Francis Henry FitzHardinge Berkeley (7 December 1794 – 10 March 1870) was a British politician.

Background and education

Berkeley was the fourth son of

Frederick Berkeley, 5th Earl of Berkeley Frederick Augustus Berkeley, 5th Earl of Berkeley (24 May 1745 – 8 August 1810) was a British peer. Origins and education Berkeley was the eldest son and heir of Augustus Berkeley, 4th Earl of Berkeley by Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Drax, of E ...

, and Mary, daughter of William Cole. The validity of his parents' marriage was the subject of some controversy, and in 1811 the House of Lords decided that Berkeley and six of his twelve siblings were born out of wedlock. His brothers included

William Berkeley, 1st Earl FitzHardinge William FitzHardinge Berkeley, 1st Earl FitzHardinge (26 December 1786 – 10 October 1857), known as The Lord Segrave between 1831 and 1841, was a British landowner and politician. Background Berkeley was born at Mount Street, Grosvenor Squar ...

Maurice Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge Admiral Maurice Frederick FitzHardinge Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge, (3 January 1788 – 17 October 1867) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he commanded gunboats on the Tagus, reinforcing the Lines of Torres Vedras, in Autumn 18 ...

Grantley Berkeley The Honourable George Charles Grantley FitzHardinge Berkeley (10 February 1800 – 20 February 1881), known as Grantley Berkeley, was a British politician, writer and sportsman. Background and education Berkeley was the sixth son of Frederick Ber ...

and

Craven Berkeley Craven FitzHardinge Berkeley (May 1805 – 1 July 1855) was a British Whig politician. Background Berkeley was the seventh son of Frederick Berkeley, 5th Earl of Berkeley, and Mary, daughter of William Cole. He was the younger brother of Willi ...

. He was educated at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

Political career

Berkeley was returned to Parliament as one of two representatives for Bristol in 1837, a seat he held until his death in 1870. He was a longstanding advocate of secret ballot reform, which was finally adopted after his death in 1872.

Personal life

Berkeley died in March 1870, aged 75; his body is buried in St Dunstan's churchyard in Cranford.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Berkeley, Henry 1794 births 1870 deaths Younger sons of earls Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1837–1841 UK MPs 1841–1847 UK MPs 1847–1852 UK MPs 1852–1857 UK MPs 1857–1859 UK MPs 1859–1865 UK MPs 1865–1868 UK MPs 1868–1874 Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Henry