William Cozens-Hardy, 2nd Baron Cozens-Hardy
Encyclopedia
William Hepburn Cozens-Hardy, 2nd Baron Cozens-Hardy (25 March 1869 – 25 May 1924) was a British Liberal
politician and lawyer.
and Maria Hepburn. Herbert Cozens-Hardy was a lawyer and Liberal Member of Parliament
for North Norfolk
from 1885-99. He was then appointed a judge and eventually became Master of the Rolls
. The Barony was created in 1914 and William succeeded as 2nd Baron on the death of his father in 1920. In 1895, he married Gertrude Lilian the eldest daughter of Colonel Sir William Everett KCMG. They had one daughter.
in Hampstead
where he was leader of the school debating society and Captain of School. He then went up to New College, Oxford
where he took his degree with classical honours.
of Lincoln’s Inn in 1916. He also sat as a Justice of the Peace
in Norfolk
. In 1913 he was offered the post of Chief Justice of Bengal
but refused for private reasons. Throughout the four years of the First World War, he was a Commander
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
, serving on the Admiralty
War Staff, attached to the Intelligence Department. He was awarded the Italian Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus. He was knighted in 1912.
. He was elected as Liberal MP for South Norfolk
at the 1918 general election
. Although he stood as a Coalition Liberal at that election he did not receive the Coalition coupon. One source indicates this was because he was late entering the field. He then chose to take the Coalition whip
in Parliament. William's political stance in the election has been described as a "...conventional Coalition programme: support for Lloyd George and harsh peace with Germany, jobs abd houses for the returning soldiers all topped off with expressions of concern about agriculture and repeated references to his own Norfolk roots."
When William succeeded his father to the peerage he had to stand down from the House of Commons and in the by-election of 27 July 1920
which followed, his seat was won by George Edwards
, the Labour
candidate with the Liberal vote split between Lloyd George
Coalition Liberal and Asquithian Independent Liberal candidates.
in Bavaria
on 25 May 1924. As he had no male heir, the title passed to his younger brother, Edward Herbert Cozens-Hardy (1873-1956).
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 and lawyer.
Family
Cozens-Hardy was the eldest son of Herbert Cozens-Hardy, 1st Baron Cozens-HardyHerbert Cozens-Hardy, 1st Baron Cozens-Hardy
Herbert Hardy Cozens-Hardy, 1st Baron Cozens-Hardy was a British politician and Master of the Rolls from 1907 until 1918.-Early life:...
and Maria Hepburn. Herbert Cozens-Hardy was a lawyer and Liberal 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 North Norfolk
North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
North Norfolk is a parliamentary 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....
from 1885-99. He was then appointed a judge and eventually became Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
. The Barony was created in 1914 and William succeeded as 2nd Baron on the death of his father in 1920. In 1895, he married Gertrude Lilian the eldest daughter of Colonel Sir William Everett KCMG. They had one daughter.
Education
William was educated at University College SchoolUniversity College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
where he was leader of the school debating society and Captain of School. He then went up to New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
where he took his degree with classical honours.
Career
Like his father, William went into the law. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1893 and took silk in 1912. He was made a BencherBencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of Lincoln’s Inn in 1916. He also sat 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...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. In 1913 he was offered the post of Chief Justice of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
but refused for private reasons. Throughout the four years of the First World War, he was a Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
, serving on the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
War Staff, attached to the Intelligence Department. He was awarded the Italian Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus. He was knighted in 1912.
Politics
Cozens-Hardy also followed his father in his political affiliation. While at Oxford University he was involved in Liberal politics, being a member of the Russell Club and he was President of the UnionOxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
. He was elected as Liberal MP for South Norfolk
South Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
South Norfolk is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1868 until 1885 it returned two members but thereafter elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
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...
. Although he stood as a Coalition Liberal at that election he did not receive the Coalition coupon. One source indicates this was because he was late entering the field. He then chose to take the Coalition whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in Parliament. William's political stance in the election has been described as a "...conventional Coalition programme: support for Lloyd George and harsh peace with Germany, jobs abd houses for the returning soldiers all topped off with expressions of concern about agriculture and repeated references to his own Norfolk roots."
When William succeeded his father to the peerage he had to stand down from the House of Commons and in the by-election of 27 July 1920
South Norfolk by-election, 1920
The South Norfolk by-election, 1920 was a by-election held on 27 July 1920 for the British House of Commons constituency of South Norfolk.The by-election was triggered by the succession to the peerage of the serving Coalition Liberal Member of Parliament , William Cozens-Hardy.South Norfolk had...
which followed, his seat was won by George Edwards
George Edwards (British politician)
Sir George Edwards OBE was a trade unionist and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.- Life :...
, the Labour
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...
candidate with the Liberal vote split between Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
Coalition Liberal and Asquithian Independent Liberal candidates.
Death
Cozens-Hardy was a pioneer of motoring. In the early days of his marriage he and his wife would undertake long and hazardous trips around continental Europe. This love of cars was the cause of his death as he was killed in a motor accident at Bucchof, StarnbergStarnberg
The city of Starnberg is in Bavaria, Germany, some 30 km south-west of Munich. It lies at the north end of Lake Starnberg, in the heart of the "Five Lakes Country", and serves as capital of the district of Starnberg...
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
on 25 May 1924. As he had no male heir, the title passed to his younger brother, Edward Herbert Cozens-Hardy (1873-1956).