Arthur Ralph Douglas Elliot (17 December 184612 February 1923) was a British journalist and

Liberal Unionist The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington (later the Duke of Devonshire) and Joseph Chamberlain, the party established a political ...

politician.

Background and education

Elliot was the second son of Emma Eleanor Elizabeth (née Hyslop) and

William Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of Minto William Hugh Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 3rd Earl of Minto (; 19 March 1814 – 17 March 1891), was a British Whig politician. He was the eldest son of Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto. From 1814 until his accession in 1859, he ...

Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, (; 9 July 18451 March 1914), known as Viscount Melgund by courtesy from 1859 to 1891, was a British peer and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the eighth since Canadi ...

, was his elder brother and the Honourable Hugh Elliot his younger brother.thepeerage.com Arthur Ralph Douglas Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound
/ref> At age four his leg was amputated as the result of a fall. He was educated at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...

Political career

Elliot was elected to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

for

Roxburghshire Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh ( gd, Siorrachd Rosbroig) is a historic county and registration county in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It borders Dumfriesshire to the west, Selkirkshire and Midlothian to the north-west, and Berw ...

in 1880 as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

, and held that seat until 1892, having joined the

s when the

Irish Home Rule The Irish Home Rule movement was a movement that campaigned for Devolution, self-government (or "home rule") for Ireland within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was the dominant political movement of Irish nationalism from 1 ...

split the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

in 1886. After his defeat by the Liberal candidate at the 1892 general election, he did not stand again in Roxburghshire, and at the 1895 general election he stood in the City of Durham, losing by 3 votes to the sitting Liberal MP, Matthew Fowler. After Fowler's death in 1898, Elliot won the resulting by-election, though with a margin of only 65 votes. He was re-elected in Durham at the 1900 general election with a much bigger majority, but his support of

free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econo ...

then brought him into conflict with the Durham Constitutional Association (the local Conservative and Liberal Unionist organisation), some of whose members were backing

John Waller Hills Major John Waller Hills PC (1867 – 24 December 1938) was a British Liberal Unionist and Conservative politician and author. The second son of Herbert Augustus and Anna Hills of High Head Castle, Cumberland, Hills was educated at Eton and B ...

as an alternative for the next election. Elliot resigned from the Durham Constitutional Association in February 1905, and contested the general election in January 1906 as a "Free Trade" Liberal candidate, with the support of the local Liberal Association. In a straight contest between Elliot and Hills (who had been adopted as the Conservative and Liberal Unionist candidate), Hills took the seat with 60% of the votes. He served briefly as

Financial Secretary to the Treasury The financial secretary to the Treasury is a mid-level ministerial post in HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury. It is nominally the fifth most significant ministerial role within the Treasury after the First Lord of the Treasury, first lord of th ...

under

Arthur Balfour Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, (, ; 25 July 184819 March 1930), also known as Lord Balfour, was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As F ...

between April and October 1903. Apart from his political career he was also editor of the ''

Edinburgh Review The ''Edinburgh Review'' is the title of four distinct intellectual and cultural magazines. The best known, longest-lasting, and most influential of the four was the third, which was published regularly from 1802 to 1929. ''Edinburgh Review'', ...

''.

Family

Elliot married Madeline Harriet Dagmar, daughter of Sir

Charles Lister Ryan Sir Charles Lister Ryan (30 September 1831 – 20 November 1920) was a British civil servant. He served as Comptroller and Auditor-General of the Exchequer from 1888 until his retirement in 1896. Life He was born in St John's, Worcester,''1 ...

, in 1888. They had two sons, of whom only the youngest reached adulthood. Madeline died in January 1906. Elliot lived for many years in

Freshwater, Isle of Wight Freshwater is a large village and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the western end of the Isle of Wight, England. The southern, coastal part of the village is Freshwater Bay, named for the adjacent small cove. Freshwater sit ...

According to an inscription in St Agnes’ Church, Freshwater Inscription in memory of Arthur Elliott

and remained a widower until his death in February 1923, aged 76.

References

External links

*
1903 illustrated article with photo of Arthur Elliot
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliot, Arthur 1846 births 1923 deaths Politicians from London Younger sons of earls Scottish Liberal Party MPs Liberal Unionist Party MPs for Scottish constituencies Liberal Unionist Party MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1880–1885 UK MPs 1885–1886 UK MPs 1886–1892 UK MPs 1895–1900 UK MPs 1900–1906 Alumni of the University of Edinburgh British amputees Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for City of Durham