Sir Arthur Elton, 7th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur Hallam Elton, 7th Baronet (19 April 1818 – 14 October 1883) was a writer
and Liberal party
politician in the United Kingdom
.
He was appointed High Sheriff of Somerset
for 1857 . Elected as Member of Parliament
for Bath
at the 1857 general election
, he stood down from the House of Commons at the 1859 general election
due to his opposition to the Crimean War
.
Having inherited from his father both the title and the family's manor house
, Clevedon Court
in Somerset
, he spent the rest of his life improving the town of Clevedon
, setting up a lending library and allotments, and building and funding the local cottage hospital
(which is still in existence). The west wing of the house was largely destroyed by a fire in 1882 and rebuilt. The house is now owned by the National Trust
. He also built Hallum Hall on Dial Hill which was an orphanage. It was later renamed St Edith's childrens home and remained in use as a children's home until 1974. The gothic victorian building is listed and remains largely intact on the outside, but is now converted to luxury flats.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and Liberal party
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...
politician in the United Kingdom
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...
.
He was appointed High Sheriff of Somerset
High Sheriff of Somerset
The Office of High Sheriff of Somerset is an ancient High Sheriff title which has been in existence for over one thousand years. The position was once a powerful position responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing law and order in Somerset a county in South West England. In modern times the...
for 1857 . Elected as 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,...
for Bath
Bath (UK Parliament constituency)
Bath is a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, previously of the House of Commons of England. It is an ancient constituency which has been constantly represented in Parliament since boroughs were first summoned to send members in the 13th century...
at the 1857 general election
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 *...
, he stood down from the House of Commons at the 1859 general election
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...
due to his opposition to the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
.
Having inherited from his father both the title and the family's manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, Clevedon Court
Clevedon Court
Clevedon Court is a manor house on Court Hill in Clevedon, North Somerset, England, dating from the early fourteenth century. It is now owned by the National Trust. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.-History:...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, he spent the rest of his life improving the town of Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
, setting up a lending library and allotments, and building and funding the local cottage hospital
Cottage Hospital
The original concept of a cottage hospital was a small rural hospital having up to 25 beds. One advantage of such a hospital in villages was the familiarity the local physician might have with their patient that may affect their treatment...
(which is still in existence). The west wing of the house was largely destroyed by a fire in 1882 and rebuilt. The house is now owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. He also built Hallum Hall on Dial Hill which was an orphanage. It was later renamed St Edith's childrens home and remained in use as a children's home until 1974. The gothic victorian building is listed and remains largely intact on the outside, but is now converted to luxury flats.