Richard Causton, 1st Baron Southwark
Encyclopedia
Richard Knight Causton, 1st Baron Southwark PC, DL
(25 September 1843 – 23 February 1929) was an English stationer and Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1880 and 1910. In the same year he was raised to the peerage and sat in the House of Lords.
, Kent
the son of Sir Joseph Causton alderman and sheriff of London and his wife Mary Anne Porter, daughter of Edward Porter. He was a partner in the firm of Causton and sons, stationers and printers in Eastcheap, Southwark Street and Cary Street. He was a commissioner of lieutenancy for the City of London
and a member of the Worshipful Company of Skinners
of which he was master in 1877.
in 1874, but was successfully returned for the constituency in 1880. However, he lost his seat in 1885 and once again stood unsuccessfully for the constituency in 1886. In 1888 he was successfully returned for Southwark West
in a by-election, a seat he held until 1910. He served under William Ewart Gladstone
and the Earl of Rosebery
as a Junior Lord of the Treasury
between 1892 and 1895 and continued as Liberal Whip until 1905. When the Liberals returned to power in December 1905 under Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
, Causton was made Paymaster-General
. In January 1906 he was sworn of the Privy Council. He remained as Paymaster-General until 1910, the last two years under the premiership of H. H. Asquith
. He lost his seat in parliament in 1910. The same year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Southwark, of Southwark in the County of London.
Causton was a Fellow of the Statistical Society, President of the London Chamber of Commerce in 1913 and Master of the Skinners Company again in 1921/22.
Causton married in 1871 Selina Mary Chambers, daughter of Sir Thomas Chambers
QC, MP for Marylebone.
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....
(25 September 1843 – 23 February 1929) was an English stationer 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 who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1880 and 1910. In the same year he was raised to the peerage and sat in the House of Lords.
Background
Causton was born in DeptfordDeptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
the son of Sir Joseph Causton alderman and sheriff of London and his wife Mary Anne Porter, daughter of Edward Porter. He was a partner in the firm of Causton and sons, stationers and printers in Eastcheap, Southwark Street and Cary Street. He was a commissioner of lieutenancy for the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and a member of the Worshipful Company of Skinners
Worshipful Company of Skinners
The Worshipful Company of Skinners is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. It was originally an association of those engaged in the trade of skins and furs...
of which he was master in 1877.
Political career
Causton unsuccessfully contested ColchesterColchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Colchester is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
in 1874, but was successfully returned for the constituency in 1880. However, he lost his seat in 1885 and once again stood unsuccessfully for the constituency in 1886. In 1888 he was successfully returned for Southwark West
Southwark West (UK Parliament constituency)
Southwark West was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Southwark district of South London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in a by-election, a seat he held until 1910. He served under 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 the Earl of Rosebery
Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery
Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, KG, PC was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister. Between the death of his father, in 1851, and the death of his grandfather, the 4th Earl, in 1868, he was known by the courtesy title of Lord Dalmeny.Rosebery was a Liberal Imperialist who...
as a Junior Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
between 1892 and 1895 and continued as Liberal Whip until 1905. When the Liberals returned to power in December 1905 under Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman GCB was a British Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908 and Leader of the Liberal Party from 1899 to 1908. He also served as Secretary of State for War twice, in the Cabinets of Gladstone and Rosebery...
, Causton was made Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
. In January 1906 he was sworn of the Privy Council. He remained as Paymaster-General until 1910, the last two years under the premiership of H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
. He lost his seat in parliament in 1910. The same year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Southwark, of Southwark in the County of London.
Causton was a Fellow of the Statistical Society, President of the London Chamber of Commerce in 1913 and Master of the Skinners Company again in 1921/22.
Personal life
Lord Southwark died in February 1929, aged 85. The barony became extinct on his death.Causton married in 1871 Selina Mary Chambers, daughter of Sir Thomas Chambers
Thomas Chambers (MP)
Sir Thomas Chambers was an English Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1852 and 1885.Chambers was the son of Thomas Chambers of Hertford and his wife Sarah...
QC, MP for Marylebone.