Charles James Fleming
Encyclopedia
Charles James Fleming QC
(26 November 1839 – 25 December 1904) was a British barrister
and Liberal Party
politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1892 to 1895, but his parliamentary career was cut short when he fell out with the Liberal Party in his constituency. His business ventures failed, and he was made bankrupt.
and Sale and his wife Anne, the daughter of Edward Rice Haywood from Liverpool
. He was educated privately, and then joined the Indian Civil Service in Bombay, working in the financial department. He was called to the bar at Gray's Inn
in 1872, and practised on the Northern Circuit
, becoming a Queen's Counsel
in July 1893.
In 1869 he married Georgina Brown, the youngest daughter of James Brown from Eccles
.
He unsuccessfully contested the borough of Pontefract
at the 1886 general election
, and at the 1892 general election
he was elected as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Doncaster division
of the West Riding of Yorkshire
, defeating the sitting Liberal Unionist
MP Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam
. In January 1894 the Doncaster Liberal Council decided not to adopt him as their candidate for the next election, resolving:
At the 1895 general election
he stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal candidate in the borough of Dudley
.
Meanwhile, Fleming had not practised law since 1891 or 1892, and had engaged in a series of unsuccessful business ventures.
In 1891 he had become the owner of a newspaper called the Weekly Review, but it ran for only 13 weeks and he lost £1,600. From 1893 to 1896 he was a director of a mining exploration company in Western Australia
, and in 1897 obtained an option to purchase
on two music hall
s in Paris
. He hoped to profit from this by floating a company
to take over the options, but flotation attempts failed in both London and Paris, and the options expired in November 1897.
This failure combined with a fall in the value of his Australian shares to leave him bankrupt by 1898, although the Official Receiver
concluded that the without the speculation in Paris, Fleming would probably not have become insolvent. In November 1898, Fleming's application for discharge from bankruptcy was opposed by the Official Receiver on the grounds that the debtor had contributed to his bankruptcy by rash and hazardous speculations.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(26 November 1839 – 25 December 1904) was a British 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 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. He sat in the House of Commons from 1892 to 1895, but his parliamentary career was cut short when he fell out with the Liberal Party in his constituency. His business ventures failed, and he was made bankrupt.
Career
Fleming was the oldest son of Lionel Fleming of ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Sale and his wife Anne, the daughter of Edward Rice Haywood from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He was educated privately, and then joined the Indian Civil Service in Bombay, working in the financial department. He was called to the bar at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1872, and practised on the Northern Circuit
Northern Circuit
The Northern Circuit dates from 1176 when Henry II sent his judges on circuit to do justice in his name. The Circuit encompassed the whole of the North of England but in 1876 it was divided. That part to the west of the Pennines retained the old name. The land to the east became the territory of...
, becoming a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in July 1893.
In 1869 he married Georgina Brown, the youngest daughter of James Brown from Eccles
Eccles
-Places:*Eccles, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders*Eccles, Greater Manchester, a town in North West England* Eccles — an electoral division represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom*Eccles, Kent, England...
.
He unsuccessfully contested the borough of Pontefract
Pontefract (UK Parliament constituency)
Pontefract was an English parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Pontefract in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons briefly in the 13th century and again from 1621 until 1885, and one member from 1885 to 1974.-In the unreformed...
at the 1886 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, and at the 1892 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...
he was elected as the 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,...
(MP) for the Doncaster division
Doncaster (UK Parliament constituency)
Doncaster was a Parliamentary constituency covering the town of Doncaster in England. The constituency was created in 1885 and abolished in 1983.- Boundaries :...
of 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...
, defeating the sitting Liberal Unionist
Liberal Unionist Party
The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington and Joseph Chamberlain, the party formed a political alliance with the Conservative Party in opposition to Irish Home Rule...
MP Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam
Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam
The Hon. William Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam , was a British Liberal, and later Liberal Unionist politician.-Background:...
. In January 1894 the Doncaster Liberal Council decided not to adopt him as their candidate for the next election, resolving:
"That, after what has transpired between their member of Parliament and the executive, this meeting is of the opinion that Mr. C. J. Fleming, M.P. for the Doncaster division of Yorkshire, no longer retains the confidence of the Liberal party in the division. This Executive therefore recommend the Liberal Council at its annual meeting to adopt another candidate for the next election, while wishing Mr Fleming to retain his seat during the present Parliament and the executive to take steps to secure another candidate"
At the 1895 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...
he stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal candidate in the borough of Dudley
Dudley (UK Parliament constituency)
Dudley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Dudley, which was historically in Worcestershire, before being transferred into Staffordshire in 1966 and since 1974 has been in the West Midlands....
.
Meanwhile, Fleming had not practised law since 1891 or 1892, and had engaged in a series of unsuccessful business ventures.
In 1891 he had become the owner of a newspaper called the Weekly Review, but it ran for only 13 weeks and he lost £1,600. From 1893 to 1896 he was a director of a mining exploration company in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, and in 1897 obtained an option to purchase
Option contract
An option contract is defined as "a promise which meets the requirements for the formation of a contract and limits the promisor's power to revoke an offer." Restatement of Contracts § 25 ....
on two music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
s in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He hoped to profit from this by floating a company
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
to take over the options, but flotation attempts failed in both London and Paris, and the options expired in November 1897.
This failure combined with a fall in the value of his Australian shares to leave him bankrupt by 1898, although the Official Receiver
Official Receiver
An officer of the Insolvency Service of the United Kingdom, the Official Receiver is an officer of the court to which he is attached. The OR is therefore answerable to the courts for carrying out the courts' orders and for fulfilling his duties under law...
concluded that the without the speculation in Paris, Fleming would probably not have become insolvent. In November 1898, Fleming's application for discharge from bankruptcy was opposed by the Official Receiver on the grounds that the debtor had contributed to his bankruptcy by rash and hazardous speculations.