Thomas Lorimer Corbett
Encyclopedia
Thomas Lorimer Corbett was a British
Conservative
politician.
Corbett was born in Glasgow
, Scotland
, and was the eldest son of Thomas Corbett of Cove
, Dunbartonshire
and his wife, Sarah Cameron.
Following a private education, Corbett moved to Streatham
, London
. He became secretary of the Clapham
Conservative Association, and a member of the National Union of Conservative Associations. He was elected to the first London County Council
in 1889, as a Moderate Party
councillor for Clapham electoral division
. He was defeated by his Progressive Party
opponent at the next council election in March 1892.
Corbett's opposition to Home Rule
in Ireland led to him standing as a parliamentary candidate for the Irish Unionists at the 1892
and 1895 general elections
, when he unsuccessfully contested East Tyrone
.
In 1895 he regained his seat on the London County Council, and retained it in 1898. He was chief whip of the Moderate Party, and held the office of deputy chairman of the council in 1899 – 1900.
In 1898 Colonel Thomas Waring
, the Unionist member of parliament
for North Down
died. Corbett contested the ensuing by-election, but was narrowly defeated by his opponent, John Blakiston-Houston
. Both candidates were members of the same party, and it was felt that Blakiston-Houston won the seat by securing the Roman Catholic vote in the constituency. Corbett, in contrast, was described as having "somewhat extreme Protestant opinions". Two years later a general election
was held, and Corbett succeeded in being elected as MP for North Down. He held the seat at the next two elections in 1906
and January 1910.
His younger brother, Archibald Cameron Corbett
, was Liberal Unionist MP for Glasgow Tradeston
from 1885 – 1911.
T L Corbett died suddenly from pneumonia
in April 1910 at his London home.
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...
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.
Corbett was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and was the eldest son of Thomas Corbett of Cove
Cove, Argyll and Bute
Cove is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.It is on the south-west of the Rosneath peninsula, on the east shore of Loch Long.Before the local government reorganisation in Scotland in 1975 it formed part of the small Joint Burgh of Cove and Kilcreggan, in the County of Dumbarton.In common with...
, Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
and his wife, Sarah Cameron.
Following a private education, Corbett moved to Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He became secretary of the Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
Conservative Association, and a member of the National Union of Conservative Associations. He was elected to the first London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
in 1889, as a Moderate Party
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
councillor for Clapham electoral division
Clapham (UK Parliament constituency)
Clapham was a borough constituency in South London which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. He was defeated by his Progressive Party
Progressive Party (London)
The Progressive Party was a political party based around the Liberal Party that contested municipal elections in the County of London.It was founded in 1888 by a group of Liberals and leaders of the labour movement. It was also supported by the Fabian Society, and Sidney Webb was one of its...
opponent at the next council election in March 1892.
Corbett's opposition to Home Rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
in Ireland led to him standing as a parliamentary candidate for the Irish Unionists at the 1892
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...
and 1895 general elections
United Kingdom general election, 1895
The United Kingdom general election of 1895 was held from 13 July - 7 August 1895. It was won by the Conservatives led by Lord Salisbury who formed an alliance with the Liberal Unionist Party and had a large majority over the Liberals, led by Lord Rosebery...
, when he unsuccessfully contested East Tyrone
Tyrone East (UK Parliament constituency)
East Tyrone was a UK parliamentary constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons 1885–1918.Prior to the United Kingdom general election, 1885 the area was part of the Tyrone constituency...
.
In 1895 he regained his seat on the London County Council, and retained it in 1898. He was chief whip of the Moderate Party, and held the office of deputy chairman of the council in 1899 – 1900.
In 1898 Colonel Thomas Waring
Thomas Waring
Col. Thomas Waring JP was an Irish barrister and Conservative Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom at Westminster....
, the Unionist 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 North Down
North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
died. Corbett contested the ensuing by-election, but was narrowly defeated by his opponent, John Blakiston-Houston
John Blakiston-Houston
John Blakiston-Houston DL JP was an Irish Member of parliament.Blakiston-Houston was the son of Richard Bayly Blakiston-Houston , of Orangefield, Co. Down, and his wife Mary Isabella Houston. He was a grandson of Sir Matthew Blakiston, 2nd Baronet. He married Marian Gertrude Streatfield, of...
. Both candidates were members of the same party, and it was felt that Blakiston-Houston won the seat by securing the Roman Catholic vote in the constituency. Corbett, in contrast, was described as having "somewhat extreme Protestant opinions". Two years later a general election
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
was held, and Corbett succeeded in being elected as MP for North Down. He held the seat at the next two elections in 1906
United 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**...
and January 1910.
His younger brother, Archibald Cameron Corbett
Archibald Corbett, 1st Baron Rowallan
Archibald Cameron Corbett, 1st Baron Rowallan , was a Scottish Liberal Party and Liberal Unionist Party politician.-Early Life:...
, was Liberal Unionist MP for Glasgow Tradeston
Glasgow Tradeston (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Tradeston was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1955. It elected one Member of Parliament using the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
from 1885 – 1911.
T L Corbett died suddenly from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in April 1910 at his London home.