Ashton Wentworth Dilke
Encyclopedia
Ashton Wentworth Dilke was a British traveller and radical Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1883.
He was the younger son of Sir Charles Dilke, 1st Baronet
, and was educated privately before being admitted to Trinity Hall, Cambridge
in 1868. He was made a scholar in 1870 and was a prominent member of the Cambridge Union Society
, although he left before finishing his degree, instead travelling to Russia in 1872. For several months he lived in a Russian village and studied the language, as well as examining the status of the Russian peasantry. He returned in 1873 showing signs of tuberculosis
, the disease which eventually killed him. He began writing a book about Russia, two chapters of which appeared in the Fortnightly Review
in 1874, but it was never published.
In 1875 he bought the Weekly Dispatch for £14,000, acting as editor until 1876 and then again between 1878 and 1880. In 1878 he published a translation of Ivan Turgenev
's Virgin Soil.
In 1876 he married Margaret Smith, eldest daughter of Thomas Eustace Smith
, with whom he had two sons and a daughter. In 1880 he was elected as a Member of Parliament
for Newcastle-upon-Tyne
, but his ill-health led him to resign in February 1883, spending the last few months of his life in Algiers
, where he died in March.
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 who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1883.
He was the younger son of Sir Charles Dilke, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Dilke, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, 1st Baronet , English Whig politician, son of Charles Wentworth Dilke, proprietor and editor of The Athenaeum, was born in London, and was educated at Westminster School and Trinity Hall, Cambridge...
, and was educated privately before being admitted to Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
in 1868. He was made a scholar in 1870 and was a prominent member of the Cambridge Union Society
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, commonly referred to as simply "the Cambridge Union" or "the Union," is a debating society in Cambridge, England and is the largest society at the University of Cambridge. Since its founding in 1815, the Union has developed a worldwide reputation as a noted symbol of...
, although he left before finishing his degree, instead travelling to Russia in 1872. For several months he lived in a Russian village and studied the language, as well as examining the status of the Russian peasantry. He returned in 1873 showing signs of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, the disease which eventually killed him. He began writing a book about Russia, two chapters of which appeared in the Fortnightly Review
Fortnightly Review
Fortnightly Review was one of the most important and influential magazines in nineteenth-century England. It was founded in 1865 by Anthony Trollope, Frederic Harrison, Edward Spencer Beesly, and six others with an investment of £9,000; the first edition appeared on 15 May 1865...
in 1874, but it was never published.
In 1875 he bought the Weekly Dispatch for £14,000, acting as editor until 1876 and then again between 1878 and 1880. In 1878 he published a translation of Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev was a Russian novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His first major publication, a short story collection entitled A Sportsman's Sketches, is a milestone of Russian Realism, and his novel Fathers and Sons is regarded as one of the major works of 19th-century...
's Virgin Soil.
In 1876 he married Margaret Smith, eldest daughter of Thomas Eustace Smith
Thomas Eustace Smith
Thomas Eustace Smith was an English shipping magnate and Liberal Party politician. He was elected at the 1868 general election as the Member of Parliament for Tynemouth and North Shields, having stood unsuccessfully in Dover at the 1865 general election...
, with whom he had two sons and a daughter. In 1880 he was elected as a 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 Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne was a borough constituency in the county of Northumberland of the House of Commons of England to 1706 then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
, but his ill-health led him to resign in February 1883, spending the last few months of his life in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, where he died in March.