John Howard Whitehouse
Encyclopedia
John Howard Whitehouse was the founder and first Warden of Bembridge School and the second son of George Whitehouse. A Quaker, George Whitehouse was an uncompromising Gladstonian Liberal whose strong views on issues such as Irish Home Rule and opposition to the politics of Liberal Unionist, later Conservative, leader Joseph Chamberlain
were to shape his son's political views. Whitehouse, throughout his career in politics and later at Bembridge was an intense believer in the right of the individual to shape his own life and a bitter opponent of any form of bureaucratic control.
In 1894 Whitehouse joined the firm of Cadbury as a clerk. Living in Bournville he came under the influence of Ruskin and founded the Ruskin Society of Birmingham, organising lectures and classes by notable speakers. He proceeded to devote much of his career to education and youth work. He worked with Baden Powell and edited "The Scout", became Sub-Warden of St George's School in Harpenden and was warden of the Manchester University Settlement at Ancoats.
In 1910 Whitehouse entered Parliament as a Liberal representing the constituency of Mid Lanarkshire
where he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lloyd George
and pursued his interest in education serving on a number of committees dealing with child labour, child wages and reformatory work. In 1916 he lent his support to the growing conscientious objector movement, reflecting his Quaker background.
Shortly before the Great War broke out Whitehouse was introduced to Edward Daws, who showed him the Isle of Wight. He was so taken with the place that he bought a field and a house known as The Old School House. This was to form the nucleus of Bembridge School a few years later.
As a result of a minor revision of constituencies Mid-Lannark ceased to exist and Whitehouse unsuccessfully fought for the Hamilton seat in the 1918 election which saw the Liberals lose power for the next century. This defeat germinated the idea that had long been in his thoughts, the foundation of a boarding school based on different principles to those underlying orthodox public schools of the day.
Whilst his life from 1919 was closely bound up with the school he continued to pursue outside interests, penning a number of pamphlets and books on the subject of education and contesting every election between 1922 and 1935 (with, as he once noted wryly "equal measure of success"). He organised the committee to ensure the preservation of The Fram
, the ship which carried Norwegian polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen
to the Arctic and later Roald Amundsen
to the Antarctic. He also bought Brantwood, Ruskin's home in the Lake District.
He continued to pursue a political career. He again stood as a Parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Party at five General Elections; Hanley in 1922, Hereford in 1923, Southampton in 1929, Thornbury in 1931 and Stoke Newington in 1935.
In 1953, during an Old Boys cricket match, he was struck in the eye by a cricket ball, and was severely injured. The effects incapacitated him and he died in his sleep on 28 September 1955.
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
were to shape his son's political views. Whitehouse, throughout his career in politics and later at Bembridge was an intense believer in the right of the individual to shape his own life and a bitter opponent of any form of bureaucratic control.
In 1894 Whitehouse joined the firm of Cadbury as a clerk. Living in Bournville he came under the influence of Ruskin and founded the Ruskin Society of Birmingham, organising lectures and classes by notable speakers. He proceeded to devote much of his career to education and youth work. He worked with Baden Powell and edited "The Scout", became Sub-Warden of St George's School in Harpenden and was warden of the Manchester University Settlement at Ancoats.
In 1910 Whitehouse entered Parliament as a Liberal representing the constituency of Mid Lanarkshire
Mid Lanarkshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Lanarkshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.- Boundaries :...
where he served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and pursued his interest in education serving on a number of committees dealing with child labour, child wages and reformatory work. In 1916 he lent his support to the growing conscientious objector movement, reflecting his Quaker background.
Shortly before the Great War broke out Whitehouse was introduced to Edward Daws, who showed him the Isle of Wight. He was so taken with the place that he bought a field and a house known as The Old School House. This was to form the nucleus of Bembridge School a few years later.
As a result of a minor revision of constituencies Mid-Lannark ceased to exist and Whitehouse unsuccessfully fought for the Hamilton seat in the 1918 election which saw the Liberals lose power for the next century. This defeat germinated the idea that had long been in his thoughts, the foundation of a boarding school based on different principles to those underlying orthodox public schools of the day.
Whilst his life from 1919 was closely bound up with the school he continued to pursue outside interests, penning a number of pamphlets and books on the subject of education and contesting every election between 1922 and 1935 (with, as he once noted wryly "equal measure of success"). He organised the committee to ensure the preservation of The Fram
Fram
Fram is a ship that was used in expeditions of the Arctic and Antarctic regions by the Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, Oscar Wisting, and Roald Amundsen between 1893 and 1912...
, the ship which carried Norwegian polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
to the Arctic and later Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
to the Antarctic. He also bought Brantwood, Ruskin's home in the Lake District.
He continued to pursue a political career. He again stood as a Parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Party at five General Elections; Hanley in 1922, Hereford in 1923, Southampton in 1929, Thornbury in 1931 and Stoke Newington in 1935.
In 1953, during an Old Boys cricket match, he was struck in the eye by a cricket ball, and was severely injured. The effects incapacitated him and he died in his sleep on 28 September 1955.