Sir Robert Leicester Harmsworth, 1st Baronet (1 November 1870-19 January 1937), was a British businessman and 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...

 politician.

Background

Harmsworth was the fourth son of Alfred Harmsworth, a barrister, and Geraldine Mary, daughter of William Maffett; and was educated at St Marylebone Grammar School

St Marylebone Grammar School

St Marylebone Grammar School was a grammar school in London from 1792 to 1981.-Philological School:Founded as the Philological School by Thomas Collingwood, under the patronage of the Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, its object was to help "the heads of families, who by unexpected...

. He was the brother of Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe

Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe

Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe rose from childhood poverty to become a powerful British newspaper and publishing magnate, famed for buying stolid, unprofitable newspapers and transforming them to make them lively and entertaining for the mass market.His company...

, Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere, Cecil Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth and Sir Hildebrand Harmsworth, 1st Baronet.

Career

Harmsworth was a director of Amalgamated Press

Fleetway

Fleetway, also known as Fleetway Publications and Fleetway Editions, was a UK publishing company which mainly produced comic magazines. For a time owned by IPC Media, they are now a division of Egmont Publishing....

, the publishing company owned by his brother, Lord Northcliffe. In 1900 he was returned to Parliament for Caithness

Buteshire and Caithness (UK Parliament constituencies)

Buteshire and Caithness were county constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918....

, a seat he held until 1918, and then represented Caithness and Sutherland

Caithness and Sutherland (UK Parliament constituency)

Caithness and Sutherland was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....

between 1918 and 1922. In 1918 he was created a Baronet, of Moray Lodge in the Royal Borough of Kensington.

Family

Harmsworth married Annie Louisa, daughter of Thomas Scott, in 1892. They had four sons and three daughters. He died in January 1937, aged 66, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Alfred. Lady Harmsworth died in December 1963.