Sir Massey Lopes, 3rd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Massey Lopes, 3rd Baronet PC (14 June 1818-20 January 1908), known as Massey Franco until 1831 and as Massey Lopes from 1831 to 1854, was a British Conservative
politician and agriculturalist.
Lopes was the eldest son of Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd Baronet
, and his wife Susan, daughter of Abraham Ludlow. Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow
, was his younger brother. His father, originally Ralph Franco, has succeeded to the estates and title of his uncle Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet
, in 1831, and assumed the same year the surname of Lopes in lieu of his patronymic. Both the Lopes and Franco families were of Sephardic-Jewish
origins. Lopes was educated at Winchester
and Oriel College, Oxford. He unsuccessfully contested Westbury
in 1853, but was returned to Parliament for the same constituency in 1857. In 1868 he was elected for Devonshire South
, defeating Lord Amberley
. In Parliament he was the member of a group including Henry Chaplin
, Albert Pell
and Clare Sewell Read
, that supported farming interests, and was chairman of the Agricultural Business Committee. He was appoimted High Sheriff of Devon
for 1857.
In 1874 Lopes was appointed Civil Lord of the Admiralty
in the second Conservative administration
of Benjamin Disraeli, a post he held until the government fell in 1880. Bad health forced him to decline the post of Financial Secretary to the Treasury
in 1877. His health also forced him to leave Parliament in 1885. The same year he was sworn of the Privy Council but declined a peerage. He was later an Alderman
of the Devonshire County Council from 1888 to 1904. He was also for many years a Director of the Great Western Railway
. He was greatly interested in scientific farming, and completely rebuilt his Maristow estate.
Lopes married firstly Bertha, daughter of John Yarde-Buller, 1st Baron Churston
. They had one son and two daughters. After her death in 1872 he married secondly Louisa, daughter of Sir Robert Newman, 1st Baronet. There were no children from this marriage. Lady Lopes died in April 1903. Lopes survived her by five years and died in January 1908, aged 89. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his only son Henry
, who was created Baron Roborough
in 1938.
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 and agriculturalist.
Lopes was the eldest son of Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd Baronet
Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd Baronet
Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd Baronet , of Maristow in Devon, was a British Member of Parliament .Lopes was born as Ralph Franco. His uncle, Manasseh Masseh Lopes, an MP and borough owner, was created a baronet in 1805, with a special remainder to his nephew...
, and his wife Susan, daughter of Abraham Ludlow. Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow
Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow
Henry Charles Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow PC, QC , was a British judge and Conservative Party politician.-Background and education:...
, was his younger brother. His father, originally Ralph Franco, has succeeded to the estates and title of his uncle Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet
Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet
Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, 1st Baronet , of Maristow in Devon, was a British Member of Parliament and borough-monger.-Parliamentary career:...
, in 1831, and assumed the same year the surname of Lopes in lieu of his patronymic. Both the Lopes and Franco families were of Sephardic-Jewish
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
origins. Lopes was educated at Winchester
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Oriel College, Oxford. He unsuccessfully contested Westbury
Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
in 1853, but was returned to Parliament for the same constituency in 1857. In 1868 he was elected for Devonshire South
South Devon (UK Parliament constituency)
South Devon, formally known as the Southern Division of Devon, was parliamentary constituency in the county of Devon in England. From 1832 to 1885 it returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.-Boundaries:In...
, defeating Lord Amberley
John Russell, Viscount Amberley
John Russell, Viscount Amberley was the eldest son of John Russell, 1st Earl Russell. As such, from 1861 he took his father's junior title of Viscount Amberley, but he did not live to inherit the earldom; this passed, after his death, to his eldest son John Francis Stanley Russell, 2nd Earl Russell...
. In Parliament he was the member of a group including Henry Chaplin
Henry Chaplin, 1st Viscount Chaplin
Henry Chaplin, 1st Viscount Chaplin PC was a British landowner, racehorse owner and Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 until 1916 when he was raised to the peerage....
, Albert Pell
Albert Pell
Albert Pell was an English solicitor and Conservative Party politician.-Early life:Pell was born in 1820, the eldest son of Sir Albert Pell, a judge of the Bancruptcy Courts and Margaret Letitia Matilda St John, daughter of John St John, 12th Baron St John of Bletso...
and Clare Sewell Read
Clare Sewell Read
Clare Sewell Read was a British agriculturist and Conservative politician.-Early life:He was born in 1826 in Ketteringham, Norfolk, and was the eldest son of George Read of Barton Bendish Hall, and his wife Sarah Anne, daughter of Clare Sewell...
, that supported farming interests, and was chairman of the Agricultural Business Committee. He was appoimted High Sheriff of Devon
High Sheriff of Devon
The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, he holds his office over the duration of a year. He has judicial, ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court...
for 1857.
In 1874 Lopes was appointed Civil Lord of the Admiralty
Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were the members of the Board of Admiralty, which exercised command over the Royal Navy.Officially known as the Commissioners for Exercising the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland &c. The Lords...
in the second Conservative administration
Conservative Government 1874-1880
Benjamin Disraeli became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for the second time after Mr Gladstone's government was defeated in the General Election of 1874. Disraeli's foreign policy was seen as immoral by Gladstone, and following the latter's Midlothian Campaign, the government was heavily...
of Benjamin Disraeli, a post he held until the government fell in 1880. Bad health forced him to decline the post of Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury is a junior Ministerial post in the British Treasury. It is the 4th most significant Ministerial role within the Treasury after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and the Paymaster General...
in 1877. His health also forced him to leave Parliament in 1885. The same year he was sworn of the Privy Council but declined a peerage. He was later an Alderman
Alderman
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 the Devonshire County Council from 1888 to 1904. He was also for many years a Director of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
. He was greatly interested in scientific farming, and completely rebuilt his Maristow estate.
Lopes married firstly Bertha, daughter of John Yarde-Buller, 1st Baron Churston
John Yarde-Buller, 1st Baron Churston
John Yarde-Buller, 1st Baron Churston was a British, Conservative politician.Born John Buller-Yarde-Buller, he was the eldest son of Sir Francis Buller-Yarde-Buller, Bt. and his wife, Elizabeth. In 1833, he inherited his father's baronetcy and entered Parliament two years later as MP for South Devon...
. They had one son and two daughters. After her death in 1872 he married secondly Louisa, daughter of Sir Robert Newman, 1st Baronet. There were no children from this marriage. Lady Lopes died in April 1903. Lopes survived her by five years and died in January 1908, aged 89. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his only son Henry
Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Roborough
Henry Yarde Buller Lopes, 1st Baron Roborough , known as Sir Henry Lopes, 4th Baronet, from 1908 to 1938, was a British Conservative Party politician....
, who was created Baron Roborough
Baron Roborough
Baron Roborough, of Maristow in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1938 for Sir Henry Lopes, 4th Baronet. He had earlier represented Grantham in Parliament as Conservative...
in 1938.