Sir Edmund Lechmere, 3rd Baronet

Sir Edmund Anthony Harley Lechmere, 3rd Baronet (8 December 1826 – 18 December 1894) was a British Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1866 and 1895. He was a pioneer of the Red Cross.[1]

Lechmere was the son of Sir Edmund Hungerford Lechmere, 2nd Baronet of Hanley Castle, Worcestershire and his wife Maria Clara Murray, daughter of Hon. Murray. He was educated at Charterhouse School and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1852 he inherited the baronetcy on the death of his father. He was a senior partner in the Worcester Old Bank. In 1862 he was High Sheriff of Worcestershire.[2]

In March 1866 Lechmere was elected at a by-election as one of the two Members of Parliament (MPs) for Tewkesbury,[3] but when the borough's representation was reduced to one seat at the 1868 general election, he was defeated by the Liberal Party candidate William Edwin Price.[3] He contested Tewkesbury again in 1874, without success,[3] but in July 1876 he was elected at a by-election as MP for Western Worcestershire.[4] After the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, he was elected at the 1885 general election as MP for Bewdley.[5] He held the seat until the 1892 general election,[6] when he was elected as MP for Evesham.[7] He held that seat until his death.[8]

Lechmere gave an annual prize for history at the Oxford Military College in Cowley and Oxford Oxfordshire from 1876-1896.

Lechmere and his wife were among the founders of Venerable Order of St John. They had travelled several times to Jerusalem and were involved in the establishment of The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital. [9]

Lechmere married Louisa Katherine Haigh, only daughter and heiress of John Haigh of Whitwell Hall at York, on 30 September 1858.[2]

References

  1. ^ National Portrait Gallery
  2. ^ a b Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886
  3. ^ a b c Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 303–304. ISBN 0-900178-26-4. 
  4. ^ Craig, Election results 1832–1885, page 487
  5. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 419. ISBN 0-900178-27-2. 
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 3)
  7. ^ Craig, Election results 1885–1918, page 422
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  9. ^ VADS The National Inventory of Continental European Paintings

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Reginald Yorke
William Edward Dowdeswell		 Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury
1866–1868
With: John Reginald Yorke		 Succeeded by
William Edwin Price
Preceded by
Fredrick Knight and
William Edward Dowdeswell		 Member of Parliament for West Worcestershire
1876–1885
With: Fredrick Knight		 Constituency abolished
Preceded by
Enoch Baldwin		 Member of Parliament for Bewdley
1885–1892		 Succeeded by
Alfred Baldwin
Preceded by
Sir Richard Temple, Bt		 Member of Parliament for Evesham
1892–1895		 Succeeded by
Charles Wigram Long
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Edmund Hungerford Lechmere		 Baronet
 (of Hanley)
1856–1894		 Succeeded by
Edmund Arthur Lechmere