Sir William Middlebrook, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Middlebrook, 1st Baronet (22 February 1851 – 30 June 1936) was an English solicitor
and Liberal Party
politician.
in the West Riding of Yorkshire
the son of John Middlebrook and Eliza Priestley. His mother was a distant relation of Joseph Priestley
the philosopher, theologian and scientist. He was educated at Huddersfield College
. In 1880 he married Alma Jackson from Morley
, the daughter of William Jackson, the founder of the Peel Mills in Leeds. They had one son and two daughters.
at Barton-upon-Humber
and was admitted as a solicitor in 1872 or 1873. He began to practice in Birstall but later moved to Leeds
and Morley, where he lived at Thornfield House, now the Masonic Lodge. He built up a large practice in which he was later joined by his son Harold.
member of the Wesleyan Conference and in 1893 he became Treasurer of the Methodist General Chapel Committee. He entered Liberal politics and served as Hon. Secretary to the Spen Valley
Liberal Association from 1885-95. In 1892 he was elected a member of Morley Town Council
and was appointed an Alderman
in 1894. He was Mayor
of Morley in 1896 and in 1904 and he served as Mayor of Leeds in 1910-11. He was made an Honorary Freeman
of Morley in 1919. While he was Mayor of Leeds, Middlebrook inaugurated a scheme for extending Leeds Infirmary
under which nearly £130,000 was raised. He received the honorary freedom of Leeds in 1926.
Middlebrook entered the House of Commons at a by-election in 1908
for Leeds South
. The seat had become vacant on the death of the sitting Liberal MP, Sir John Lawson Walton
(1852–1908) who held the office of Attorney General
at the time of his death. It seems that one of the reasons Middlebrook was selected was his ability to give financial aid to the Leeds South Liberal Association. Walton had paid the salary of his political agent and Middlebrook undertook to pay the constituency £100 a year. This was at a time when MPs were not yet paid a salary. The by-election took place on 13 February 1908 and Middlebrook held the seat for the Liberals with a majority of 359 over his Unionist
opponent Reginald Neville
, with Labour’s
Albert Fox in third place. Middlebrook held his seat until the 1922 general election
when he was defeated in a straight fight by Labour’s Henry Charleton. He did not stand for Parliament again.
in 1930. He served on a number of Parliamentary committees. In 1918 he was appointed to a Select Committee
to look into gas
prices and dividends in the wake of damage to the industry during the First World War. In 1922 he was nominated as Chairman of an Inquiry set up by the International Labour Office of the League of Nations
into the problem of disinfection of wool and hair infected with anthrax
spores, especially relating to keeping flocks of sheep and related animal products free from contamination. Middlebrook acted as Chairman of the Local Legislation Committee of the House of Commons from 1913-1922 and it was in recognition for this work that he was knighted. With this background and his local government experience it was no surprise that he was appointed to sit on the Royal Commission
on Local Government set up in 1928. He was sometime member of the Consultative Council on Local Heath Administration and also served as a Justice of the Peace
.
After the death of Lord Oxford and Asquith in 1928, a memorial to the former Liberal leader and prime minister
was erected in his birthplace of Morley. Middlebrook as a Freeman of the Borough offered to have a bronze bust and tablets of Lord Oxford’s history erected in the Town Hall. The memorial was formally presented to the town of Morley by Middlebrook on 29 October 1928.
by his son Harold (1887–1971).
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
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.
Family and education
William Middlebrook was born at BirstallBirstall, West Yorkshire
Birstall is a large village in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England and situated roughly 6 miles south-west of Leeds. It features a quaint triangular Victorian marketplace, which replaced an earlier market on High Street in the Georgian area of the village further up the hill...
in the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
the son of John Middlebrook and Eliza Priestley. His mother was a distant relation of Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
the philosopher, theologian and scientist. He was educated at Huddersfield College
Huddersfield New College
Huddersfield New College is a former grammar school and current sixth form college located in Salendine Nook on the outskirts of Huddersfield, in the English county of West Yorkshire. The current Principal is Angela Williams.-Admissions:...
. In 1880 he married Alma Jackson from Morley
Morley
- Places :United Kingdom* Morley, County Durham, England* Morley, Derbyshire, England* Morley, West Yorkshire, England* Morley Saint Botolph, Norfolk, England* Morley Saint Peter, Norfolk, EnglandUnited States* Morley, Iowa* Morley, Michigan...
, the daughter of William Jackson, the founder of the Peel Mills in Leeds. They had one son and two daughters.
Career
Middlebrook went in for the law. He served his articlesArticled clerk
An articled clerk, also known as an articling student, is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy profession and in the legal profession. The articled clerk signs a contract, known as "articles of clerkship", committing to a...
at Barton-upon-Humber
Barton-upon-Humber
Barton-upon-Humber or Barton is a small town and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary, and at the end of the Humber Bridge. It lies east of Leeds, southwest of Hull and north northeast of the county town of Lincoln...
and was admitted as a solicitor in 1872 or 1873. He began to practice in Birstall but later moved to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Morley, where he lived at Thornfield House, now the Masonic Lodge. He built up a large practice in which he was later joined by his son Harold.
Politics
Middlebrook held Liberal political views, perhaps strengthened by his active and lifelong membership of the Methodist Church. In 1883 he was elected a layLaity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
member of the Wesleyan Conference and in 1893 he became Treasurer of the Methodist General Chapel Committee. He entered Liberal politics and served as Hon. Secretary to the Spen Valley
Spen Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Spen Valley was a parliamentary constituency in the valley of the River Spen in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
Liberal Association from 1885-95. In 1892 he was elected a member of Morley Town Council
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
and was appointed an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1894. He was Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Morley in 1896 and in 1904 and he served as Mayor of Leeds in 1910-11. He was made an Honorary Freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Morley in 1919. While he was Mayor of Leeds, Middlebrook inaugurated a scheme for extending Leeds Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary, also known as the LGI or, more correctly, The General Infirmary at Leeds, is a large teaching hospital based in the centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England and is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust....
under which nearly £130,000 was raised. He received the honorary freedom of Leeds in 1926.
Middlebrook entered the House of Commons at a by-election in 1908
Leeds South by-election, 1908
The Leeds South by-election, 1908 was a parliamentary by-election for the House of Commons constituency of Leeds South in the West Riding of Yorkshire held on 13 February 1908.-Vacancy:...
for Leeds South
Leeds South (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds South was a parliamentary constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, 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 1983 general election...
. The seat had become vacant on the death of the sitting Liberal MP, Sir John Lawson Walton
John Lawson Walton
Sir John Lawson Walton KC was a British barrister and Liberal politician.-Family and education:John Lawson Walton was the son of the Reverend John Walton MA, a Wesleyan missionary in Ceylon who later preached at Grahamstown in South Africa and who became President of the Wesleyan Conference for...
(1852–1908) who held the office of Attorney General
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
at the time of his death. It seems that one of the reasons Middlebrook was selected was his ability to give financial aid to the Leeds South Liberal Association. Walton had paid the salary of his political agent and Middlebrook undertook to pay the constituency £100 a year. This was at a time when MPs were not yet paid a salary. The by-election took place on 13 February 1908 and Middlebrook held the seat for the Liberals with a majority of 359 over his Unionist
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...
opponent Reginald Neville
Sir Reginald Neville, 1st Baronet
Sir Reginald James Neville Neville, 1st Baronet , born Reginald Neville White, was a British barrister and Conservative and Unionist member of parliament...
, with Labour’s
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Albert Fox in third place. Middlebrook held his seat until 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...
when he was defeated in a straight fight by Labour’s Henry Charleton. He did not stand for Parliament again.
Honours and appointments
Middlebrook was knighted in 1916 and created a baronetBaronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1930. He served on a number of Parliamentary committees. In 1918 he was appointed to a Select Committee
Select Committee
A select committee is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues originating in the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
to look into gas
Coal gas
Coal gas is a flammable gaseous fuel made by the destructive distillation of coal containing a variety of calorific gases including hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and volatile hydrocarbons together with small quantities of non-calorific gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen...
prices and dividends in the wake of damage to the industry during the First World War. In 1922 he was nominated as Chairman of an Inquiry set up by the International Labour Office of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
into the problem of disinfection of wool and hair infected with anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
spores, especially relating to keeping flocks of sheep and related animal products free from contamination. Middlebrook acted as Chairman of the Local Legislation Committee of the House of Commons from 1913-1922 and it was in recognition for this work that he was knighted. With this background and his local government experience it was no surprise that he was appointed to sit on the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on Local Government set up in 1928. He was sometime member of the Consultative Council on Local Heath Administration and also served as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
After the death of Lord Oxford and Asquith in 1928, a memorial to the former Liberal leader and prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
was erected in his birthplace of Morley. Middlebrook as a Freeman of the Borough offered to have a bronze bust and tablets of Lord Oxford’s history erected in the Town Hall. The memorial was formally presented to the town of Morley by Middlebrook on 29 October 1928.
Death and heir
After he retired Middlebrook moved from Morley to Scarborough where he died after a long illness on 30 June 1936 aged 85 years. He was succeeded to the Middlebrook BaronetcyMiddlebrook Baronets
The Middlebrook Baronetcy, of Oakwell in the Parish of Birstall in the County of York, was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 4 february 1930 for William Middlebrook, previously Member of Parliament for Leeds South...
by his son Harold (1887–1971).