Francis Lucas (English politician)

Colonel Francis Alfred Lucas (7 June 1850 – 11 December 1918)[1] was a British company director and Conservative Party politician who lived in London and in Suffolk. He sat in the House of Commons from 1900 until his defeat in 1906.

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Early life

Lucas was the son of Sampson Lucas, of Gloucester Square, London.[2] He was educated privately and then at University College London, after which he went into business, becoming a partner in Lucas, Nicholls and Company, a merchants firm with operations in London, Stockport and Manchester.[2] He was a director of both Allied Insurance and Allied Marine Insurance.[2][3]

He was also an actively involved in the Volunteer Force, serving for 35 years as a member of the Artists Rifles, mostly as an officer.[2] He then became Commander of the Harwich Voluntary Infantry Brigade from 1900 to 1906.[4]

He was also a governor of Christ's Hospital and of Guy's Hospital, and a Justice of the Peace for Suffolk,[2] where his country residence Easton Park was located near Wickham Market.[3]

Political career

He unsuccessfully contested the Louth division of Lincolnshire at the 1895 general election,[5] and at the 1900 general election he was elected as MP for Lowestoft,[6] with a majority of over 20% of the votes.[7] However, at the 1906 election, he was defeated by the Liberal candidate Edward Beauchamp, who won the seat with a 14% majority.[7] Noting the scale of Liberal gains in the election, The Times noted the Lowestoft result as evidence that "apparently, no Unionist seat is now secure".[8]

After his defeat in 1906, Lucas did not stand again in Lowestoft. He unsuccessfully contested the Kennington division of Lambeth at both the January 1910 and December 1910 elections,[9] and at the 1918 general election he stood again in Kennington.[4] However he died on 11 December 1918, aged 68, after he had already been formally nominated,[4] which caused the election to be delayed in Kennington until a new candidate could be nominated.[4][10]

His death, at his London residence in Stornoway House, Cleveland Row, St James's, was due to heart failure brought about by influenza.[4]

Family

In 1887 Lucas married Alice, younger daughter of Viscount David de Stern.[3] Her brother Sydney Stern was the Liberal peer Lord Wandsworth.[2]

References

  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L"
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Biographies Of New Members". The Times (London): p. 13. 16 October 1900. 
  3. ^ a b c Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1901. London: Dean & Son. 1901. p. 93. http://www.archive.org/stream/debrettshouseo1901londuoft#page/n138/mode/1up. Retrieved 12 October 2010. 
  4. ^ a b c d e "Kennington election postponed: effects of candidate's death". The Times (London): p. 10. 12 December 1918. 
  5. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 340. ISBN 0-900178-27-2. 
  6. ^ London Gazette: no. 27244. p. 6774. 6 November 1900. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  7. ^ a b Craig, 1885–1918, page 392
  8. ^ "Progress Of The General Election". The Times (London): p. 10. 25 January 1906. 
  9. ^ Craig, 1885–1918, page 30
  10. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 34. ISBN 0-900178-06-X. 

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Harry Foster		 Member of Parliament for Lowestoft
1900 – 1906		 Succeeded by
Edward Beauchamp