Richard Spooner (MP)
Encyclopedia
Richard Spooner was a British
businessman and politician. In his youth he was a Radical
reformer, but in later life he moved to the political right to become an Ultra-Tory
.
, and was the son of Issac Spooner a banker and magistrate in nearby Birmingham
. Following education at Rugby School
he formed a banking company in partnership with Thomas Attwood
. In 1804 he married Charlotte Wetherall, daughter of the Dean of Hereford. He was involved in the civic life of Birmingham, helping to found the Mechanics Institute
in 1820, of which he was the first president.
introduced in 1807 as part of the government's campaign of economic warfare against France. The orders, which severely effected the trade of Birmingham were repealed later in the year.
In March 1820 he contested the general election
at Boroughbridge
, Yorkshire
. The constituency was a two-seat "pocket borough" in the hands of the Dukes of Newcastle
, who supported the Tory candidates. However, Spooner, running as a Radical, and Marmaduke Lawson, a Whig
were elected. Three months later, the Tories managed to have the election of both MP
s overturned on petition.
In 1826 Spooner again stood for parliament at Warwickshire
. While he had overwhelming support from the voters of Birmingham, he was unsuccessful. In December of the same year a parliamentary vacancy was caused, when Richard Ironmonger MP
for Stafford
died. Spooner was chosen as the Radical candidate to contest the ensuing by-election, but was defeated in a straight fight by the Whig, Thomas Beaumont
. He was expected to contest the seat again at the next general election in 1830
. Instead he stood at Coventry
, where his colleague Attwood had been requested to stand, but had declined. Once again, he failed to be elected.
, but declined the invitation. By the time of the 1835 general election
he had made a complete change in his political views. The Birmingham Daily Post described his conversion:
Spooner stood as the Tory candidate against Birmingham's sitting Radical MPs. He was heavily defeated on both occasions. In 1844, Joshua Scholefield
, one of the town's members of parliament, died. Consequently, a by-election was held. Spooner was again the Tory candidate and was opposed by William Scholefield
, son of the deceased MP, who was expected to hold the seat for the Radicals. However, the Liberal/Radical vote was split when a third candidate, Joseph Sturge, entered the contest. Spooner was elected "most likely to his own astonishment" as the first Tory MP for Birmingham. It was noted that the "personal liking felt for the man was temporarily permitted to outweigh the general resentment at his political apostasy". At the next general election in 1847
the Liberals were reunited, and Spooner lost the seat to William Scholefield.
where polling was not held until August. On 16 August he was duly declared elected, along with his party colleague, Charles Newdigate Newdegate
. He held the seat at the general elections of 1852
, 1857
and 1859
.
Spooner was a member of the "Ultra" faction of the Tories. He was a proponent of protectionism
and a strong Anglican
, opposing any measures of relief to Roman Catholics, "Dissenters" or Jews
. In his later years he was considered a figure of fun, with his annual (and barely audible) speech denouncing the renewal of the grant to Maynooth Seminary treated with derision. In his obituary his later parliamentary contributions were summarised:
In 1862 he became unwell, and ceased attending the Commons. He delayed his resignation as the local Conservative organisation had no agreed candidate in the event of a vacancy. He lived in virtual retirement at Henwood Lodge, Leamington Spa
, where he died in November 1864. He was buried in the family vault at Elmdon
.
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...
businessman and politician. In his youth he was a Radical
Radicals (UK)
The Radicals were a parliamentary political grouping in the United Kingdom in the early to mid 19th century, who drew on earlier ideas of radicalism and helped to transform the Whigs into the Liberal Party.-Background:...
reformer, but in later life he moved to the political right to become an Ultra-Tory
Ultra-Tories
The Ultra-Tories were an Anglican faction of British and Irish politics that appeared in the 1820s in opposition to Catholic emancipation. They were later called the "extreme right wing" of British and Irish politics. They broke away from the governing party in 1829 after the passing of the...
.
Early life and family
Spooner was born at Birches Green, ErdingtonErdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
, and was the son of Issac Spooner a banker and magistrate in nearby Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. Following education at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
he formed a banking company in partnership with Thomas Attwood
Thomas Attwood
Thomas Attwood was a British economist, the leading figure of the underconsumptionist Birmingham School of economists, and, as the founder of the Birmingham Political Union, a leading figure in the public campaign for the Great Reform Act of 1832.He was born in Halesowen, and attended Halesowen...
. In 1804 he married Charlotte Wetherall, daughter of the Dean of Hereford. He was involved in the civic life of Birmingham, helping to found the Mechanics Institute
Mechanics' Institutes
Historically, Mechanics' Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men...
in 1820, of which he was the first president.
Radical politics
In 1812 Spooner and Attwood led a campaign to repeal the orders in councilOrders in Council (1807)
The Orders in Council were a series of legislative decrees made by the United Kingdom in the course of the wars with Napoleonic France which instituted its policy of commercial warfare. Formally, an "Order in Council" is simply the type of legislation by which the British government decreed these...
introduced in 1807 as part of the government's campaign of economic warfare against France. The orders, which severely effected the trade of Birmingham were repealed later in the year.
In March 1820 he contested the general election
United Kingdom general election, 1820
The 1820 UK general election, held shortly after the Radical War in Scotland and the Cato Street Conspiracy. In this atmosphere, the Tories under the Earl of Liverpool were able to win a substantial majority over the Whigs....
at Boroughbridge
Boroughbridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Boroughbridge was a parliamentary borough in Yorkshire from 1553 until 1832, when it was abolished under the Great Reform Act. Throughout its existence it was represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons....
, 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...
. The constituency was a two-seat "pocket borough" in the hands of the Dukes of Newcastle
Duke of Newcastle
Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a title which has been created three times in British history while the title of Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne has been created once. The title was created for the first time in the Peerage of England in 1664 when William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne...
, who supported the Tory candidates. However, Spooner, running as a Radical, and Marmaduke Lawson, a Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
were elected. Three months later, the Tories managed to have the election of both MP
Member 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,...
s overturned on petition.
In 1826 Spooner again stood for parliament at Warwickshire
Warwickshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Warwickshire was a parliamentary constituency in the Warwickshire in England. It returned two Members of Parliament , traditionall known as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.-Boundaries and franchise:The...
. While he had overwhelming support from the voters of Birmingham, he was unsuccessful. In December of the same year a parliamentary vacancy was caused, when Richard Ironmonger MP
Member 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 Stafford
Stafford (UK Parliament constituency)
Stafford is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The sitting MP is the Conservative Jeremy Lefroy....
died. Spooner was chosen as the Radical candidate to contest the ensuing by-election, but was defeated in a straight fight by the Whig, Thomas Beaumont
Thomas Wentworth Beaumont
Thomas Wentworth Beaumont was a British politician and soldier. In 1831, at the time he inherited his mother's estate, he was the richest commoner in England.-Background:...
. He was expected to contest the seat again at the next general election in 1830
United Kingdom general election, 1830
The 1830 United Kingdom general election, was triggered by the death of King George IV and produced the first parliament of the reign of his successor, William IV. Fought in the aftermath of the Swing Riots, it saw electoral reform become a major election issue...
. Instead he stood at Coventry
Coventry (UK Parliament constituency)
Coventry was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England and its successors, the House of Commons of Great Britain and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom....
, where his colleague Attwood had been requested to stand, but had declined. Once again, he failed to be elected.
Move to the Tories
By 1832 Spooner's repeated electoral defeats led to his moving away from Radical politics. In that year he was asked to join the Birmingham Political UnionBirmingham Political Union
The Birmingham Political Union was a political organisation in Great Britain during the early nineteenth century. Founded by Thomas Attwood, its original purpose was to campaign in favour of extending and redistributing suffrage rights to the working class of the kind set out in the Reform Bill of...
, but declined the invitation. By the time of the 1835 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1835
The 1835 United Kingdom general election was called when Parliament was dissolved on 29 December 1834. Polling took place between 6 January and 6 February 1835, and the results saw Robert Peel's Conservatives make large gains from their low of the 1832 election, but the Whigs maintained a large...
he had made a complete change in his political views. The Birmingham Daily Post described his conversion:
"...from having been a bold and uncompromising Liberal, became ultimately one of the most determined, immovable and obstructive members of the ultra-Tory party."
Member of parliament for Birmingham
In 1835 and 1841United Kingdom general election, 1841
-Seats summary:-Whig MPs who lost their seats:*Viscount Morpeth - Chief Secretary for Ireland*Sir George Strickland, Bt*Sir Henry Barron, 1st Baronet-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987...
Spooner stood as the Tory candidate against Birmingham's sitting Radical MPs. He was heavily defeated on both occasions. In 1844, Joshua Scholefield
Joshua Scholefield
Joshua Scholefield was a British businessman and Radical politician. He was elected as one of Birmingham's two members of parliament when the town was enfranchised in 1832....
, one of the town's members of parliament, died. Consequently, a by-election was held. Spooner was again the Tory candidate and was opposed by William Scholefield
William Scholefield
William Scholefield was a British businessman and Liberal politician. He was a leading figure in the politics of the rapidly-growing industrial town of Birmingham in the mid-nineteenth century.-Early life and family:...
, son of the deceased MP, who was expected to hold the seat for the Radicals. However, the Liberal/Radical vote was split when a third candidate, Joseph Sturge, entered the contest. Spooner was elected "most likely to his own astonishment" as the first Tory MP for Birmingham. It was noted that the "personal liking felt for the man was temporarily permitted to outweigh the general resentment at his political apostasy". At the next general election in 1847
United Kingdom general election, 1847
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
the Liberals were reunited, and Spooner lost the seat to William Scholefield.
Member of parliament for North Warwickshire
Having lost his seat at Birmingham in July 1847, Spooner was immediately nominated as a Conservative candidate for the two-member Northern Division of WarwickshireNorth Warwickshire (UK Parliament constituency)
-Notes and references:...
where polling was not held until August. On 16 August he was duly declared elected, along with his party colleague, Charles Newdigate Newdegate
Charles Newdigate Newdegate
Charles Newdigate Newdegate was a British Conservative politician.-Early life:He was the only son of Charles Parker Newdigate Newdegate of Harefield Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, and his wife, Maria Boucherett, of Lincolnshire. He was educated at Eton College, King's College London, and Christ...
. He held the seat at the general elections of 1852
United Kingdom general election, 1852
The July 1852 United Kingdom general election was a watershed election in the formation of the modern political parties of Britain. Following 1852, the Tory/Conservative party became, more completely, the party of the rural aristocracy, while the Whig/Liberal party became the party of the rising...
, 1857
United Kingdom general election, 1857
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
and 1859
United Kingdom general election, 1859
In the 1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs, led by Lord Palmerston, held their majority in the House of Commons over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives...
.
Spooner was a member of the "Ultra" faction of the Tories. He was a proponent of protectionism
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...
and a strong Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, opposing any measures of relief to Roman Catholics, "Dissenters" or Jews
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. In his later years he was considered a figure of fun, with his annual (and barely audible) speech denouncing the renewal of the grant to Maynooth Seminary treated with derision. In his obituary his later parliamentary contributions were summarised:
"...every proposal which in his early life would have elicited his most stenuous approval, received in his old age his most vehement opposition".
In 1862 he became unwell, and ceased attending the Commons. He delayed his resignation as the local Conservative organisation had no agreed candidate in the event of a vacancy. He lived in virtual retirement at Henwood Lodge, Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, where he died in November 1864. He was buried in the family vault at Elmdon
Elmdon, West Midlands
Elmdon is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the county of West Midlands, England.The name Elmdon means hill of the elms. It is primarily a residential area. It was formerly home to Elmdon Aerodrome, which is now Birmingham Airport...
.