Henry Norman
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Norman, 1st Baronet PC
(19 September 1858 –4 June 1939) was an English
journalist
and Liberal
politician
. Norman was educated privately in France and at Harvard University, where he obtained his B.A. For several years he worked on the editorial staff of the Pall Mall Gazette and later joined the editorial staff of the News Chronicle, being appointed Assistant Editor of the latter in 1895. He retired from journalism in 1899. During this time he travelled widely in Canada and the United States and in Russia, Japan, China, Siam, Malaya and Central Asia. Much of the material included in the two volumes mentioned in the description was amassed during these tours.
, the son of Henry Norman, a merchant and local radical politician. Norman was educated at Leicester Collegiate School and Grove House School and later studied theology
and philosophy
at Leipzig
and Harvard University
. His family were Unitarians
in religion and Norman first embarked in a career as a preacher but he gave up this calling and his religion on his return to England. In 1891 he married Ménie Muriel Dowie
(1867-1945) but they divorced in 1903. Norman was awarded custody of their son Henry Nigel St Valery Norman
who was born in 1897. In 1907 he married Florence Priscilla (‘Fay’) McLaren (1884–1964), the daughter of the wealthy industrialist and Liberal MP, Sir Charles Benjamin Bright McLaren, later Lord Aberconway
. They had three children.
and the New York Times. As a journalist he was famous for getting at the truth behind the Dreyfuss Affair. He was on the staff of the Daily Chronicle
from 1892, becoming assistant editor. Norman also travelled extensively in the East, where he took a number of photographs that are held at Cambridge University
. Later he founded the magazine The World's Work.
Committee on Wireless Telegraphy
1912, and Chairman of the Imperial Wireless Telegraphy Committee of 1920, the latter convened to draw up a complete wireless scheme for the Empire.
In other business, Norman was a director of a number of companies connected to the coal mining and iron trades industries.
Member of Parliament
for Wolverhampton South
from 1900 to 1910, and for Blackburn
from 1910 to 1923. He was created a Baronet, of Honeyhanger in the Parish of Shottermill in the County of Surrey, in 1915 and in 1918 he was admitted to the Privy Council
. In January 1910 he was appointed Assistant Postmaster General but a few days later he lost his seat in the general election of January 1910 and he never held ministerial office again. He was however made chairman of a number of important government ranging from the Imperial Wireless Telegraphy Committee
to committees on Patent Medicines and Rent Restrictions, Betting Duty and Industrial Paints. Norman was also appointed a Justice of the Peace
for Surrey
.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(19 September 1858 –4 June 1939) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Norman was educated privately in France and at Harvard University, where he obtained his B.A. For several years he worked on the editorial staff of the Pall Mall Gazette and later joined the editorial staff of the News Chronicle, being appointed Assistant Editor of the latter in 1895. He retired from journalism in 1899. During this time he travelled widely in Canada and the United States and in Russia, Japan, China, Siam, Malaya and Central Asia. Much of the material included in the two volumes mentioned in the description was amassed during these tours.
Family and Education
Norman was born at LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, the son of Henry Norman, a merchant and local radical politician. Norman was educated at Leicester Collegiate School and Grove House School and later studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. His family were Unitarians
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
in religion and Norman first embarked in a career as a preacher but he gave up this calling and his religion on his return to England. In 1891 he married Ménie Muriel Dowie
Ménie Muriel Dowie
Ménie Muriel Dowie was a British writer.Dowie was born in Liverpool as the daughter of James Muir Dowie, a merchant, and Annie Dowie. Her maternal grandfather was Scottish author and publisher Robert Chambers....
(1867-1945) but they divorced in 1903. Norman was awarded custody of their son Henry Nigel St Valery Norman
Nigel Norman
Air Commodore Sir Henry Nigel St Valery Norman Bt, CBE, RAF was a consulting civil engineer and Royal Air Force officer during the first half of the 20th century.-Early years:...
who was born in 1897. In 1907 he married Florence Priscilla (‘Fay’) McLaren (1884–1964), the daughter of the wealthy industrialist and Liberal MP, Sir Charles Benjamin Bright McLaren, later Lord Aberconway
Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway
Charles Benjamin Bright McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway, PC, QC, JP , known as Sir Charles McLaren, 1st Baronet between 1902 and 1911, was a Scottish jurist and Liberal Party politician. He was a landowner and industrialist.-Education:Born in Edinburgh, McLaren was the son of the politician Duncan...
. They had three children.
Journalism
Norman became a journalist working for the Pall Mall GazettePall Mall Gazette
The Pall Mall Gazette was an evening newspaper founded in London on 7 February 1865 by George Murray Smith; its first editor was Frederick Greenwood...
and the New York Times. As a journalist he was famous for getting at the truth behind the Dreyfuss Affair. He was on the staff of the Daily Chronicle
Daily Chronicle
The Daily Chronicle was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the Daily News to become the News Chronicle.-History:...
from 1892, becoming assistant editor. Norman also travelled extensively in the East, where he took a number of photographs that are held at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Later he founded the magazine The World's Work.
Business
He was appointed Assistant Postmaster-General in 1910 and his interest in interantional communications led to a number of appointments related to wireless and telegraphy, among them Chairman of the War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
Committee on Wireless Telegraphy
Wireless telegraphy
Wireless telegraphy is a historical term used today to apply to early radio telegraph communications techniques and practices, particularly those used during the first three decades of radio before the term radio came into use....
1912, and Chairman of the Imperial Wireless Telegraphy Committee of 1920, the latter convened to draw up a complete wireless scheme for the Empire.
In other business, Norman was a director of a number of companies connected to the coal mining and iron trades industries.
Politics
Norman was a LiberalLiberal 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...
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 Wolverhampton South
Wolverhampton South (UK Parliament constituency)
Wolverhampton South was a parliamentary constituency in the town of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
from 1900 to 1910, and for Blackburn
Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)
Blackburn is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The town currently elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has elected Labour MPs since its re-creation in 1955.-Boundaries:The constituency...
from 1910 to 1923. He was created a Baronet, of Honeyhanger in the Parish of Shottermill in the County of Surrey, in 1915 and in 1918 he was admitted to the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. In January 1910 he was appointed Assistant Postmaster General but a few days later he lost his seat in the general election of January 1910 and he never held ministerial office again. He was however made chairman of a number of important government ranging from the Imperial Wireless Telegraphy Committee
Imperial Wireless Chain
The Imperial Wireless Chain, also known as the Empire Wireless Chain, was a strategic international wireless telegraphy communications network, created to link the countries of the British Empire. Although the idea was conceived prior to World War I, Britain was the last of the world's Great Powers...
to committees on Patent Medicines and Rent Restrictions, Betting Duty and Industrial Paints. Norman was also appointed 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...
.
Selected writings
- An Account of the Harvard Greek Play (1881)
- The Preservation of Niagara Falls (1882)
- The Real Japan (1892)
- The Peoples and Politics of the Far East (1895) http://www.archive.org/details/peoplesandpolit04normgoog
- Round the Near East
- All the Russias (1902)
- Will No Man Understand? a play, (1934)