James Grimble Groves

James Grimble Groves (24 October 1854 – 23 June 1914) was a British brewer and Conservative politician.

He was the son of William Peer Groves, of Springbank, Pendleton, near Salford and was educated privately and at Owen's College, Manchester.[1] He became chairman and managing director of Groves and Whitnall Limited, owners of the Regent Road Brewery, Salford.[2]

Groves was the chairman of the Salford Conservative Association, and when the member of parliament for Salford South announced his retirement prior to the 1900 general election, he was selected as the party's candidate.[3] He successfully held the seat for the Conservatives.

In November 1900 a number of arsenic poisonings in the Manchester area were traced to beer from the Groves and Whitnall Brewery, and consequently a large amount of the company's stock had to be destroyed.[4] In 1903, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Cheshire.[5]

Groves only served one term in the Commons, losing his seat to Hilaire Belloc in the Liberal landslide at the 1906 general election.

He married in 1878, and made his home at Oldfield Hall, Altrincham, Cheshire. He died in June 1914 aged 59, after a long illness.[2] His son was Robert Marsland Groves, the naval aviation pioneer and senior Royal Air Force commander.[6]

References

Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

  1. ^ Biographies of New Members, The Times, 19 October 1900, p.10
  2. ^ a b Wills, The Times, 25 September 1914
  3. ^ The Times, 19 September 1900, p.5
  4. ^ Arsenic In Beer, The Times, 1 December 1900, p.8
  5. ^ London Gazette: no. 27620. p. 7752. 20 November 1903.
  6. ^ http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1921/1921%20-%200161.html?tracked=1

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Henry Hoyle Howorth
Member of Parliament for Salford South
19001906
Succeeded by
Hilaire Belloc