Robert Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold
Encyclopedia
Robert Trotter Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold (23 September 1851 – 3 June 1937) was a British
Conservative
politician.
Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne
. He was educated at Clifton College
and Worcester College, Oxford
. In 1877 he married Frances Caroline Hermon, only daughter of Edward Hermon
, Member of Parliament
(MP) for Preston
. In 1903 he added her surname to his own to become "Herman-Hodge".
parliamentary constituency. The seat was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
, however, and he instead contested the new seat of Accrington
in Lancashire
. Although he failed to be elected on that occasion, another general election was called in 1886
, and he was elected to the Commons as Accrington's MP. He served one term as the town's member, losing the seat at the next election in 1892
.
Hodge returned to Parliament
at the 1895 general election
as MP for the Southern or Henley Division
of Oxfordshire
. He held the seat in 1900
but was defeated in the Liberal
landslide of 1906
. In 1902 he was made a baronet
"of Wyfold Court in the Parish of Chickendon in the county of Oxford".
He returned to the Commons for a third time when he won a by-election in March 1909 at Croydon
. Re-elected at the ensuing poll in January 1910, he stood down in December of the same year.
In May 1917 Valentine Fleming
, the sitting MP for Henley
, was killed fighting on the Western Front
. Hermon-Hodge was elected unopposed to fill the vacancy at a by-election in June
. He finally retired from parliament at the post war
general election in 1918
. In May 1919 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wyfold of Accrington
.
. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, being a member of various hunts in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. He also participated in deer-stalking, shooting and fishing. He attended the Henley Regatta each year, and is remembered in the name of the Wyfold Challenge Cup
. He was also a leading freemason and was for thirty years a member of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
. He was honorary colonel of the regiment at the time of his death.
He had seven sons, three of whom died in the First World War, and one daughter. His wife died in 1929, and Lord Wyfold died in June 1937, aged 85.
Conservative
politician.
Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne
. He was educated at Clifton College
and Worcester College, Oxford
. In 1877 he married Frances Caroline Hermon, only daughter of Edward Hermon
, Member of Parliament
(MP) for Preston
. In 1903 he added her surname to his own to become "Herman-Hodge".
parliamentary constituency. The seat was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
, however, and he instead contested the new seat of Accrington
in Lancashire
. Although he failed to be elected on that occasion, another general election was called in 1886
, and he was elected to the Commons as Accrington's MP. He served one term as the town's member, losing the seat at the next election in 1892
.
Hodge returned to Parliament
at the 1895 general election
as MP for the Southern or Henley Division
of Oxfordshire
. He held the seat in 1900
but was defeated in the Liberal
landslide of 1906
. In 1902 he was made a baronet
"of Wyfold Court in the Parish of Chickendon in the county of Oxford".
He returned to the Commons for a third time when he won a by-election in March 1909 at Croydon
. Re-elected at the ensuing poll in January 1910, he stood down in December of the same year.
In May 1917 Valentine Fleming
, the sitting MP for Henley
, was killed fighting on the Western Front
. Hermon-Hodge was elected unopposed to fill the vacancy at a by-election in June
. He finally retired from parliament at the post war
general election in 1918
. In May 1919 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wyfold of Accrington
.
. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, being a member of various hunts in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. He also participated in deer-stalking, shooting and fishing. He attended the Henley Regatta each year, and is remembered in the name of the Wyfold Challenge Cup
. He was also a leading freemason and was for thirty years a member of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
. He was honorary colonel of the regiment at the time of his death.
He had seven sons, three of whom died in the First World War, and one daughter. His wife died in 1929, and Lord Wyfold died in June 1937, aged 85.
Conservative
politician.
Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne
. He was educated at Clifton College
and Worcester College, Oxford
. In 1877 he married Frances Caroline Hermon, only daughter of Edward Hermon
, Member of Parliament
(MP) for Preston
. In 1903 he added her surname to his own to become "Herman-Hodge".
parliamentary constituency. The seat was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
, however, and he instead contested the new seat of Accrington
in Lancashire
. Although he failed to be elected on that occasion, another general election was called in 1886
, and he was elected to the Commons as Accrington's MP. He served one term as the town's member, losing the seat at the next election in 1892
.
Hodge returned to Parliament
at the 1895 general election
as MP for the Southern or Henley Division
of Oxfordshire
. He held the seat in 1900
but was defeated in the Liberal
landslide of 1906
. In 1902 he was made a baronet
"of Wyfold Court in the Parish of Chickendon in the county of Oxford".
He returned to the Commons for a third time when he won a by-election in March 1909 at Croydon
. Re-elected at the ensuing poll in January 1910, he stood down in December of the same year.
In May 1917 Valentine Fleming
, the sitting MP for Henley
, was killed fighting on the Western Front
. Hermon-Hodge was elected unopposed to fill the vacancy at a by-election in June
. He finally retired from parliament at the post war
general election in 1918
. In May 1919 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wyfold of Accrington
.
. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, being a member of various hunts in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. He also participated in deer-stalking, shooting and fishing. He attended the Henley Regatta each year, and is remembered in the name of the Wyfold Challenge Cup
. He was also a leading freemason and was for thirty years a member of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
. He was honorary colonel of the regiment at the time of his death.
He had seven sons, three of whom died in the First World War, and one daughter. His wife died in 1929, and Lord Wyfold died in June 1937, aged 85.
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...
Conservative
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.
Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. He was educated at Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
and Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
. In 1877 he married Frances Caroline Hermon, only daughter of Edward Hermon
Edward Hermon
Edward Hermon was a British Conservative Party politician.At the 1868 general election he was elected on his first attempt a Member of Parliament for the two-seat constituency of Preston in Lancashire. He was re-elected in 1874 and in 1880, and held the seat until he died in office in 1881, aged...
, Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP) for Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough 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.-Boundaries:...
. In 1903 he added her surname to his own to become "Herman-Hodge".
Parliamentary career
He entered politics in 1884, when he was adopted as Conservative candidate for the WallingfordWallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
parliamentary constituency. The seat was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, however, and he instead contested the new seat of Accrington
Accrington (UK Parliament constituency)
Accrington was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-History:...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Although he failed to be elected on that occasion, another general election was called in 1886
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, and he was elected to the Commons as Accrington's MP. He served one term as the town's member, losing the seat at the next election in 1892
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
.
Hodge returned to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the 1895 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
as MP for the Southern or Henley Division
Henley (UK Parliament constituency)
Henley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It covers south Oxfordshire, including Henley-on-Thames. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative...
of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He held the seat in 1900
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
but was defeated in the 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...
landslide of 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. In 1902 he was made a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
"of Wyfold Court in the Parish of Chickendon in the county of Oxford".
He returned to the Commons for a third time when he won a by-election in March 1909 at Croydon
Croydon (UK Parliament constituency)
Croydon was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. Re-elected at the ensuing poll in January 1910, he stood down in December of the same year.
In May 1917 Valentine Fleming
Valentine Fleming
Major Valentine Fleming, DSO was a British Conservative Member of Parliament who was killed in World War I.-Early years:...
, the sitting MP for Henley
Henley (UK Parliament constituency)
Henley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It covers south Oxfordshire, including Henley-on-Thames. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative...
, was killed fighting on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. Hermon-Hodge was elected unopposed to fill the vacancy at a by-election in June
Henley by-election, 1917
The Henley by-election of 1917 was a by-election in Henley caused by the death of Major Valentine Fleming during World War I. The Conservative Party candidate Robert Hermon-Hodge won the subsequent by-election....
. He finally retired from parliament at the post 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...
general election in 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
. In May 1919 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wyfold of Accrington
Baron Wyfold
Baron Wyfold, of Accrington in the County of Lancaster, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 17 May 1919 for Sir Robert Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baronet, the former Conservative Member of Parliament for Accrington, Henley and Croydon...
.
Life outside parliament
He enjoyed the life of a country gentleman at the family estate of Wyfold Court, near Reading, BerkshireReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, being a member of various hunts in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. He also participated in deer-stalking, shooting and fishing. He attended the Henley Regatta each year, and is remembered in the name of the Wyfold Challenge Cup
Wyfold Challenge Cup
The Wyfold Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from a single rowing club. Boat clubs from any university, college or secondary school are not permitted.The trophy...
. He was also a leading freemason and was for thirty years a member of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
The Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars was the designated name of a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army between 1888 and 1922. In response a call by the government for troops of volunteers to be formed in the shires, meeting of “Nobility, Gentry, Freeholders and Yeomanry” was called at the Star Inn...
. He was honorary colonel of the regiment at the time of his death.
He had seven sons, three of whom died in the First World War, and one daughter. His wife died in 1929, and Lord Wyfold died in June 1937, aged 85.
External links
Robert Trotter Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold (23 September 1851 – 3 June 1937) was a BritishUnited 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...
Conservative
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.
Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. He was educated at Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
and Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
. In 1877 he married Frances Caroline Hermon, only daughter of Edward Hermon
Edward Hermon
Edward Hermon was a British Conservative Party politician.At the 1868 general election he was elected on his first attempt a Member of Parliament for the two-seat constituency of Preston in Lancashire. He was re-elected in 1874 and in 1880, and held the seat until he died in office in 1881, aged...
, Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP) for Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough 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.-Boundaries:...
. In 1903 he added her surname to his own to become "Herman-Hodge".
Parliamentary career
He entered politics in 1884, when he was adopted as Conservative candidate for the WallingfordWallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
parliamentary constituency. The seat was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, however, and he instead contested the new seat of Accrington
Accrington (UK Parliament constituency)
Accrington was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-History:...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Although he failed to be elected on that occasion, another general election was called in 1886
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, and he was elected to the Commons as Accrington's MP. He served one term as the town's member, losing the seat at the next election in 1892
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
.
Hodge returned to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the 1895 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
as MP for the Southern or Henley Division
Henley (UK Parliament constituency)
Henley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It covers south Oxfordshire, including Henley-on-Thames. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative...
of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He held the seat in 1900
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
but was defeated in the 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...
landslide of 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. In 1902 he was made a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
"of Wyfold Court in the Parish of Chickendon in the county of Oxford".
He returned to the Commons for a third time when he won a by-election in March 1909 at Croydon
Croydon (UK Parliament constituency)
Croydon was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. Re-elected at the ensuing poll in January 1910, he stood down in December of the same year.
In May 1917 Valentine Fleming
Valentine Fleming
Major Valentine Fleming, DSO was a British Conservative Member of Parliament who was killed in World War I.-Early years:...
, the sitting MP for Henley
Henley (UK Parliament constituency)
Henley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It covers south Oxfordshire, including Henley-on-Thames. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative...
, was killed fighting on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. Hermon-Hodge was elected unopposed to fill the vacancy at a by-election in June
Henley by-election, 1917
The Henley by-election of 1917 was a by-election in Henley caused by the death of Major Valentine Fleming during World War I. The Conservative Party candidate Robert Hermon-Hodge won the subsequent by-election....
. He finally retired from parliament at the post 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...
general election in 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
. In May 1919 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wyfold of Accrington
Baron Wyfold
Baron Wyfold, of Accrington in the County of Lancaster, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 17 May 1919 for Sir Robert Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baronet, the former Conservative Member of Parliament for Accrington, Henley and Croydon...
.
Life outside parliament
He enjoyed the life of a country gentleman at the family estate of Wyfold Court, near Reading, BerkshireReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, being a member of various hunts in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. He also participated in deer-stalking, shooting and fishing. He attended the Henley Regatta each year, and is remembered in the name of the Wyfold Challenge Cup
Wyfold Challenge Cup
The Wyfold Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from a single rowing club. Boat clubs from any university, college or secondary school are not permitted.The trophy...
. He was also a leading freemason and was for thirty years a member of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
The Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars was the designated name of a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army between 1888 and 1922. In response a call by the government for troops of volunteers to be formed in the shires, meeting of “Nobility, Gentry, Freeholders and Yeomanry” was called at the Star Inn...
. He was honorary colonel of the regiment at the time of his death.
He had seven sons, three of whom died in the First World War, and one daughter. His wife died in 1929, and Lord Wyfold died in June 1937, aged 85.
External links
Robert Trotter Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold (23 September 1851 – 3 June 1937) was a BritishUnited 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...
Conservative
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.
Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. He was educated at Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
and Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
. In 1877 he married Frances Caroline Hermon, only daughter of Edward Hermon
Edward Hermon
Edward Hermon was a British Conservative Party politician.At the 1868 general election he was elected on his first attempt a Member of Parliament for the two-seat constituency of Preston in Lancashire. He was re-elected in 1874 and in 1880, and held the seat until he died in office in 1881, aged...
, Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP) for Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough 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.-Boundaries:...
. In 1903 he added her surname to his own to become "Herman-Hodge".
Parliamentary career
He entered politics in 1884, when he was adopted as Conservative candidate for the WallingfordWallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
parliamentary constituency. The seat was abolished by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, however, and he instead contested the new seat of Accrington
Accrington (UK Parliament constituency)
Accrington was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-History:...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Although he failed to be elected on that occasion, another general election was called in 1886
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, and he was elected to the Commons as Accrington's MP. He served one term as the town's member, losing the seat at the next election in 1892
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
.
Hodge returned to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the 1895 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
as MP for the Southern or Henley Division
Henley (UK Parliament constituency)
Henley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It covers south Oxfordshire, including Henley-on-Thames. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative...
of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He held the seat in 1900
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
but was defeated in the 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...
landslide of 1906
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
. In 1902 he was made a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
"of Wyfold Court in the Parish of Chickendon in the county of Oxford".
He returned to the Commons for a third time when he won a by-election in March 1909 at Croydon
Croydon (UK Parliament constituency)
Croydon was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. Re-elected at the ensuing poll in January 1910, he stood down in December of the same year.
In May 1917 Valentine Fleming
Valentine Fleming
Major Valentine Fleming, DSO was a British Conservative Member of Parliament who was killed in World War I.-Early years:...
, the sitting MP for Henley
Henley (UK Parliament constituency)
Henley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It covers south Oxfordshire, including Henley-on-Thames. The constituency elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has long been a safe Conservative...
, was killed fighting on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. Hermon-Hodge was elected unopposed to fill the vacancy at a by-election in June
Henley by-election, 1917
The Henley by-election of 1917 was a by-election in Henley caused by the death of Major Valentine Fleming during World War I. The Conservative Party candidate Robert Hermon-Hodge won the subsequent by-election....
. He finally retired from parliament at the post 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...
general election in 1918
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
. In May 1919 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Wyfold of Accrington
Baron Wyfold
Baron Wyfold, of Accrington in the County of Lancaster, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 17 May 1919 for Sir Robert Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baronet, the former Conservative Member of Parliament for Accrington, Henley and Croydon...
.
Life outside parliament
He enjoyed the life of a country gentleman at the family estate of Wyfold Court, near Reading, BerkshireReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, being a member of various hunts in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. He also participated in deer-stalking, shooting and fishing. He attended the Henley Regatta each year, and is remembered in the name of the Wyfold Challenge Cup
Wyfold Challenge Cup
The Wyfold Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from a single rowing club. Boat clubs from any university, college or secondary school are not permitted.The trophy...
. He was also a leading freemason and was for thirty years a member of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
The Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars was the designated name of a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army between 1888 and 1922. In response a call by the government for troops of volunteers to be formed in the shires, meeting of “Nobility, Gentry, Freeholders and Yeomanry” was called at the Star Inn...
. He was honorary colonel of the regiment at the time of his death.
He had seven sons, three of whom died in the First World War, and one daughter. His wife died in 1929, and Lord Wyfold died in June 1937, aged 85.