Edward Leveson-Gower
Encyclopedia
Edward Frederick Leveson-Gower DL
, JP
(3 May 1819 – 30 May 1907), styled The Honourable from birth, was a British
barrister and Liberal
politician. He was commonly known under his second surname and was sometimes nicknamed Freddy Leveson.
was the second surviving son of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville
and his wife Lady Harriet Elizabeth Cavendish, second daughter of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
. He spent his early childhood, first in his father's residence at Wherstead
, and when his father had become ambassador in France
in 1824, at the British embassy in Paris
, where he was a playmate of Henri, comte de Chambord
. Aged eight, he was sent back to England
on a school in Brighton
, after which he entered Eton College
. Leveson-Gower left the latter in 1835 and was privately educated for the next two years, until he went on Christ Church College, Oxford in 1837. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in 1840 and a Master of Arts four years later. After his Grand Tour
, he was then called to the bar by the Inner Temple
in 1845, practising in the Oxford circuit.
for Derby
with the support of his uncle William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire
in May 1847. However, the election was overturned on petition in July and Leveson-Gower did not stand in the by-election. From 1851, he worked as précis writer in the Foreign Office until the following year, when by the influence of his cousin George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland
, he stood successfully as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Stoke-upon-Trent
, a seat he lost in the general election of 1857
. Two years later, he was returned for Bodmin
and represented the constituency until his retirement from politics in 1885. Leveson-Gower was a Justice of the Peace
for Surrey
and served as a Deputy Lieutenant
for the county.
in 1850, Leveson-Gower, after his return, married Lady Margaret Compton, daughter of Spencer Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton
on 1 June 1851. She died only a few years later. Their only son George sat later in the Parliament of the United Kingdom
for North West Staffordshire
and also for Stoke-upon-Trent
. In 1856, Leveson-Gower joined his brother Granville
on a special mission to Russia
. He died in 1907, aged 88, having been in his later life a friend of William Ewart Gladstone
and his wife.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
, JP
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...
(3 May 1819 – 30 May 1907), styled The Honourable from birth, was a British
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 and 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...
politician. He was commonly known under his second surname and was sometimes nicknamed Freddy Leveson.
Background and education
Leveson-GowerLeveson-Gower
Leveson-Gower is the name of a powerful noble family.*Several members of the family:**Baronets of Sittenham**Barons Gower**Earls Gower**Earls Granville**Earls of Sutherland**Marquesses of Stafford...
was the second surviving son of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville
Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville
Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville GCB PC , known as Lord Granville Leveson-Gower from 1786 to 1814 and as the Viscount Granville from 1814 to 1833, was a British Whig statesman and diplomat....
and his wife Lady Harriet Elizabeth Cavendish, second daughter of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, KG was a British aristocrat and politician. He was the eldest son of the William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire by his wife the heiress Lady Charlotte Boyle, suo jure Baroness Clifford of Lanesborough, who brought in considerable money and estates to...
. He spent his early childhood, first in his father's residence at Wherstead
Wherstead
Wherstead is a village and a civil parish located in county Suffolk, England. Wherstead village lies south of Ipswich. It is an ancient settlement, and from its soil the plough has brought to light many evidences of occupation by Romans and by early Britons. In the Domesday Book the place is...
, and when his father had become ambassador in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1824, at the British embassy 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...
, where he was a playmate of Henri, comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord was disputedly King of France from 2 to 9 August 1830 as Henry V, although he was never officially proclaimed as such...
. Aged eight, he was sent back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on a school in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, after which he entered Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. Leveson-Gower left the latter in 1835 and was privately educated for the next two years, until he went on Christ Church College, Oxford in 1837. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1840 and a Master of Arts four years later. After his Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
, he was then called to the bar by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, 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 1845, practising in the Oxford circuit.
Career
Leveson-Gower entered the British House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Derby
Derby (UK Parliament constituency)
Derby is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950. It was represented by two Members of...
with the support of his uncle William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire
William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire KG, PC , styled Marquess of Hartington until 1811, was a British peer, courtier and Whig politician...
in May 1847. However, the election was overturned on petition in July and Leveson-Gower did not stand in the by-election. From 1851, he worked as précis writer in the Foreign Office until the following year, when by the influence of his cousin George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland
George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG , styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British peer....
, he stood successfully 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,...
(MP) for Stoke-upon-Trent
Stoke-upon-Trent (UK Parliament constituency)
Stoke-upon-Trent was a parliamentary borough in Staffordshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1832 until 1885, and then one member from 1885 until 1918, when the borough was enlarged, renamed Stoke-on-Trent, and split into three single-member...
, a seat he lost in the general election of 1857
United Kingdom general election, 1857
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
. Two years later, he was returned for Bodmin
Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)
Bodmin was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England and later the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1868 general...
and represented the constituency until his retirement from politics in 1885. Leveson-Gower was 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...
for Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and served as a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for the county.
Personal life
Having travelled to IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1850, Leveson-Gower, after his return, married Lady Margaret Compton, daughter of Spencer Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton
Spencer Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton
Spencer Joshua Alwyne Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton , known as Lord Compton from 1796 to 1812 and as Earl Compton from 1812 to 1828, was a British nobleman and patron of science and the arts....
on 1 June 1851. She died only a few years later. Their only son George sat later in the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
for North West Staffordshire
North West Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North West Staffordshire was a constituency in Staffordshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Elections were held using the first past the post voting system.-History:...
and also for Stoke-upon-Trent
Stoke-upon-Trent (UK Parliament constituency)
Stoke-upon-Trent was a parliamentary borough in Staffordshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1832 until 1885, and then one member from 1885 until 1918, when the borough was enlarged, renamed Stoke-on-Trent, and split into three single-member...
. In 1856, Leveson-Gower joined his brother Granville
Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville
Granville George Leveson Gower, 2nd Earl Granville KG, PC FRS , styled Lord Leveson until 1846, was a British Liberal statesman...
on a special mission to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He died in 1907, aged 88, having been in his later life a friend of William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
and his wife.