Charles Harrison (1 August 1835 – 24 December 1897) was a British Liberal Party politician. Harrison was born in Muswell Hill, Middlesex, and was the third son of Frederick Harrison, a

stockbroker A stockbroker is a regulated broker, broker-dealer, or registered investment adviser (in the United States) who may provide financial advisory and investment management services and execute transactions such as the purchase or sale of stocks an ...

, and his wife, Jane Brice. He was educated at King's College School and

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

. In 1858 he entered business as a solicitor at the firm of his uncle, also named Charles Harrison. He acquired a large practice in his own right, with major clients being the London Chatham and Dover Railway and the Law Fire Insurance Society. He became an advocate for the rights of tenants to purchase their properties and for the provision of housing for the working classes. In this, he was in agreement with the policies of the

Radical Radical may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Radical politics, the political intent of fundamental societal change *Radicalism (historical), the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and ...

wing of the Liberal Party. In 1886, he married Lady Harriet Barlow. His active involvement with politics came with the creation of the London County Council in 1889. He was elected as one of the council's first members, representing Bethnal Green South West as a member of the Liberal-backed Progressive Party. He was a leading member of the council, and vice-chairman from 1892 – 1895. His interests in the government of the capital led him to call for the municipalisation of the London docks and the unification of the City of London with the county. On two occasions Harrison stood for election to the

House of Commons of the United Kingdom The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 me ...

on behalf of the Liberals. In

1892 Events January–March * January 1 – Ellis Island begins accommodating immigrants to the United States. * February 1 - The historic Enterprise Bar and Grill was established in Rico, Colorado. * February 27 – Rudolf Diesel applies for ...

he failed to be elected at

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

. He stood again at the ensuing general election in 1895, and became one of the town's two members of parliament, while continuing to hold his seat on the London County Council. Harrison became suddenly ill with inflammation of the throat at the funeral of Sir Frank Lockwood on 23 December 1897 and died at his London home on the following day from heart failure.

References

* * *''Obituary: Mr. Charles Harrison, M.P.'', The Times, 27 December 1897, p. 7

External links

* 1835 births 1897 deaths People educated at King's College School, London Alumni of King's College London Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1895–1900 Members of London County Council Progressive Party (London) politicians Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Plymouth {{England-Liberal-UK-MP-stub