Sir William Cunliffe Brooks, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Cunliffe Brooks, 1st Baronet (30 September 1819 – 9 June 1900) was an English barrister, banker and Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1869 and 1892.
Brooks was the son of Samuel Brooks
, a banker of Manchester and his wife Margaret Hall daughter of Thomas Hall. After his education at Rugby
and St John's College, Cambridge
he was called to the Bar
at Inner Temple
in 1847. He went on northern circuit until death of his father in 1864 when he became sole partner of Cunliffe Brooks and Co
, Manchester
. He opened Brooks and Co., 81 Lombard Street, London
. He was a J.P.
for Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester, and Deputy Lieutenant
for Lancashire and Aberdeen.
In 1869 Brooks was elected at a by-election as a Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP) for East Cheshire
. He held the seat until it was divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
, and at the 1885 general election
he unsuccessfully contested the new Macclesfield division
. The baronetcy
was conferred on him in 1886. At the 1886 election
he was elected as MP for Altrincham
, holding the seat until he stood down at the 1892 general election
.
Brooks was a notable benefactor to the town of Sale, Cheshire and to Chorlton-cum-Hardy
. He had a major influence on the estate of Glen Tanar, near Aboyne in Aberdeenshire. At first he leased the estate from Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly
, who married his elder daughter. He then bought the estate in 1890. Brooks lavished money on Glen Tanar, building a large house, cottages for estate workers, a school, stables and kennels. He also installed numerous carved stones and memorials in the surrounding countryside, many of which make playful references to his name or celebrate the virtues of drinking water rather than alcohol.
Brooks died at Glen Tana (as he preferred to spell the name) at the age of 80.
Brooks married Jane Elizabeth Orrell, daughter of Ralph Orrell in 1842. They had no sons but two daughters. (other children died in infancy). Their elder daughter, Amy, married Charles Gordon, 11th Marquis of Huntly. Their second daughter, Edith, married Lord Francis Horace Pierrepont Cecil, second son of William Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter
. They have many descendants in both England and America, including Sir James Cockburn, Lady Ethel Cecil, Diana Lewis and Isabella Overington. After the death of his wife, Brooks married secondly Jane Davidson, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Davidson in 1879.
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 1869 and 1892.
Brooks was the son of Samuel Brooks
Samuel Brooks
Samuel Brooks was born at Great Harwood, near Whalley in Lancashire, England, the second son of William Brooks. In 1815 he became a partner in his father’s Blackburn-based business, Cunliffe Brooks & Co. This business supplied cotton and/or textile equipment, and also ran a bank as a sideline...
, a banker of Manchester and his wife Margaret Hall daughter of Thomas Hall. After his education at Rugby
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:...
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....
he was called to the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
at Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1847. He went on northern circuit until death of his father in 1864 when he became sole partner of Cunliffe Brooks and Co
Cunliffe, Brooks
Cunliffe, Brooks and Co. was a bank founded in Blackburn, Lancashire, England in 1792. In 1819, Samuel Brooks, son of one of the founders, opened a branch of the bank in Manchester. In the 1820s, a second generation Cunliffe opened a London house, at 29 Lombard Street...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He opened Brooks and Co., 81 Lombard Street, London
Lombard Street, London
Lombard Street is a street in the City of London.It runs from the corner of the Bank of England at its north-west end, where it meets a major junction including Poultry, King William Street, and Threadneedle Street, south-east to Gracechurch Street....
. He was a J.P.
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...
for Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester, and Deputy Lieutenant
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....
for Lancashire and Aberdeen.
In 1869 Brooks was elected at a by-election as a 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...
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,...
(MP) for East Cheshire
East Cheshire (UK Parliament constituency)
East Cheshire was parliamentary constituency which returned two Member of Parliament s to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Elections were held using the bloc vote system.- History :...
. He held the seat until it was divided under 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...
, and 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:...
he unsuccessfully contested the new Macclesfield division
Macclesfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Macclesfield 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.- Boundaries :...
. The baronetcy
Brooks Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Brooks, both in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom: one creation is extant ....
was conferred on him in 1886. At the 1886 election
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
he was elected as MP for Altrincham
Altrincham (UK Parliament constituency)
Altrincham was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1945. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, holding the seat until he stood down at 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...
.
Brooks was a notable benefactor to the town of Sale, Cheshire and to Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a suburban area of the city of Manchester, England. It is known locally as Chorlton. It is situated about four miles southwest of Manchester city centre. Pronunciation varies: and are both common....
. He had a major influence on the estate of Glen Tanar, near Aboyne in Aberdeenshire. At first he leased the estate from Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly
Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly
Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly PC, DL, JP , styled Lord Strathavon until 1853 and Earl of Aboyne between 1853 and 1863, was a Scottish Liberal politician...
, who married his elder daughter. He then bought the estate in 1890. Brooks lavished money on Glen Tanar, building a large house, cottages for estate workers, a school, stables and kennels. He also installed numerous carved stones and memorials in the surrounding countryside, many of which make playful references to his name or celebrate the virtues of drinking water rather than alcohol.
Brooks died at Glen Tana (as he preferred to spell the name) at the age of 80.
Brooks married Jane Elizabeth Orrell, daughter of Ralph Orrell in 1842. They had no sons but two daughters. (other children died in infancy). Their elder daughter, Amy, married Charles Gordon, 11th Marquis of Huntly. Their second daughter, Edith, married Lord Francis Horace Pierrepont Cecil, second son of William Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter
William Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter
William Alleyne Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Exeter PC , styled Lord Burghley between 1825 and 1867, was a British peer and Conservative politician...
. They have many descendants in both England and America, including Sir James Cockburn, Lady Ethel Cecil, Diana Lewis and Isabella Overington. After the death of his wife, Brooks married secondly Jane Davidson, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Davidson in 1879.