Difference between revisions of "Stafford Northcote" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:1st Earl of Iddesleigh.jpg|thumb|250px|The Rt Hon. The Earl of Iddesleigh]] | [[Image:1st Earl of Iddesleigh.jpg|thumb|250px|The Rt Hon. The Earl of Iddesleigh]] | ||
− | '''Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st | + | '''Stafford Henry Northcote, '''1st Earl of Iddesleigh 1818-1887, was a British statesman who served under two of Britain's most influential Prime Ministers''', [[William Ewart Gladstone]] '''and''' [[Benjamin Disraeli]]. |
==Early Life== | ==Early Life== | ||
− | Northcote was born in [[London]] on 27 October 1818. His ancestors had long been settled in [[Devon]], tracing their descent from Galfridas de Nordcote who settled there in 1103. | + | Northcote was born in [[London]] on 27 October 1818. His ancestors had long been settled in [[Devon]], tracing their descent from Galfridas de Nordcote who settled there in 1103. He was born 23 Portland Place, the eldest son of Sir. Stafford Northcote. His mother was Agnes Cockburn of the famed family of Cockburn of Henderland. He attended Eton and went on to Balliol College at Oxford University where he earned a first in classics in 1839. A year later, on Easter Day, his mother died. |
==Gladstone days== | ==Gladstone days== | ||
− | After a successful career at Balliol College, [[Oxford]], he studied law at Lincoln Inn Fields. In 1843 he became the private secretary to [[William Ewart Gladstone]], then a member of the Conservative Party and president of the board of trade. | + | After a successful career at Balliol College, [[Oxford]], he studied law at Lincoln Inn Fields. In 1843 he became the private secretary to [[William Ewart Gladstone]], then a member of the Conservative Party and president of the board of trade. As Gladstone's secretary, Northcote was aware of Gladstone's obsessed worries over the problem of prostitution. Gladstone resigned from the party over the issue of Ireland in 1845. |
− | + | Northcote became the legal secretary to the board; and after acting as one of the secretaries to the [[Great Exhibition of 1851]],and co-operated with Sir Charles Trevelyan, in framing the report which revolutionized the conditions of appointment to the Civil Service for which he would long be rembered for <ref>http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about_us/history_of_the_civil_service/evolution_of_the_civil_service/01.asp</ref>. He succeeded his grandfather, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, as 8th [[baronet]] in 1851. He entered Parliament in 1855 as [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament]] for Dudley, and was elected for Stamford in 1858, a seat which he exchanged in 1866 for North Devon. | |
− | Steadily supporting his party, he became | + | Steadily supporting his party, he became President of the Board of Trade in 1866, [[Secretary of State for India]] in 1867, and [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] in 1874. In the interval between these last two appointments he was the president of the [[Hudson's Bay Company]] in 1870, when they gave the [[Northwest Territories]] to [[Canada]], and one of the commissioners for the settlement of the ''Alabama'' difficulty at the [[Treaty of Washington (1871)|Treaty of Washington]] with the United States in 1871. |
− | |||
==Working with Disraeli== | ==Working with Disraeli== | ||
− | On [[Benjamin Disraeli|Disraeli's]] elevation to the [[House of Lords]] as Earl of Beaconsfield in | + | On [[Benjamin Disraeli|Disraeli's]] elevation to the [[House of Lords]] as Earl of Beaconsfield in 1876 he became leader of the Conservative party in the Commons. As a finance minister he was largely dominated by the lines of policy laid down by Gladstone; but he distinguished himself by his dealings with the Debt, especially his introduction of the New [[Sinking fund]] in [[1876]], by which he fixed the annual charge for the Debt in such a way as to provide for a regular series of payments off the capital. His temper as leader was, however, too gentle, He was a kind and gentle man, "a sheep in sheep's clothing," wrote Roy Jenkins, to satisfy the more ardent spirits among his own followers, and party cabals (in which [[Lord Randolph Churchill]], who had made a dead set at the "old gang," took a leading part) led to Sir Stafford's elevation to the Lords in [[1885]], when [[Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Salisbury]] became prime minister. Taking the titles of '''[[Earl of Iddesleigh]]''' and '''Viscount St Cyres''', he was included in the cabinet as [[First Lord of the Treasury]]. In Lord Salisbury's [[1886]] ministry he became [[Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs|Foreign Secretary]], but the arrangement was not a comfortable one, and his resignation had just been decided upon when on [[12 January]] [[1887]] he died very suddenly at Lord Salisbury's [[10 Downing Street|official residence]] in [[Downing Street]]. |
==Outside of Government== | ==Outside of Government== |
Revision as of 17:58, 13 March 2007
Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh 1818-1887, was a British statesman who served under two of Britain's most influential Prime Ministers, William Ewart Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli.
Early Life
Northcote was born in London on 27 October 1818. His ancestors had long been settled in Devon, tracing their descent from Galfridas de Nordcote who settled there in 1103. He was born 23 Portland Place, the eldest son of Sir. Stafford Northcote. His mother was Agnes Cockburn of the famed family of Cockburn of Henderland. He attended Eton and went on to Balliol College at Oxford University where he earned a first in classics in 1839. A year later, on Easter Day, his mother died.
Gladstone days
After a successful career at Balliol College, Oxford, he studied law at Lincoln Inn Fields. In 1843 he became the private secretary to William Ewart Gladstone, then a member of the Conservative Party and president of the board of trade. As Gladstone's secretary, Northcote was aware of Gladstone's obsessed worries over the problem of prostitution. Gladstone resigned from the party over the issue of Ireland in 1845. Northcote became the legal secretary to the board; and after acting as one of the secretaries to the Great Exhibition of 1851,and co-operated with Sir Charles Trevelyan, in framing the report which revolutionized the conditions of appointment to the Civil Service for which he would long be rembered for [1]. He succeeded his grandfather, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, as 8th baronet in 1851. He entered Parliament in 1855 as Conservative Member of Parliament for Dudley, and was elected for Stamford in 1858, a seat which he exchanged in 1866 for North Devon. Steadily supporting his party, he became President of the Board of Trade in 1866, Secretary of State for India in 1867, and Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1874. In the interval between these last two appointments he was the president of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870, when they gave the Northwest Territories to Canada, and one of the commissioners for the settlement of the Alabama difficulty at the Treaty of Washington with the United States in 1871.
Working with Disraeli
On Disraeli's elevation to the House of Lords as Earl of Beaconsfield in 1876 he became leader of the Conservative party in the Commons. As a finance minister he was largely dominated by the lines of policy laid down by Gladstone; but he distinguished himself by his dealings with the Debt, especially his introduction of the New Sinking fund in 1876, by which he fixed the annual charge for the Debt in such a way as to provide for a regular series of payments off the capital. His temper as leader was, however, too gentle, He was a kind and gentle man, "a sheep in sheep's clothing," wrote Roy Jenkins, to satisfy the more ardent spirits among his own followers, and party cabals (in which Lord Randolph Churchill, who had made a dead set at the "old gang," took a leading part) led to Sir Stafford's elevation to the Lords in 1885, when Lord Salisbury became prime minister. Taking the titles of Earl of Iddesleigh and Viscount St Cyres, he was included in the cabinet as First Lord of the Treasury. In Lord Salisbury's 1886 ministry he became Foreign Secretary, but the arrangement was not a comfortable one, and his resignation had just been decided upon when on 12 January 1887 he died very suddenly at Lord Salisbury's official residence in Downing Street.
Outside of Government
Lord Iddesleigh was elected lord rector of the University of Edinburgh in 1883, in which capacity he addressed the students on the subject of "Desultory Reading". He was not a prolific or notable writer, but amongst his works were Twenty Years of Financial Policy (1862), a valuable study of Gladstonian finance, and Lectures and Essays (1887). His Life by Andrew Lang appeared in 1890. Lord Iddesleigh married in 1843 Cecilia Frances Farrer (d. 1910) (sister of Thomas, 1st Lord Farrer), by whom he had seven sons and three daughters. His second son, Henry, 1st Baron Northcote, was Governor-General of Australia 1904–1908.
Religious Life
He inherited the spirit of religion from his mother and grew up to have strong religious opinions. For a period of time - April-October 1836 - he stayed at the Shirley Vicarage in Derby where he stidied the Bible and the calssics. He desired unity in the Church of England and felt that God was bringing a purification to the church. He belived the church as the bride of Christ was not ready for the Second Coming and it was the role of the church had the "obligation to spread the Gopsel thoughout the world". While at college, these ideas led him to join Newman Street Congregation which followed the teachings of the controversial evangelist Edwin Irving. The Newman church believed in the nearness of the Second Coming of Christ and prepared itself as a bride for the returning Messiah. The church believed in action in preparing for the return of Christ and recruited established men in society to take on the role of Christ's new disciples. It also was open to new prophecies and the practice of speaking in tongues. Irving was finally was unfrocked by the Presbyterian Church for his charismatic outbursts. He was later consecrated as a "Angel" in the Catholic Apostolic faith, which built their giant church at Gordon Square. In the basement of the church, known as London's "third cathedral" the mysterious group prepared splendid robes and capes for the coming Messiah.
Controversy Over faith
The Newman Street Church was not liked by the establishment, especially Northcote's father, and it was taken into account by Northcote's future in-laws when he was to marry. Nothcote was forced to sever his ties with the sect in oder to marry. Some ill-advised person even tried to frighten his mother, by hinting that his leanings to the Newman Steet Church would prejudice his college examiners at Oxford University against him.
Life at No. 10 Downing Street
Sir Stafford Northcote was the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Benjamin Disraeli's Conservative Government of 1875-1980. Because Northcote had ten children and Dizzy, as Disraeli was known, was a childless widower, the two men agreed to swap residences. The Prime Minister moved into the smaller flat at No. 1, while Northcote and his large brood, settled into the more spacious No. 10, where as Disraeli explained, "the drains are so much better". One of Northcote's grandchildren, Dame Flora MacLeod, was actually born in the house on February 3, 1878. It wasn't until another 122 years later that another child would be born at 10 Downing Street - Leo Blair, the son of Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Claire.
Death
Northcote's death came in a dramatic manner. On January 1887 Northcote visited the Foreign Office to talk with the great explorer Mr. H.M. Stanley (of "Livingstone I presume" fame) about his expedition to relieve German explorer Emin Bey. He then walked across to Downing Street to talk to the Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. On reaching the anteroom at Number Ten, he sank into a chair and died. His funeral took place at Upton on Pynes and services took place at Exeter Catherdral, Westminister Abbey and St. Giles Catherdral in Edinburgh. In its obitury the Times of London wrote that Nothcote was "the man of perfect courtesy of soul, the man who by word, deed and conduct always strove to make others content with themselves and with him". Queen Victoria also mentioned Northcote's death in her personal dairy: “He fainted at the top of the stairs at Downing Street,” wrote Queen Victoria in her journal,“ and he died in twenty minutes. I felt quite bewildered and stunned.”
Personal Life
There is oral evidence that suggests that Northcote, who sired ten children, had an illegitimate daughter, while working in London and raised this girl on his estate 180 miles away from London in the Exter area of the county of Devon. In 1877 a seamstress named Martha Andrews gave birth to Ada Andrews at London's notorious Marylebone Workhouse. Life expectancy, for a girl raised in poverty in London was just 17 years. That baby was brought to Northcote's ancestral village of Upton Pyne, and according to her birth certificate, she was adopted by the local thatcher John Bradford who worked on teh Northcote estate. This was 1877, long before today's modern adoption agencies. Interestingly, Northcote's biographer called 1877 a "quiet year". It was common in those days for bastard children sired by the wealthy to be sent down to the country estates where they would be raised in ignominy. Ada Andrews, worked in the Northcote house, eventually becoming the personal maid to Northcotes's wife. A deeply religious women, who named her sons, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Ada revealed the secret of her real father just before she died giving birth to her last son. She was indebted to Northcote, for he had probably saved her from a life of poverty by bringing her to his beautiful estate overlooking the River Exe in Devon, a world away from the tough streets of the capital city.
Books
- Jenkins, Roy. Gladstone. 1996. Papermac. ISBN 0333662091
- Hibbert, Christopher. Queen Victoria in Her Letters and Journals. 2000. Sutton Pub. ISBN 0750923490
- Feuchtwanger, Edgar. Disraeli. Hodder Arnold. 2000. ISBN 0340719109
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Lang, Andrew. 1895. Life of the Earl of Iddesleigh. House of Commons Library.
- Rees-Moog, Time the mandarins joined the 21st century. October 30, 2000.
- Powell, Kenneth. They await Him still. Daily Telegraph. March 30, 1997.pg. 11.
- Express and Echo. House Swap. (Exeter) June 26, 2000.
- Swan, Conrad. The forgotten babies of Downing Street. The Daily Telegraph. May 23, 2000. Pg. 27.
- P.H.S. Swap slot. The Times. 1997, May. 6.
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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Preceded by: John Benbow |
Member of Parliament for Dudley 1855–1857 |
Succeeded by: Henry Sheridan |
Preceded by: John Inglis |
Member of Parliament for Stamford 1858–1866 |
Succeeded by: Sir John Charles Dalrymple Hay |
Preceded by: Sir Thomas Dyke-Acland, 11th Bt. |
Member of Parliament for North Devon 1866–1885 |
Succeeded by: John Moore-Stevens |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by: Thomas Milner Gibson |
President of the Board of Trade 1866–1867 |
Succeeded by: The Duke of Richmond |
Preceded by: The Marquess of Salisbury |
Secretary of State for India 1867–1868 |
Succeeded by: The Duke of Argyll |
Preceded by: William Ewart Gladstone |
Chancellor of the Exchequer 1874–1880 |
Succeeded by: William Ewart Gladstone |
Preceded by: Benjamin Disraeli |
Leader of the House of Commons 1876–1880 | |
Preceded by: William Ewart Gladstone |
First Lord of the Treasury 1885–1886 |
Succeeded by: William Ewart Gladstone |
Preceded by: The Earl of Rosebery |
Foreign Secretary 1886–1887 |
Succeeded by: The Marquess of Salisbury |
Party Political Offices | ||
Preceded by: Benjamin Disraeli |
Conservative Leader in the Commons 1876–1885 |
Succeeded by: Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bt |
Preceded by: The Earl of Beaconsfield |
Leader of the British Conservative Party 1881–1885 with The Marquess of Salisbury |
Succeeded by: The Marquess of Salisbury |
Honorary Titles | ||
Preceded by: The Duke of Somerset |
Lord Lieutenant of Devon 1886–1887 |
Succeeded by: The Lord Clinton |
Baronetage of England
| ||
Preceded by: Stafford Northcote |
Baronet (of Hayne) 1851–1887 |
Succeeded by: Walter Northcote |
Peerage of the United Kingdom
| ||
Preceded by: New Creation |
Earl of Iddesleigh 1885–1887 |
Succeeded by: Walter Northcote |
|
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