George Sclater-Booth, 1st Baron Basing
Encyclopedia
George Limbrey Sclater-Booth, 1st Baron Basing PC, FRS
, DL
(19 May 1826 – 22 October 1894), known as George Sclater-Booth before 1887, was a British
Conservative
politician. He served as President of the Local Government Board
under Benjamin Disraeli between 1874 and 1880.
, and Anna Maria, daughter of William Bowyer. His brother was the naturalist Philip Sclater
. He was educated at Winchester
and Balliol College, Oxford
, and was called to the Bar
, Inner Temple
, in 1851. In 1857 he assumed by Royal license the additional surname of Booth.
for North Hampshire
in 1857, which constituency he would represent until 1885, when the constituency was divided. He was then returned for Basingstoke, one of the new divisions of the his old constituency, for which he sat until being made a peer in 1887. His first position in government was that of Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board in Lord Derby
's third and final ministry, replacing Ralph Anstruther Earle
(formerly Disraeli's private secretary), who had resigned over the Reform Bill of 1867
. He later served as Financial Secretary to the Treasury
in Benjamin Disraeli's short-lived 1868 government
. When the Conservatives returned to power in 1874 under Disraeli he was made President of the Local Government Board
, which post he held until the fall of the government in 1880. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1874 and in 1887 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Basing, of Basing Byflete and of Hoddington, both in the County of Southampton.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, DL
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....
(19 May 1826 – 22 October 1894), known as George Sclater-Booth before 1887, 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...
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 served as President of the Local Government Board
President of the Local Government Board
The President of the Local Government Board was a ministerial post, frequently a Cabinet position, in the United Kingdom, established in 1871. The Local Government Board itself was established in 1871 and took over supervisory functions from the Board of Trade and the Home Office, including the...
under Benjamin Disraeli between 1874 and 1880.
Background and education
Born George Sclater, Basing was the son of William Lutley Sclater, of Hoddington House, HampshireHampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, and Anna Maria, daughter of William Bowyer. His brother was the naturalist Philip Sclater
Philip Sclater
Philip Lutley Sclater was an English lawyer and zoologist. In zoology, he was an expert ornithologist, and identified the main zoogeographic regions of the world...
. He was educated at Winchester
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, and was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
, 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 1851. In 1857 he assumed by Royal license the additional surname of Booth.
Political career
Basing was elected Member of ParliamentMember 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 Hampshire
North Hampshire (UK Parliament constituency)
- Notes and references :...
in 1857, which constituency he would represent until 1885, when the constituency was divided. He was then returned for Basingstoke, one of the new divisions of the his old constituency, for which he sat until being made a peer in 1887. His first position in government was that of Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board in Lord Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
's third and final ministry, replacing Ralph Anstruther Earle
Ralph Anstruther Earle
Ralph Anstruther Earle was a British Conservative Party politician.He was elected at the 1859 general election as a Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed, but resigned from the House of Commons the same year through appointment as Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds on 12 August 1859.He...
(formerly Disraeli's private secretary), who had resigned over the Reform Bill of 1867
Reform Act 1867
The Representation of the People Act 1867, 30 & 31 Vict. c. 102 was a piece of British legislation that enfranchised the urban male working class in England and Wales....
. He later served as Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
in Benjamin Disraeli's short-lived 1868 government
First Disraeli ministry
After the parliamentary session which produced the Second Reform Bill, Disraeli's eventual assumption of the leadership of the Conservative Party was all but assured...
. When the Conservatives returned to power in 1874 under Disraeli he was made President of the Local Government Board
President of the Local Government Board
The President of the Local Government Board was a ministerial post, frequently a Cabinet position, in the United Kingdom, established in 1871. The Local Government Board itself was established in 1871 and took over supervisory functions from the Board of Trade and the Home Office, including the...
, which post he held until the fall of the government in 1880. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1874 and in 1887 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Basing, of Basing Byflete and of Hoddington, both in the County of Southampton.