Sir George Agnew, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir George William Agnew, 2nd Baronet JP
(19 January 1852 – 19 December 1941), was a British
art dealer, publisher and Liberal
politician.
and his wife Mary née Kenworthy. The Agnew family had been prominent in the municipal life of Salford
for generations. He was educated at Rugby School
from 1865 – 1870 and St John's College, Cambridge
receiving bachelor of arts
degree in 1874 and master of arts
in 1877. While at St John's, Agnew played rugby
for Cambridge University
and played in the very first Varsity Match
. Although Oxford won the first encounter, Agnew was part of the Cambridge team that won the second and drew the third match, making him a three time sporting 'Blue'. His brothers, Charles
and William, also played for Cambridge University; Charles winning two sporting caps and William three.
He was a partner in the firm of Thomas Agnew & Sons, art publishers and a member of the firm of Bradbury, Agnew & Sons, proprietors of the satirical magazine Punch
. He was well-known as an expert in art sales and appreciation and in 1877 he was Honorary Secretary to the Manchester Jubilee Fine Arts Committee. He was also a governor of Manchester Victoria University
and of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
in Pendlebury
. He married Fanny Bolton, daughter of John Stuart Bolton, on 2 October 1878, and they had two sons and five daughters.
Agnew was elected as Liberal Member of Parliament
for Salford West
, unseating the incumbent Conservative
Lees Knowles
. He held the seat at the next two elections, before retiring from parliament in 1918
.
. Sir George was High Sheriff of Suffolk
in 1922. He was commissioned Major
in the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Volunteer Regiment in September 1916 and was promoted Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1918.
He died at Thurston Grange
, Suffolk, in December 1941 aged 89.
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...
(19 January 1852 – 19 December 1941), was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
art dealer, publisher 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.
Early life
He was the eldest son of William AgnewSir William Agnew, 1st Baronet
Sir William Agnew, 1st Baronet was an English politician and art dealer.-Career:Agnew was a Liberal Member of Parliament, first for South East Lancashire between 1880 and 1885 and later for Stretford from 1885 to 1886...
and his wife Mary née Kenworthy. The Agnew family had been prominent in the municipal life of Salford
County Borough of Salford
Salford was, from 1844 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England, coterminate with Salford. It was granted city status in 1926.-Free Borough and Police Commissioners:...
for generations. He was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
from 1865 – 1870 and St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
receiving bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1874 and master of arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1877. While at St John's, Agnew played rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
and played in the very first Varsity Match
The Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
. Although Oxford won the first encounter, Agnew was part of the Cambridge team that won the second and drew the third match, making him a three time sporting 'Blue'. His brothers, Charles
Charles Morland Agnew
Charles Morland Agnew OBE , was a British art dealer and philanthropist.-Early life:He was the second son of William Agnew and his wife Mary née Kenworthy. He was eductaed at Rugby School before he matriculated to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1874...
and William, also played for Cambridge University; Charles winning two sporting caps and William three.
He was a partner in the firm of Thomas Agnew & Sons, art publishers and a member of the firm of Bradbury, Agnew & Sons, proprietors of the satirical magazine Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
. He was well-known as an expert in art sales and appreciation and in 1877 he was Honorary Secretary to the Manchester Jubilee Fine Arts Committee. He was also a governor of Manchester Victoria University
Victoria University (UK)
Victoria University was an English federal university established by Royal Charter, 20 April 1880 at Manchester: a university for the North of England open to affiliation by colleges such as Owens College which immediately did so. University College Liverpool joined the University in 1884, followed...
and of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital is a children's hospital based in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, England. It is part of the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust...
in Pendlebury
Pendlebury
Pendlebury is a suburban town in the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies to the northwest of Manchester city centre, northwest of Salford, and southeast of Bolton....
. He married Fanny Bolton, daughter of John Stuart Bolton, on 2 October 1878, and they had two sons and five daughters.
Politics
At the 1906 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
Agnew was elected as Liberal 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,...
for Salford West
Salford West (UK Parliament constituency)
Salford West was a parliamentary constituency in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester from 1885 until 1983. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- History :...
, unseating the incumbent 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...
Lees Knowles
Sir Lees Knowles, 1st Baronet
Sir Lees Knowles, 1st Baronet, was a British barrister, military historian and Conservative politician.He was the son of John Knowles and Elizabeth Lees of Green Bank, Oldham, Lancashire whose family owned Andrew Knowles and Sons, collieries in the Irwell Valley. He was educated at Rugby School...
. He held the seat at the next two elections, before retiring from parliament in 1918
United 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...
.
Baronetcy
His father had been created Baronet Agnew, of Great Stanhope Street in 1895. On his death on 31 October 1910 George succeeded as 2nd Baronet. He retired from the family firm at the same time.Later life
The family moved to Rougham Hall, near Bury St Edmunds, SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. Sir George was High Sheriff of Suffolk
High Sheriff of Suffolk
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Suffolk. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually by the Crown. He was originally the principal law enforcement officer in the county and presided at the Assizes and other important county meetings...
in 1922. He was commissioned Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Volunteer Regiment in September 1916 and was promoted Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1918.
He died at Thurston Grange
Thurston, Suffolk
Thurston is a village in Suffolk situated about four miles east of Bury St Edmunds. As of mid-2005, Thurston's estimated population was 3,260. It is recorded in the Domesday book as Thurstuna and Torstuna.-Services:...
, Suffolk, in December 1941 aged 89.