Percy Illingworth
Encyclopedia
Percy Holden Illingworth (19 March 1869 – 3 January 1915) was a British Liberal Party
. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
under H. H. Asquith
between 1912 and 1915.
, a member of an old Yorkshire
family, and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Isaac Holden, 1st Baronet. Albert Illingworth, 1st Baron Illingworth
, was his elder brother. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge
, where he played rugby for the university, winning two sporting 'Blues' in The Varsity Match
es of 1889 and 1890. He was called to the Bar
, Inner Temple
, in 1894. He later served in the Second Boer War
.
, and served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Chief Secretary for Ireland
(James Bryce
and Augustine Birrell
respectively) from 1906 to 1910. From February 1910 to April 1912, he was a Junior Lord of the Treasury
under H. H. Asquith
. In 1912 Asquith appointed him Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
, a post he held until his sudden death in early 1915. He had been nominated to the Privy Council but died before he could be sworn in.
, on 16 January 1907, at Paisley
. They had three sons. He died suddenly in January 1915 due to food poisoning from a bad oyster
, aged only 45.
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...
. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury is a junior ministerial position in the British Government. The holder is usually the Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons. However, the office is no longer attached to the Treasury...
under 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...
between 1912 and 1915.
Background and education
Illingworth was the third and youngest son of Henry Illingworth, of BradfordBradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, a member of an old Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
family, and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Isaac Holden, 1st Baronet. Albert Illingworth, 1st Baron Illingworth
Albert Illingworth, 1st Baron Illingworth
Albert Holden Illingworth, 1st Baron Illingworth PC , was a British businessman and Liberal politician. He served as Postmaster General between 1916 and 1921 in David Lloyd George's coalition government.-Background and education:...
, was his elder brother. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, where he played rugby for the university, winning two sporting 'Blues' in The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
es of 1889 and 1890. He was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
, Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
, in 1894. He later served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
.
Political career
In 1906 Illingworth was returned to Parliament for ShipleyShipley (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1910s:...
, and served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
(James Bryce
James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce
James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce OM, GCVO, PC, FRS, FBA was a British academic, jurist, historian and Liberal politician.-Background and education:...
and Augustine Birrell
Augustine Birrell
Augustine Birrell PC, KC was an English politician, barrister, academic and author. He was Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1907 to 1916, resigning in the immediate aftermath of the Easter Rising.-Early life:...
respectively) from 1906 to 1910. From February 1910 to April 1912, he was a Junior Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
under 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...
. In 1912 Asquith appointed him Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury is a junior ministerial position in the British Government. The holder is usually the Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons. However, the office is no longer attached to the Treasury...
, a post he held until his sudden death in early 1915. He had been nominated to the Privy Council but died before he could be sworn in.
Family
Illingworth married Mary Mackenzie Coats (b. 1883), daughter of George Coats, of Staneley, RenfrewshireRenfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, on 16 January 1907, at Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
. They had three sons. He died suddenly in January 1915 due to food poisoning from a bad oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
, aged only 45.