Sir Edmund Lechmere, 3rd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Edmund Anthony Harley Lechmere, 3rd Baronet (8 December 1826 – 18 December 1894) was a British Conservative Party
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1866 and 1895. He was a pioneer of the Red Cross.
Lechmere was the son of Sir Edmund Hungerford Lechmere, 2nd Baronet of Hanley Castle
, Worcestershire
and his wife Maria Clara Murray, daughter of Hon. Murray. He was educated at Charterhouse School
and Christ Church, Oxford
. In 1852 he inherited the baronetcy
on the death of his father. He was a senior partner in the Worcester Old Bank. In 1862 he was High Sheriff of Worcestershire
.
In March 1866 Lechmere was elected at a by-election as one of the two Members of Parliament
(MPs) for Tewkesbury
,
but when the borough's representation was reduced to one seat at the 1868 general election
, he was defeated by the Liberal Party
candidate William Edwin Price
. He contested Tewkesbury again in 1874
, without success, but in July 1876 he was elected at a by-election as MP for Western Worcestershire. After the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
, he was elected at the 1885 general election
as MP for Bewdley
. He held the seat until the 1892 general election
, when he was elected as MP for Evesham
. He held that seat until his death.
Lechmere gave an annual prize for history at the Oxford Military College
in Cowley and Oxford
Oxfordshire
from 1876-1896.
Lechmere and his wife were among the founders of Venerable Order of St John. They had travelled several times to Jerusalem and were involved in the establishment of The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital
.
Lechmere married Louisa Katherine Haigh, only daughter and heiress of John Haigh of Whitwell Hall at York, on 30 September 1858.
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...
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1866 and 1895. He was a pioneer of the Red Cross.
Lechmere was the son of Sir Edmund Hungerford Lechmere, 2nd Baronet of Hanley Castle
Hanley Castle
Hanley Castle is a village in Worcestershire, England, between the towns of Malvern and Upton upon Severn and a short distance from the River Severn. It lies in the administrative area of Malvern Hills District, and is part of the informal region known as The Malverns...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
and his wife Maria Clara Murray, daughter of Hon. Murray. He was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. In 1852 he inherited the baronetcy
Lechmere Baronets
The Lechmere Baronetcy, of The Rhydd in the County of Worcester, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 10 December 1818 for Anthony Lechmere. The second Baronet served as High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1852...
on the death of his father. He was a senior partner in the Worcester Old Bank. In 1862 he was High Sheriff of Worcestershire
High Sheriff of Worcestershire
This is a list of Sheriff and since 1998 High Sheriffs of Worcestershire.The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
.
In March 1866 Lechmere was elected at a by-election as one of the two Members 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,...
(MPs) for Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Tewkesbury 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....
,
but when the borough's representation was reduced to one seat at the 1868 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
, he was defeated by the 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...
candidate William Edwin Price
William Edwin Price
William Edwin Price was an English Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880....
. He contested Tewkesbury again in 1874
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, without success, but in July 1876 he was elected at a by-election as MP for Western Worcestershire. After the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
, he was elected at the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
as MP for Bewdley
Bewdley (UK Parliament constituency)
Bewdley was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1605 until 1950. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough in Worcestershire, represented by one Member of Parliament; the name was then transferred to a county constituency from 1885 until...
. He held the seat until 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...
, when he was elected as MP for Evesham
Evesham (UK Parliament constituency)
Evesham was a parliamentary constituency in Worcestershire which was represented in the British House of Commons. Originally a parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Evesham, it was first represented in 1295...
. He held that seat until his death.
Lechmere gave an annual prize for history at the Oxford Military College
Oxford Military College
Oxford Military College was an all-male private boarding school and military academy in Cowley, Oxford, England, from 1876–1896. The military college opened on 7 September 1876. Prince George, Duke of Cambridge was the patron of the Oxford Military College....
in Cowley and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
from 1876-1896.
Lechmere and his wife were among the founders of Venerable Order of St John. They had travelled several times to Jerusalem and were involved in the establishment of The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital
St John Eye Hospital Group
The St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group is a Foundation of The Order of St John, the oldest order of chivalry in the world. The Hospital Group is based in Jerusalem and is the main provider of eye care in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem...
.
Lechmere married Louisa Katherine Haigh, only daughter and heiress of John Haigh of Whitwell Hall at York, on 30 September 1858.