Tom Cottingham Edwards-Moss
Encyclopedia
Tom Cottingham Edwards-Moss, (7 April 1855 - 16 December 1893), was a British
amateur oarsman
who rowed in the Boat Race four times and twice won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
, and a Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892.
Edwards-Moss was the second son of Sir Thomas Edwards-Moss, Baronet
of Otterspool, Aigburth
, near Liverpool
and Amy Charlotte Edwards. His grandfather was John Moss, founder of the North-Western Bank, and his father had assumed the surname Edwards-Moss on marriage. Edwards-Moss was educated at Eton College
and Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating in 1878.
Edwards-Moss was an outstanding oarsman, rowing for the Oxford
crew in the University Boat Races for four years. He was in the winning crew of 1875 and the losing crew of 1876. The 1877 race was the only dead-heat in the Boat Race's history. He won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
at the Henley Royal Regatta
beating A. V Frere in 1877, but came second in the Wingfield Sculls later in the year to Frank Lumley Playford
. He was president of OUBC and in the winning crew again in 1878. In the last two years he shared the Oxford boat with Lord Desborough
. Also in 1878 at Henley, he beat Jefferson Lowndes
in the Diamond Challenge cup and also won Silver Goblets partnering W Ellison. He was President of Vincent's Club in 1877.
Edwards-Moss was a lieutenant in the Lancashire Hussars
Yeoman Cavalry. In July 1885, he was appointed assistant private secretary to the Home Secretary
, R A Cross
. He was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament
for Widnes
at the general election in November of the same year
, and retained his seat until 1892, when he retired due to ill health.
Edwards-Moss died at the age of 38 from influenza
and typhoid fever
.
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...
amateur oarsman
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
who rowed in the Boat Race four times and twice won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
, and 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 who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892.
Edwards-Moss was the second son of Sir Thomas Edwards-Moss, Baronet
Edwards-Moss Baronets
The Edwards-Moss Baronetcy, of Roby Hall in the County of Lancaster, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 23 December 1868 for Thomas Edwards-Moss. Born Thomas Moss, he had assumed by Royal license the additional surname of Edwards in 1851, having married Amy...
of Otterspool, Aigburth
Aigburth
Aigburth is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Located to the south of the city, it is bordered by Dingle, Mossley Hill, and Garston.-History:...
, near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Amy Charlotte Edwards. His grandfather was John Moss, founder of the North-Western Bank, and his father had assumed the surname Edwards-Moss on marriage. Edwards-Moss was educated at Eton College
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 Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating in 1878.
Edwards-Moss was an outstanding oarsman, rowing for the Oxford
Oxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
crew in the University Boat Races for four years. He was in the winning crew of 1875 and the losing crew of 1876. The 1877 race was the only dead-heat in the Boat Race's history. He won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
at the Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
beating A. V Frere in 1877, but came second in the Wingfield Sculls later in the year to Frank Lumley Playford
Frank Lumley Playford
Frank Lumley Playford was a British rower who won the Wingfield Sculls five times and the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta in 1876....
. He was president of OUBC and in the winning crew again in 1878. In the last two years he shared the Oxford boat with Lord Desborough
William Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough
William Henry Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough, KG, GCVO, was an athlete, sportsman, public servant and politician. He sat in the House of Commons firstly for the Liberal Party and then for the Conservatives between 1880 and 1905 when he was raised to the peerage...
. Also in 1878 at Henley, he beat Jefferson Lowndes
Jefferson Lowndes
Jefferson Lowndes was an English rower who won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta five times and who also won the Wingfield Sculls twice....
in the Diamond Challenge cup and also won Silver Goblets partnering W Ellison. He was President of Vincent's Club in 1877.
Edwards-Moss was a lieutenant in the Lancashire Hussars
Lancashire Hussars
The Lancashire Hussars were originally formed in 1798 as independent troops, before becoming the Lancashire Yeomanry Cavalry in 1828 and then being disbanded in 1832...
Yeoman Cavalry. In July 1885, he was appointed assistant private secretary to the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, R A Cross
R. A. Cross, 1st Viscount Cross
Richard Assheton Cross, 1st Viscount Cross, GCB, GCSI, PC, FRS , known before his elevation to the peerage as R. A. Cross, was a British statesman and Conservative politician...
. He was elected as Conservative 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 Widnes
Widnes (UK Parliament constituency)
Widnes was a county constituency in England, based on the town of Widnes, in Lancashire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.-History:...
at the general election in November of the same year
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:...
, and retained his seat until 1892, when he retired due to ill health.
Edwards-Moss died at the age of 38 from influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
and typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
.