Lord Robert Montagu
Encyclopedia
Lord Robert Montagu PC (24 January 1825 – 6 May 1902), was a British Conservative
politician. He served as Vice-President of the Committee on Education
between 1867 and 1868.
the second son of George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester
by his first wife Millicent, daughter of Robert Bernard Sparrow. William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester
, was his elder brother. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
, and graduated as a MA in 1849.
for Huntingdonshire
from 1859 to 1874 and for Westmeath
from February 1874 until he retired in 1880. He held office under the Earl of Derby
and Benjamin Disraeli as Vice-President of the Committee on Education
from March 1867 until the fall of the government in December 1868 and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1867. He was an advocate of protectionist
policies. He was a member of the Carlton Club
and the Athenaeum Club
.
, County Londonderry
. Montagu remarried in London
on 18 October 1862 to Elizabeth Wade (Holton
, Suffolk
, 15 May 1839 – London
, 29 December 1908), daughter of William Wade of Holton
, Suffolk
, and had six more children. This second marriage scandalized society, since the former Betsy Wade had been a housemaid when Montagu met her. Montagu died 6 May 1902 at 91 Queens Gate, South Kensington
, London
and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
. He was survived by his wife, three children and one grandson.
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. He served as Vice-President of the Committee on Education
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
between 1867 and 1868.
Background and education
Montagu was born at Melchbourne, BedfordshireBedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
the second son of George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester
George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester
George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester, etc. , known as Viscount Mandeville from 1799 to 1843, was a British peer and Tory Member of Parliament....
by his first wife Millicent, daughter of Robert Bernard Sparrow. William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester
William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester
William Drogo Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester, KP , known as Lord Kimbolton from 1823 to 1843 and as Viscount Mandeville from 1843 to 1855, was a British peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.William Montagu was the eldest son of George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester...
, was his elder brother. He was educated 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...
, and graduated as a MA in 1849.
Political career
Montagu sat 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,...
for Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Huntingdonshire was a Parliamentary constituency covering the county of Huntingdonshire in England. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then in the House of Commons the Parliament of the United...
from 1859 to 1874 and for Westmeath
Westmeath (UK Parliament constituency)
Westmeath is a former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland, returning two Members of Parliament 1801–1885 and one in 1918–1922.-Boundaries:This constituency comprised the whole of County Westmeath, except for the Parliamentary borough of Athlone 1801–1885....
from February 1874 until he retired in 1880. He held office under the Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
and Benjamin Disraeli as Vice-President of the Committee on Education
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
from March 1867 until the fall of the government in December 1868 and was sworn of the Privy Council in 1867. He was an advocate of protectionist
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
policies. He was a member of the Carlton Club
Carlton Club
The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London which describes itself as the "oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs." Membership of the club is by nomination and election only.-History:...
and the Athenaeum Club
Athenaeum Club, London
The Athenaeum Club, usually just referred to as the Athenaeum, is a notable London club with its Clubhouse located at 107 Pall Mall, London, England, at the corner of Waterloo Place....
.
Family
Montagu married firstly Ellen Cromie, born in 1825, daughter of John Cromie, at Dublin on 12 February 1850. They had four children although their first son, John, died as a child. Ellen died aged 32 on 11 July 1857 at PortstewartPortstewart
Portstewart is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,803 people in the 2001 Census. It is a seaside resort neighbouring Portrush. Of the two towns, Portstewart is decidedly quieter with more sedate attractions. Its harbour and scenic coastal paths form an...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
. Montagu remarried in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 18 October 1862 to Elizabeth Wade (Holton
Holton
-Places:In Canada:* Holton, NewfoundlandIn the United Kingdom:* Holton, Oxfordshire* Holton, Somerset* Holton, Suffolk -Places:In Canada:* Holton, NewfoundlandIn the United Kingdom:* Holton, Oxfordshire* Holton, Somerset* Holton, Suffolk -Places:In Canada:* Holton, NewfoundlandIn the United...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, 15 May 1839 – London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 29 December 1908), daughter of William Wade of Holton
Holton
-Places:In Canada:* Holton, NewfoundlandIn the United Kingdom:* Holton, Oxfordshire* Holton, Somerset* Holton, Suffolk -Places:In Canada:* Holton, NewfoundlandIn the United Kingdom:* Holton, Oxfordshire* Holton, Somerset* Holton, Suffolk -Places:In Canada:* Holton, NewfoundlandIn the United...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, and had six more children. This second marriage scandalized society, since the former Betsy Wade had been a housemaid when Montagu met her. Montagu died 6 May 1902 at 91 Queens Gate, South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
. He was survived by his wife, three children and one grandson.