Sir Philip Pilditch, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Philip Edward Pilditch, 1st Baronet (12 August 1861-17 December 1948), was a British
architect and Unionist politician.
Born in Compton, Plymouth
, he was the eldest son of Philip John Pilditch and Emma Rosa Pilditch (née Willmott).
He was educated at Cheveley Hall, Mannamead
and at King's College London
. In 1888 he married Emily Mary Lewis, daughter of a director of the National Provincial Bank
. The couple had two sons. He established the business of Pilditch and Chadwick, surveyors and architects, of which he was head.
Pilditch was active in the Conservative Party
, and stood unsuccessfully at St Ives
at the 1906 general election
and at Islington East
in December, 1910.
In 1907 Pilditch was elected to the London County Council
, representing Islington East. He was a member of the Conservative-backed Municipal Reform Party
which took control of the council from the Progressive Party
which was allied to the Liberal Party
. The Islington seat was marginal, and at the next council elections in 1910 he was returned for the safer electoral division of Strand
. He held the seat in 1913 and remained on the council until 1919. He was a prominent member of the council, and served as vice-chairman in 1913–1914.
Pilditch held a commission in the 1st Sussex Volunteer Artillery
, retiring with the rank of captain. During the First World War
he was active in the raising of fifty battalions for the New Army
in Surrey, Middlesex and London, and acted as honorary treasurer for the battalion funds.
Pilditch was elected to the House of Commons
at the 1918 general election
becoming the first member of parliament
for the new constituency of Spelthorne
in Middlesex
. He held the seat at successive elections until he stood down in 1931
. He had a great interest in the preservation of ancient monuments, helping to pilot the Ancient Monuments Act 1931
through parliament. He was also involved in the preservation of the Elizabethan architecture
of his home town and served as the president of the Old Plymouth Society.
He was knighted
in 1918 and created a baronet, "of Bartropps in the parish of Weybridge in the County of Surrey" in 1929.
He died at his home near Weybridge
, Surrey
in December 1948, aged 87. He was suceeded in the baronetage by his son, Philip Harold.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
architect and Unionist politician.
Born in Compton, Plymouth
Compton, Plymouth
Compton is a suburb of Plymouth in the English county of Devon.Once a small village, it was developed in the 1930s and now lies between the suburbs of Mannamead and Efford...
, he was the eldest son of Philip John Pilditch and Emma Rosa Pilditch (née Willmott).
He was educated at Cheveley Hall, Mannamead
Mannamead
Mannamead is a suburb of Plymouth in the English county of Devon. It was an affluent Victorian and early Edwardian suburb with wide avenues such as Seymour Road, grand villas and Thorn Park referred to in Pevsner. It has a solid late Victorian Anglican church, a small row of shops and a frequent...
and at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. In 1888 he married Emily Mary Lewis, daughter of a director of the National Provincial Bank
National Provincial Bank
National Provincial Bank was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1833 until its merger into the National Westminster Bank in 1970; it remains a registered company but is dormant...
. The couple had two sons. He established the business of Pilditch and Chadwick, surveyors and architects, of which he was head.
Pilditch was active in the Conservative Party
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...
, and stood unsuccessfully at St Ives
St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Ives 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.-History:...
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**...
and at Islington East
Islington East (UK Parliament constituency)
Islington East was a constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885, until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election.-1885–1918:...
in December, 1910.
In 1907 Pilditch was elected to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
, representing Islington East. He was a member of the Conservative-backed Municipal Reform Party
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
which took control of the council from the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (London)
The Progressive Party was a political party based around the Liberal Party that contested municipal elections in the County of London.It was founded in 1888 by a group of Liberals and leaders of the labour movement. It was also supported by the Fabian Society, and Sidney Webb was one of its...
which was allied to 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...
. The Islington seat was marginal, and at the next council elections in 1910 he was returned for the safer electoral division of Strand
Strand (UK Parliament constituency)
Strand was a parliamentary constituency in the Strand district of the City of Westminster. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
. He held the seat in 1913 and remained on the council until 1919. He was a prominent member of the council, and served as vice-chairman in 1913–1914.
Pilditch held a commission in the 1st Sussex Volunteer Artillery
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
, retiring with the rank of captain. During the First World 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...
he was active in the raising of fifty battalions for the New Army
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
in Surrey, Middlesex and London, and acted as honorary treasurer for the battalion funds.
Pilditch was elected to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
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...
becoming the first 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 the new constituency of Spelthorne
Spelthorne (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1960s:...
in Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. He held the seat at successive elections until he stood down in 1931
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
. He had a great interest in the preservation of ancient monuments, helping to pilot the Ancient Monuments Act 1931
Ancient Monuments Act 1931
The Ancient Monuments Act 1931 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that aimed to improve the protection afforded to ancient monuments in Britain.-Details:...
through parliament. He was also involved in the preservation of the Elizabethan architecture
Elizabethan architecture
Elizabethan architecture is the term given to early Renaissance architecture in England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Historically, the period corresponds to the Cinquecento in Italy, the Early Renaissance in France, and the Plateresque style in Spain...
of his home town and served as the president of the Old Plymouth Society.
He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1918 and created a baronet, "of Bartropps in the parish of Weybridge in the County of Surrey" in 1929.
He died at his home near Weybridge
Weybridge
Weybridge is a town in the Elmbridge district of Surrey in South East England. It is bounded to the north by the River Thames at the mouth of the River Wey, from which it gets its name...
, 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...
in December 1948, aged 87. He was suceeded in the baronetage by his son, Philip Harold.