Reuben Barrow
Encyclopedia
Sir Reuben Vincent Barrow (27 April 1838 – 13 Feb 1918) was an English magistrate
and Liberal Party
politician. He was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bermondsey
from 1892 to 1895.
Barrow was elected at the 1892 general election
as MP for Bermondsey, defeating the sitting Conservative
MP Alfred Lafone
. However, served only three years in Parliament
, losing his seat to Lafone at the 1895 general election
. After his defeat, he did not stand again.
During his time in the House of Commons he introduced the London (Equalization of Rates) Bill, which was enacted in 1894. In its first ten years of operation, about £6million was distributed from richer parishes to poorer ones.
He had moved to Croydon in 1873, and when the town was given its borough charter
in 1883, he was elected to the council, becoming the third Mayor of Croydon in 1885. He was also Chairman of Croydon
magistrates bench for 21 years. He was a Commissioner of income tax, and an active member of the Baptist Church.
Barrow was made a freeman
of Croydon in 1909, and was knight
ed in the New Years Honours in 1912; the title was conferred on 8 March 1912. He died at this home in Croydon on 13 February 1918, aged 79, and was buried in Queen's Road Cemetery, after a funeral service at West Croydon Tabernacle.
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...
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 was 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 Bermondsey
Bermondsey (UK Parliament constituency)
Bermondsey was a borough constituency centred on the Bermondsey district of South London, England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1892 to 1895.
Barrow was elected 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...
as MP for Bermondsey, defeating the sitting 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...
MP Alfred Lafone
Alfred Lafone
Alfred Lafone was a British leather merchant and Conservative Party politician in London. He was the Member of Parliament for Bermondsey from 1886 to 1892, and from 1895 to 1900.- Career :...
. However, served only three years in Parliament
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...
, losing his seat to Lafone 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...
. After his defeat, he did not stand again.
During his time in the House of Commons he introduced the London (Equalization of Rates) Bill, which was enacted in 1894. In its first ten years of operation, about £6million was distributed from richer parishes to poorer ones.
He had moved to Croydon in 1873, and when the town was given its borough charter
Borough status in the United Kingdom
Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district...
in 1883, he was elected to the council, becoming the third Mayor of Croydon in 1885. He was also Chairman of Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
magistrates bench for 21 years. He was a Commissioner of income tax, and an active member of the Baptist Church.
Barrow was made a freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Croydon in 1909, and was knight
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
ed in the New Years Honours in 1912; the title was conferred on 8 March 1912. He died at this home in Croydon on 13 February 1918, aged 79, and was buried in Queen's Road Cemetery, after a funeral service at West Croydon Tabernacle.