Sir Edgar Horne, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Edgar Horne, 1st Baronet (21 January 1856 – 26 September 1941) was a British businessman and Unionist
politician. A surveyor
and a director of numerous companies, he was best known for his role as Chairman of the Prudential Assurance Company from 1928 to 1941.
in Surrey and his wife Maria, the widow of Thomas Everfield; his father had been head of the Prudential Assurance Company for many years, and his estate was valued on his death at £565,407.
He was married in 1886 to Margery May (died 1939), the daughter of Mr. G. A. May of Elford in Staffordshire. They had two sons (twins, Alan Edgar and W. Guy, born in 1889) and a daughter.
, before entering his father's firm of auctioneers and surveyors, Messrs Horne and Company, which was based in the City of London
. He was consulting surveyor on the widening of Whitehall
, ran the firm even before his father's death, and subsequently became a director of Prudential from about 1904 and Deputy Chairman in 1917, then chairman from 1928 until his death in 1941. He was a member of the council of the British Overseas Bank, President of the Surveyor's Institution, and vice-president of the National Service League
. He was also chairman of the Guildford and West Surrey Agricultural Association, a governor of Westminster Hospital
and of his alma mater, Westminster School
He was a generous benefactor to the school, donating to it the building of No. 17 Dean's yard, and was involved in the establishment of the Old Westminsters association for former pupils of the school.
He entered local government, becoming chairman of the united vestries of St Margarets and St Johns, Westminster
, and then served as a member of Westminster Borough Council
, where he was Mayor in 1924.
At the 1906 general election
Horne stood unsuccessfully as a Unionist candidate in the Barnstaple division of Devon
, a safe seat
for the Liberal Party
. At the January 1910 general election he was elected as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Guildford division
of Surrey
. He was re-elected in December 1910, and was returned at the 1918 general election
as a Coalition Unionist. He stood from the House of Commons at the 1922 general election
.
In the 1929 New Years Honours list, which had been delayed until March owing to the illness of King George V, it was announced that Horne was to be made a Baronet
"for public and political services". The title was conferred on 30 March, with a territorial designation of "Shackleford, in the County of Surrey".
Horne owned a sporting estate at Lairg
in Sutherland, but lived in Hall Place, Shackleford
, in Surrey. The estate included a lake and nearly all of the village. It covered 204 acre (0.82555944 km²) and was put up for sale after the death in 1939 of Lady Horne. The agents described it as "a gentleman's pleasure farm". The Times reported that Lady Hall had "made the garden of Hall Place one of the prettiest in Surrey". However, a buyer had not been found by the following year, and Horne decided instead to let the house unfurnished, and sell the remaining land. The house was leased to a preparatory school
called Aldro
, which bought the freehold after his death, and the rest of the land was sold separately.
He died on 26 September 1941, aged 85.
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. A surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
and a director of numerous companies, he was best known for his role as Chairman of the Prudential Assurance Company from 1928 to 1941.
Family
Horne was the son of Edgar Horne (1820–1905) of WitleyWitley
Witley, in Surrey, England is a village south west of Godalming. The village lies just east of the A3 that runs from Guildford to Petersfield. Witley together with the neighbouring area of Hambledon have a population of about 4,000. Neighbouring villages include Milford, Chiddingfold and...
in Surrey and his wife Maria, the widow of Thomas Everfield; his father had been head of the Prudential Assurance Company for many years, and his estate was valued on his death at £565,407.
He was married in 1886 to Margery May (died 1939), the daughter of Mr. G. A. May of Elford in Staffordshire. They had two sons (twins, Alan Edgar and W. Guy, born in 1889) and a daughter.
Career
Edgar Horne was educated at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, before entering his father's firm of auctioneers and surveyors, Messrs Horne and Company, which was based in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. He was consulting surveyor on the widening of Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, ran the firm even before his father's death, and subsequently became a director of Prudential from about 1904 and Deputy Chairman in 1917, then chairman from 1928 until his death in 1941. He was a member of the council of the British Overseas Bank, President of the Surveyor's Institution, and vice-president of the National Service League
National Service League
The National Service League was a British pressure group founded in February 1902 to alert the country to the inadequacy of the British Army to fight a major war and to propose the solution of national service....
. He was also chairman of the Guildford and West Surrey Agricultural Association, a governor of Westminster Hospital
Westminster Hospital
Westminster Hospital was a hospital in London, England, founded in 1719. In 1834 a medical school attached to the hospital was formally founded....
and of his alma mater, Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
He was a generous benefactor to the school, donating to it the building of No. 17 Dean's yard, and was involved in the establishment of the Old Westminsters association for former pupils of the school.
He entered local government, becoming chairman of the united vestries of St Margarets and St Johns, Westminster
Westminster St Margaret and St John
Westminster St Margaret and St John were two parishes, which shared a joint vestry, in the City and Liberty of Westminster and the metropolitan area of London, England....
, and then served as a member of Westminster Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Westminster
The Metropolitan Borough of Westminster was a metropolitan borough in the County of London, England, from 1900 to 1965.-City Status:By royal charter dated 29 October 1900 the borough was granted the title City of Westminster. Westminster had originally been created a city and seat of the...
, where he was Mayor in 1924.
At the 1906 general election
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**...
Horne stood unsuccessfully as a Unionist candidate in the Barnstaple division of Devon
Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency)
Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...
, a safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
for the 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...
. At the January 1910 general election he was elected as the 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 the Guildford division
Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He was re-elected in December 1910, and was returned at the 1918 general election
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...
as a Coalition Unionist. He stood from the House of Commons at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
.
In the 1929 New Years Honours list, which had been delayed until March owing to the illness of King George V, it was announced that Horne was to be 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...
"for public and political services". The title was conferred on 30 March, with a territorial designation of "Shackleford, in the County of Surrey".
Horne owned a sporting estate at Lairg
Lairg
Lairg is a village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of about 700and is situated at the south-eastern end of Lairg is a village in [[Sutherland]], [[Highland |Highland]], [[Scotland]]...
in Sutherland, but lived in Hall Place, Shackleford
Shackleford
Shackleford is a village in Surrey, England lying to the west of the A3 between Guildford and Petersfield. Neighbouring villages include Puttenham, Peper Harrow and Eashing....
, in Surrey. The estate included a lake and nearly all of the village. It covered 204 acre (0.82555944 km²) and was put up for sale after the death in 1939 of Lady Horne. The agents described it as "a gentleman's pleasure farm". The Times reported that Lady Hall had "made the garden of Hall Place one of the prettiest in Surrey". However, a buyer had not been found by the following year, and Horne decided instead to let the house unfurnished, and sell the remaining land. The house was leased to a preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
called Aldro
Aldro
Aldro is a preparatory school in Shackleford, near Godalming, Surrey, England. It caters for about 240 boys between the ages of 7 and 13. The Good Schools Guide called the school an "Extremely popular and successful traditional prep school," also stating "It is a somewhat eccentric world with...
, which bought the freehold after his death, and the rest of the land was sold separately.
He died on 26 September 1941, aged 85.