Mark Bonham Carter, Baron Bonham-Carter
Encyclopedia
Mark Raymond Bonham Carter, Baron Bonham-Carter (11 February 1922 – 4 September 1994), was an English
publisher and politician
. He was created a life peer
in 1986.
activists Sir Maurice Bonham Carter
and his wife, the former Lady Violet Asquith, daughter of the Liberal Prime Minister
H. H. Asquith
. He was the second youngest of four children; Helen, Laura and Raymond
.
Educated at Winchester College
and Balliol College, Oxford
, where he read PPE, his studies were interrupted by the Second World War, and was commissioned in the Grenadier Guards
in 1941. Captured in Tunisia in 1943 and imprisoned in Italy, he escaped and walked four hundred miles to return to British lines, being mentioned in dispatches. Bonham Carter concluded the war by standing as the unsuccessful Liberal candidate for Barnstaple
in the 1945 general election
, before returning to finish the last year of his course at Oxford. He then spent a year at the University of Chicago
before going into publishing, working for the Collins
publishing firm.
In 1955, he married Leslie, Lady St. Just, the former wife of Peter George Grenfell, 2nd Baron St. Just and the younger daughter of American magazine publisher Conde Nast
. By her, Bonham Carter had three daughters, Jane Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury
, Virginia and Eliza Bonham Carter; he also had a stepdaughter from his wife's former marriage.
continued its heavy involvement in Liberal politics, especially when his sister Laura married the Liberal leader Jo Grimond. It was in 1958 that the Torrington by-election
was called in a safe Conservative seat, and Bonham Carter became the Liberal candidate. Much to everyone's surprise, he won, overturning a 9,000 majority, and giving the Liberals their first byelection gain since 1929. Bonham Carter's margin of victory was extremely slim — just 219 votes. Nonetheless, it was a major boost to the success-deprived Liberals, and was the first in a string of byelection victories that would make up the post-war Liberal Revival. Grimond was personally hopeful that the articulate Bonham Carter would be his designated successor, but it was not to be - at the 1959 general election
, just 18 months after his victory, he narrowly lost the seat to the Conservatives. He continued to be a close advisor to Grimond throughout the latter's leadership, but would never again be an MP, despite a third, unsuccessful, and equally close candidature for Torrington in the 1964 general election
.
as his literary agent. He became the first Chairman of the Race Relations Board 1966–1971, and its successor, the Community Relations Commission 1971–1977. He was also prominent in the Arts world, as one of the Directors of the Royal Opera House
1958–1982, a Governor of the Royal Ballet 1960–1994 (Chairman of the Board after 1985), and Vice-chairman of the BBC
1975–1980, being vetoed as Chairman by Margaret Thatcher
. In 1986 he was given a life peerage as Baron Bonham-Carter, of Yarnbury in the County of Wiltshire. He became Foreign Affairs spokesman for the Liberal Democrats. His last campaign focussed on granting British citizenship to ethnic minorities in Hong Kong
, a measure that was only passed after his death. He was also an uncle of the actress Helena Bonham Carter
.
He died from a heart attack
in Italy
on 4 September 1994.
"Debrett's Peerage"
"The Guardian"
"The Daily Telegraph"
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
publisher and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 1986.
Early life
He was the son of the LiberalLiberal 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...
activists Sir Maurice Bonham Carter
Maurice Bonham Carter
Sir Maurice Bonham Carter, KCB, KCVO was an English Liberal politician and cricketer.Bonham Carter was the second son of Sibella Charlotte and Henry Bonham Carter. He was born in London and educated at Winchester College and Balliol College, Oxford...
and his wife, the former Lady Violet Asquith, daughter of the Liberal Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
. He was the second youngest of four children; Helen, Laura and Raymond
Raymond Bonham Carter
The Honourable Raymond Henry Bonham Carter was a leading British banker, and a member of a distinguished British theatrical and political family....
.
Educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, where he read PPE, his studies were interrupted by the Second World War, and was commissioned in the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in 1941. Captured in Tunisia in 1943 and imprisoned in Italy, he escaped and walked four hundred miles to return to British lines, being mentioned in dispatches. Bonham Carter concluded the war by standing as the unsuccessful Liberal candidate for Barnstaple
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
in the 1945 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, before returning to finish the last year of his course at Oxford. He then spent a year at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
before going into publishing, working for the Collins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
publishing firm.
In 1955, he married Leslie, Lady St. Just, the former wife of Peter George Grenfell, 2nd Baron St. Just and the younger daughter of American magazine publisher Conde Nast
Condé Montrose Nast
Condé Montrose Nast was the founder of Condé Nast Publications, a leading American magazine publisher known for publications such as Vanity Fair, Vogue and The New Yorker.-Background:...
. By her, Bonham Carter had three daughters, Jane Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury
Jane Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury
Jane Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury is a British Liberal Democrat politician.-Education:Bonham Carter was educated at St...
, Virginia and Eliza Bonham Carter; he also had a stepdaughter from his wife's former marriage.
Torrington
Bonham Carter's familyBonham Carter family
The Bonham Carter family are descendants of John Bonham-Carter , a British Member of Parliament and barrister. The son of Sir John Carter, he assumed the name Bonham by Royal Licence when he inherited the estates of his cousin Thomas Bonham...
continued its heavy involvement in Liberal politics, especially when his sister Laura married the Liberal leader Jo Grimond. It was in 1958 that the Torrington by-election
Torrington by-election, 1958
The Torrington by-election of 1958, in Devon, England, was the first gain by the British Liberal Party at a by-election since Holland with Boston in 1929....
was called in a safe Conservative seat, and Bonham Carter became the Liberal candidate. Much to everyone's surprise, he won, overturning a 9,000 majority, and giving the Liberals their first byelection gain since 1929. Bonham Carter's margin of victory was extremely slim — just 219 votes. Nonetheless, it was a major boost to the success-deprived Liberals, and was the first in a string of byelection victories that would make up the post-war Liberal Revival. Grimond was personally hopeful that the articulate Bonham Carter would be his designated successor, but it was not to be - at the 1959 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
, just 18 months after his victory, he narrowly lost the seat to the Conservatives. He continued to be a close advisor to Grimond throughout the latter's leadership, but would never again be an MP, despite a third, unsuccessful, and equally close candidature for Torrington in the 1964 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
.
Later life
Bonham Carter found other outlets for his political and publishing interests. He continued to work as a prominent member of the Collins firm, becoming close friends with Roy JenkinsRoy Jenkins
Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM, PC was a British politician.The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II. Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, he served in several major posts in...
as his literary agent. He became the first Chairman of the Race Relations Board 1966–1971, and its successor, the Community Relations Commission 1971–1977. He was also prominent in the Arts world, as one of the Directors of the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
1958–1982, a Governor of the Royal Ballet 1960–1994 (Chairman of the Board after 1985), and Vice-chairman of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
1975–1980, being vetoed as Chairman by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. In 1986 he was given a life peerage as Baron Bonham-Carter, of Yarnbury in the County of Wiltshire. He became Foreign Affairs spokesman for the Liberal Democrats. His last campaign focussed on granting British citizenship to ethnic minorities in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, a measure that was only passed after his death. He was also an uncle of the actress Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter is an English actress of film, stage, and television. She made her acting debut in a television adaptation of K. M. Peyton's A Pattern of Roses before winning her first film role as the titular character in Lady Jane...
.
He died from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 4 September 1994.
Sources
"Burke's Peerage and Baronetage""Debrett's Peerage"
"The Guardian"
"The Daily Telegraph"