Thomas Legh, 2nd Baron Newton
Encyclopedia
Thomas Wodehouse Legh, 2nd Baron Newton PC, DL
(18 March 1857 – 21 March 1942), was a British
diplomat and Conservative
politician who served as Paymaster-General
during the First World War.
, and Emily Jane Wodehouse, daughter of the Venerable Charles Nourse Wodehouse, Archdeacon of Norwich. The Legh family had been landowners in Cheshire
for centuries. Newton was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
and served as an Attaché at the British Embassy in Paris from 1881 to 1886. The latter year he was elected to the House of Commons
as Member of Parliament
for his home constituency of Newton
, a seat he held until 1898, when he succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Newton and took his seat in the House of Lords
. In 1915 Prime Minister H. H. Asquith
appointed him Paymaster-General
, with special responsibility for representing the War Office
in Parliament when the Secretary of State for War
was unable to attend. The same year he was admitted to the Privy Council.
In 1916 Lord Newton became Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and was put in charge of two departments at the Foreign Office, one dealing with foreign propaganda and the other with prisoners of war. In October 1916 he was appointed Controller of the newly-established Prisoner of War Department, and in this position he negotiated the release of thousands of British prisoners of war.
Lord Newton was also the author of two biographies, one on Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons
, published in 1913, and the other on Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
, published in 1929. In 1941 he published his memoirs, entitled Retrospection.
, in 1880. They had five children, two sons and three daughters. His youngest son Sir Piers Legh
served as Master of the Household
from 1941 to 1953. Lady Newton died in September 1931. Lord Newton survived her by eleven years and died in March, 1942, aged 85. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Richard Legh. The latter's son, Peter Legh, 4th Baron Newton
, was also a Conservative
politician and government minister.
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....
(18 March 1857 – 21 March 1942), was a British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
diplomat and 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...
politician who served as Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
during the First World War.
Background and education
Newton was the son of William Legh, 1st Baron NewtonWilliam Legh, 1st Baron Newton
William John Legh, 1st Baron Newton , was a British Conservative politician.Legh was the son of William Legh and the member of an ancient Cheshire family. He sat as a Member of Parliament for Lancashire South from 1859 to 1868 and for Cheshire East from 1868 to 1885...
, and Emily Jane Wodehouse, daughter of the Venerable Charles Nourse Wodehouse, Archdeacon of Norwich. The Legh family had been landowners in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
for centuries. Newton was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
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...
.
Political and administrative career
In 1879 he entered the Diplomatic ServiceForeign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
and served as an Attaché at the British Embassy in Paris from 1881 to 1886. The latter year he was elected to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
as 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 his home constituency of Newton
Newton (UK Parliament constituency)
Newton was a parliamentary borough in the county of Lancashire, in England. It was represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1559 to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
, a seat he held until 1898, when he succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Newton and took his seat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. In 1915 Prime Minister H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
appointed him Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
, with special responsibility for representing the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in Parliament when the Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
was unable to attend. The same year he was admitted to the Privy Council.
In 1916 Lord Newton became Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and was put in charge of two departments at the Foreign Office, one dealing with foreign propaganda and the other with prisoners of war. In October 1916 he was appointed Controller of the newly-established Prisoner of War Department, and in this position he negotiated the release of thousands of British prisoners of war.
Lord Newton was also the author of two biographies, one on Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons
Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons
Richard Bickerton Pemell Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons, GCB, GCMG, PC, DCL was an eminent British diplomat.-Biography:...
, published in 1913, and the other on Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British politician and Irish peer who served successively as the fifth Governor General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs...
, published in 1929. In 1941 he published his memoirs, entitled Retrospection.
Family
Lord Newton married Evelyn Caroline Davenport, daughter of William Bromley-DavenportWilliam Bromley-Davenport (1821-1884)
William Bromley-Davenport , also known as Davenport and Davenport-Bromley, was an English Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1864 to 1884.-Biography:...
, in 1880. They had five children, two sons and three daughters. His youngest son Sir Piers Legh
Piers Legh
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Piers "Joey" Walter Legh GCVO KCB CMG CIE OBE was a British soldier and a member of the Royal Household....
served as Master of the Household
Master of the Household
The Master of the Household is the operational head of the "below stairs" elements of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...
from 1941 to 1953. Lady Newton died in September 1931. Lord Newton survived her by eleven years and died in March, 1942, aged 85. He was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Richard Legh. The latter's son, Peter Legh, 4th Baron Newton
Peter Legh, 4th Baron Newton
Peter Richard Legh, 4th Baron Newton , was a British Conservative politician who held junior ministerial positions during the 1950s and 1960s....
, was also 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...
politician and government minister.