Charles Thomas-Stanford

Sir Charles Thomas-Stanford, 1st Baronet (3 April 1858 – 7 March 1932),^[1] born Charles Thomas, was a British Conservative Party politician from Brighton. He sat in the House of Commons from 1914 to 1922.

Early life and family

The son of David Collet Thomas, from Hove,^[2] he was educated at the Highgate School and at Oriel College, Oxford, where he graduated with a B.A. degree in 1881.^[3] He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1882,^[2] but did not practice.^[3]

In 1897 he married Ellen Stanford, the daughter and heiress of William Stanford of Preston Park, Sussex, and widow of Vere Benett-Stanford, the former MP for Shaftesbury. In the same year he changed his name by royal licence to Thomas-Stanford.^[2]

Career

Thomas-Stanford became a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Brighton, and served as Mayor of Brighton in 1910–11 and 1912–14,^[2] becoming an alderman by 1914.^[4]

Thomas-Stanford was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Brighton^[5] in June 1914^[6] at an unopposed by-election following the resignation of the Conservative MP John Gordon.^[5][7] He was re-elected in 1918^[8] as a Coalition Conservative^[9] (i.e. a supporter of the coalition government led by the Liberal David Lloyd George), and stood down from Parliament at the 1922 general election.^[9]

In 1922 he donated Lewes Castle to the Sussex Archaeological Society, of which he was a long-serving chairman.^[3]

Thomas-Stanford was made a baronet on the 1929 New Year Honours^[10] and the title was conferred on 8 May 1929.^[11]

He died aged 73 on 7 March 1932 at his home Preston Manor, Brighton,^[3] which was bequeathed to Brighton Corporation.

References

1. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 5)
2. Hesilridge, Arthur G. M. (1918). Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1918. London: Dean & Son. p. 154.
3. "Sir C. Thomas-Stanford Donor Of Lewes Castle". The Times (London). 8 March 1932. p. 20.
4. "By-Election At Brighton. Retirement Of The Hon. J. E. Gordon.". The Times (London). 23 June 1914. p. 8.
5. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 83. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
6. The London Gazette: no. 28845. p. 5068. 30 June 1914. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
7. "News in Brief". The Times (London). 25 June 1914. p. 8.
8. The London Gazette: no. 31147. p. 1356. 28 January 1919. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
9. Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 103. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
10. "The New Year Honours. Full Official List., Three Peerages.". The Times (London). 1 March 1929. p. 8.
11. The London Gazette: no. 33493. p. 3124. 10 May 1929. Retrieved 13 October 2010.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Charles Thomas-Stanford