Henry Sanderson Furniss, 1st Baron Sanderson (1 October 1868 – 25 March 1939), was an English educationalist and socialist politician. He was the third Principal of

Ruskin College Ruskin College, originally known as Ruskin Hall, Oxford, is an independent educational institution in Oxford, England. It is not a college of Oxford University. It is named after the essayist, art and social critic John Ruskin (1819–1900) an ...

, an educational institution in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, England, for adults lacking in prior formal education.

Early life

Furniss was born in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

on 1 October 1868, the elder son of Thomas Sanderson Furniss (1833–1912) and Thomas' wife and second cousin Mary Sanderson (died 1899). Like his eldest sister May, Furniss was discovered to be blind from a very young age, possibly as a result of

ophthalmia neonatorum Ophthalmia (also called ophthalmitis) is inflammation of the eye. It results in congestion of the eyeball, often eye-watering, redness and swelling, itching and burning, and a general feeling of irritation under the eyelids. Ophthalmia can have d ...

at the time of his birth. Two younger siblings had normal eyesight. Furniss's eyesight allowed him to distinguish large objects but he was never able to read. Fortunately, private tutoring (made possible by his family's wealth) allowed him to gain an education that led ultimately to a distinguished academic career in

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

Career

Furniss read modern history at

Hertford College, Oxford Hertford College ( ), previously known as Magdalen Hall, is a colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on Catte Street in the centre of Oxford, directly opposite the main ga ...

, and graduated with a second-class degree in 1893. After leaving university, Furniss spent several years working with the Bristol

Charity Organization Society The Charity Organisation Societies were founded in England in 1869 following the ' Goschen Minute' that sought to severely restrict outdoor relief distributed by the Poor Law Guardians. In the early 1870s a handful of local societies were formed w ...

, an organisation that his father also supported, in London.Harold Pollins, 'Furniss, Henry Sanderson, Baron Sanderson (1868–1939)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2011. From 1907 to 1916 he was a lecturer at Ruskin College; from 1916 to 1925 he served as the principal of the college. While serving as principal, the college began to admit women as students, in 1919. While working in Oxford, Furniss was an active participant in the

Socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

Fabian Society. At the 1918 general election, he ran unsuccessfully as the Labour Party candidate for

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. On 18 June 1930, Furniss was created Baron Sanderson, of Hunmanby, in the

County of York Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

, in recognition of his distinguished career in education. Furniss was an active member of the Lords and represented the Labour peers on the parliamentary executive of the Labour Party. In the late 1930s he was a member of the Parliamentary

Pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...

Group. In October 1938, Furniss supported the Conservative candidate at the Oxford City by-election, when the

Munich Agreement The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, Germany, the United Kingdom, French Third Republic, France, and Fa ...

was the predominant issue.

Private life

Furniss married Averil Dorothy Nicholl on 23 January 1902. There were no children from their marriage. Furniss died suddenly at the

Lansdowne Club The Lansdowne Club is a Social club, private members' club in London, England occupying a large building, notable in its own right. It was established in 1935 and occupies most of 9 Fitzmaurice Place, a street connecting Berkeley Square to Curzo ...

in London on 25 March 1939. He is buried at

Headington Headington is an eastern suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames valley below, and bordering Marston to the north-west, Cowley to the south, and Barton and Risinghurst to the east. Th ...

cemetery, Oxford.

References

External links

* *A photograph of Lord Sanderson, taken in July 1930, is available as item NPG x84696 in the

National Portrait Gallery (London) The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was arguably the first national public gallery dedicated to portraits in the world when it ...

. This image can be accessed at http://www.npg.org.uk {{DEFAULTSORT:Sanderson, Henry Sanderson Furniss, 1st Baron 1868 births 1939 deaths Academics of Ruskin College Alumni of Hertford College, Oxford

201 Year 201 ( CCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Fabianus and Arrius (or, less frequently, year 954 '' Ab urbe condi ...

Scholars and academics with disabilities English economists Labour Party (UK) hereditary peers Barons created by George V