, at this time there were no Labour members in the House of Lords and so he retained the Liberal whip. He transferred his allegiance formally in January 1924 when the first Labour government was formed. He was defeated for re-election to Norfolk County Council in 1925.
Two of Kimberley's sons died on active service in the Great War
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...
. His eldest son John
John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley
John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley CBE MC was a British peer, known from 1902 to 1932 as Lord Wodehouse.-Biography:...
, a noted Polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
player, inherited the Earldom on his death.