Thomas Herbert Robertson
Encyclopedia
Herbert Robertson (26 April 1849 - 11 July 1916) was a British
barrister
and Conservative
politician.
He was the only son of Thomas Storm Robertson, a physician and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
. Following education at Magdalen College, Oxford
, from which he graduated in 1872, he studied law. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
in 1878.
In 1880 he married Helen Alexandria Melian Durdin, co-heiress of Alexander Durdin of Huntington Castle, County Carlow
, Ireland
. The couple divided their time between the Irish estate (in 1899 Robertson was High Sheriff of Carlow
) and their London home "The Cedars", South Hackney
. They were well known for their philanthropic works in the Hackney area.
In 1892 a general election
was called, and Robertson was selected as Conservative candidate to contest the Hackney South constituency
. He failed to unseat the sitting Liberal
member of parliament
and cabinet minister, Sir Charles Russell
. Russell was elevated to the House of Lords
in 1894, and Robertson was again Conservative candidate at the ensuing by-election. He narrowly failed to win the seat, reducing the Liberal majority to 192 votes.
Three years later a general election
was held, and Robertson succeeded in taking the seat with a small majority of 319 votes. He was re-elected at the 1900 general election
, by the slightly larger margin of 338 votes, but lost his seat in 1906
, when a Liberal landslide saw him defeated by over 3,400 votes.
Robertson retired from politics, and devoted himself to his Irish estate, while maintaining a London home in Bedford Square
. He died at his London residence in July 1916, aged 67.
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...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and Conservative
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.
He was the only son of Thomas Storm Robertson, a physician and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
. Following education at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, from which he graduated in 1872, he studied law. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1878.
In 1880 he married Helen Alexandria Melian Durdin, co-heiress of Alexander Durdin of Huntington Castle, County Carlow
County Carlow
County Carlow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow. Carlow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The couple divided their time between the Irish estate (in 1899 Robertson was High Sheriff of Carlow
High Sheriff of Carlow
The High Sheriff of Carlow was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Carlow, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Carlow County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and...
) and their London home "The Cedars", South Hackney
South Hackney
South Hackney is a district in the London Borough of Hackney situated north east of Charing Cross.It is immediately north of Victoria Park and the area centred on Victoria Park Road and Lauriston Road...
. They were well known for their philanthropic works in the Hackney area.
In 1892 a general election
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
was called, and Robertson was selected as Conservative candidate to contest the Hackney South constituency
Hackney South (UK Parliament constituency)
Hackney South was a parliamentary constituency in "The Metropolis" . It was represented by nine Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, only two of whom, Horatio Bottomley and Herbert Morrison, were returned.- History :The constituency was created...
. He failed to unseat the sitting 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...
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,...
and cabinet minister, Sir Charles Russell
Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen
Charles Arthur Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen, GCMG, PC, was an Irish statesman of the 19th century, and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.-Early life:...
. Russell was elevated to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
in 1894, and Robertson was again Conservative candidate at the ensuing by-election. He narrowly failed to win the seat, reducing the Liberal majority to 192 votes.
Three years later a general election
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
was held, and Robertson succeeded in taking the seat with a small majority of 319 votes. He was re-elected at the 1900 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, by the slightly larger margin of 338 votes, but lost his seat in 1906
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**...
, when a Liberal landslide saw him defeated by over 3,400 votes.
Robertson retired from politics, and devoted himself to his Irish estate, while maintaining a London home in Bedford Square
Bedford Square
Bedford Square is a square in the Bloomsbury district of the Borough of Camden in London, England.Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the sqare has had many distinguished residents, including Lord Eldon, one of Britain's longest serving and most celebrated Lord...
. He died at his London residence in July 1916, aged 67.