Samuel Pattinson
Encyclopedia
Samuel Pattinson was a British businessman and Liberal
politician.
from Ruskington
in Lincolnshire
. He was educated at Abingdon House School in Northampton
. In 1897 he married Betsy Sharpley Bainbridge from Lincoln. They had one son and a daughter.
who was Liberal MP for South West Norfolk from 1906-1923 and for Gainsborough
from 1923-24. His own brother, Robert Pattinson, who was knighted in 1934, was Liberal MP for Grantham
from 1922-23.
, Lincolnshire, of which Samuel was a director. He was also a director of Bainbridge’s Ltd in Lincoln, his wife’s father’s company.
of Kesteven
County Council and later for Lincolnshire County Council, on which he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. He was also Justice of the Peace for the County.
when he stood as Liberal candidate in Horncastle
. As a supporter of H H Asquith he was not given the government coupon which was granted to Coalition Unionist
William Weigall
. Pattinson tried again at Horncastle at the by-election of 1920
which was called when Weigall was appointed Governor of South Australia but he lost by 1,413 votes to the Coalition Conservative, Stafford Vere Hotchkin
.
, beating the Conservative candidate by 1,639. He held the seat at the 1923 general election
with a majority of 1,819 but he could not retain it in 1924
losing to Conservative candidate Henry Cobden Haslam, a science researcher from Cambridge University, by 1,169 votes
leader Andrew Bonar Law. In December 1922 he informed his constituents in Horncastle that Bonar Law was ‘the finest leader the House of Commons had seen for a very long time. [He]..held the House of Commons in the hollow of his hand”. Pattinson said although he differed in political viewpoint from Bonar Law, he admired him greatly and believed he honestly wished to do his best for the country. By this time of course Bonar Law was prime minister
having replaced David Lloyd George
when his Liberal-Conservative fell after the Carlton Club meeting of 19 October 1922. As an Asquithian Liberal, it is unlikely Pattinson had much regard for Lloyd George and his view of Bonar Law might have been coloured by this. By December 1922, the general election was over, so Pattison had no need to flatter Bonar Law to his constituents to try and earn Conservative votes.
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.
Family and education
Samuel Pattinson was the son of William Pattinson, a Justice of the PeaceJustice 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...
from Ruskington
Ruskington
Ruskington is a large village in the English county of Lincolnshire, on the north-south B1188 road, just north of the A153. The village has approximately 2,200 dwellings, and from east to west is two kilometres long.-History:...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. He was educated at Abingdon House School in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
. In 1897 he married Betsy Sharpley Bainbridge from Lincoln. They had one son and a daughter.
A Liberal family
The Pattinson family had strong Liberal political connections. The husband of Samuel Pattinson’s sister, Annie, was Richard WinfreyRichard Winfrey
Sir Richard Winfrey was a British Liberal politician, newspaper publisher and campaigner for agricultural rights.-Birth, Death and Family:...
who was Liberal MP for South West Norfolk from 1906-1923 and for Gainsborough
Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Gainsborough is a county 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....
from 1923-24. His own brother, Robert Pattinson, who was knighted in 1934, was Liberal MP for Grantham
Grantham (UK Parliament constituency)
Grantham was a Parliamentary constituency in Lincolnshire, England.The constituency was created in 1468 as a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until the union with Scotland, and then to the Parliament of Great Britain...
from 1922-23.
Career
The Pattinson family ran a successful builder’s merchants in SleafordSleaford
Sleaford is a town in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located thirteen miles northeast of Grantham, seventeen miles west of Boston, and nineteen miles south of Lincoln, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time...
, Lincolnshire, of which Samuel was a director. He was also a director of Bainbridge’s Ltd in Lincoln, his wife’s father’s company.
Local politics
Pattinson was an AldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of Kesteven
Kesteven
The Parts of Kesteven are a traditional subdivision of Lincolnshire, England. This subdivision had long had a separate county administration , along with the other two parts, Lindsey and Holland.-Etymology:...
County Council and later for Lincolnshire County Council, on which he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. He was also Justice of the Peace for the County.
Parliamentary politics
He first contested a Parliamentary seat at the 1918 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
when he stood as Liberal candidate in Horncastle
Horncastle (UK Parliament constituency)
Horncastle was a county constituency in Lincolnshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. MPs were elected by the first past the post system of voting....
. As a supporter of H H Asquith he was not given the government coupon which was granted to Coalition Unionist
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...
William Weigall
William Weigall
Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Ernest George Archibald Weigall, 1st Baronet KCMG was a British Conservative politician who was Governor of South Australia from 9 June 1920 until 30 May 1922.-Family:...
. Pattinson tried again at Horncastle at the by-election of 1920
Horncastle by-election, 1920
The Horncastle by-election of 1920 was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Horncastle in Lincolnshire on 25 February 1920. The seat had become vacant when the sitting Coalition Unionist Member of Parliament, William Weigall, who had held the seat since...
which was called when Weigall was appointed Governor of South Australia but he lost by 1,413 votes to the Coalition Conservative, Stafford Vere Hotchkin
Stafford Vere Hotchkin
Stafford Vere Hotchkin was an English landowner, soldier, High Sheriff of Rutland and briefly a Conservative Member of Parliament....
.
Member of Parliament for Horncastle
Pattinson was eventually elected to the House of Commons at the 1922 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, beating the Conservative candidate by 1,639. He held the seat at the 1923 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
with a majority of 1,819 but he could not retain it in 1924
United Kingdom general election, 1924
- Seats summary :- References :* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* - External links :* * *...
losing to Conservative candidate Henry Cobden Haslam, a science researcher from Cambridge University, by 1,169 votes
Bonar Law
Despite his Liberal affiliations, Pattison was obviously a big admirer of ToryTory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
leader Andrew Bonar Law. In December 1922 he informed his constituents in Horncastle that Bonar Law was ‘the finest leader the House of Commons had seen for a very long time. [He]..held the House of Commons in the hollow of his hand”. Pattinson said although he differed in political viewpoint from Bonar Law, he admired him greatly and believed he honestly wished to do his best for the country. By this time of course Bonar Law was prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
having replaced David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
when his Liberal-Conservative fell after the Carlton Club meeting of 19 October 1922. As an Asquithian Liberal, it is unlikely Pattinson had much regard for Lloyd George and his view of Bonar Law might have been coloured by this. By December 1922, the general election was over, so Pattison had no need to flatter Bonar Law to his constituents to try and earn Conservative votes.