Sir Charles Cavendish Clifford, 4th Baronet (7 January 1821 – 22 November 1895)
was an English barrister and
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.
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politician. He was a member of parliament (MP) for over 20 years, representing seats on the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
, and served as private secretary to the Liberal statesman
Viscount Palmerston
Viscount Palmerston was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 12 March 1723 for Henry Temple, who subsequently represented East Grinstead, Bossiney and Weobley in the British House of Commons. He was made Baron Temple, of Mount T ...
.
Family and early life
Clifford was the third son of Admiral
Sir Augustus Clifford, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir Augustus William James Clifford, 1st Baronet, (26 May 1788 – 8 February 1877) was a British Royal Navy officer, court official, and usher of the Black Rod.
Personal life
Clifford was born in France in 1788, the illegitimate son of ...
and his wife Elizabeth Frances, the second daughter of the
Whig parliamentarian
Lord John Townshend
Lord John Townshend PC (19 January 1757 – 23 February 1833), styled The Honourable John Townshend until 1787, was a British Whig politician.
Background
Townshend was the second son of Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend ...
.
He was educated at
Charterhouse School and at
Christ Church, Oxford where he graduated in 1843 with a 4th-class Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in
classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
. He became a
Fellow of All Souls
All Souls College (official name: College of the Souls of All the Faithful Departed) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Unique to All Souls, all of its members automatically become fellows (i.e., full members of t ...
in 1845 and was called to the bar at the
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...
in 1846.
He lived at Westfield House,
Ryde
Ryde is an English seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight. The built-up area had a population of 23,999 according to the 2011 Census and an estimate of 24,847 in 2019. Its growth as a seaside resort came af ...
, on the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
.
He succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1893, but the title became extinct on his death in 1895.
Political career
Clifford was elected at the
1857 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
,
and re-elected in
1859, but did stand again at the
1865 general election.
He was returned 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. ...
at a by-election in November 1870 for the borough of
Newport,
[Craig, op. cit., page 222]
and held that seat until the borough was disenfranchised at the
1885 general election.
He was private secretary for many years to the Liberal statesman
Viscount Palmerston
Viscount Palmerston was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 12 March 1723 for Henry Temple, who subsequently represented East Grinstead, Bossiney and Weobley in the British House of Commons. He was made Baron Temple, of Mount T ...
,
who served as
Foreign Secretary,
Home Secretary
The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national s ...
and
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
.
He also held several local ceremonial appointments: he was appointed as a
Deputy Lieutenant of
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
in 1847,
and as a Lieutenant of the
Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers
The 7th Battalion, The Rifles (7 RIFLES) is an Army Reserve battalion of the British Army originally formed in 1999 as an independent regiment, however later became part of The Rifles following the Future Army Structure programme, and remains a ...
in January 1860,
but had resigned the latter commission by February 1863.
Works
Clifford was the author of translations of
Aristophanes
Aristophanes (; grc, Ἀριστοφάνης, ; c. 446 – c. 386 BC), son of Philippus, of the deme Kydathenaion ( la, Cydathenaeum), was a comic playwright or comedy-writer of ancient Athens and a poet of Old Attic Comedy. Eleven of his for ...
' ''
Ranae'' and of the
Aeschylus
Aeschylus (, ; grc-gre, Αἰσχύλος ; c. 525/524 – c. 456/455 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian, and is often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek ...
's ''
Prometheus Vinctus
''Prometheus Bound'' ( grc, Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης, ''Promētheús Desmṓtēs'') is an Ancient Greek tragedy traditionally attributed to Aeschylus and thought to have been composed sometime between 479 BC and the terminus ant ...
''.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clifford, Charles, 4th Baronet
1821 births
1895 deaths
Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Deputy Lieutenants of Hampshire
Fellows of All Souls College, Oxford
Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Members of the Inner Temple
Members of Parliament for the Isle of Wight
People educated at Charterhouse School
People from Ryde
UK MPs 1857–1859
UK MPs 1859–1865
UK MPs 1868–1874
UK MPs 1874–1880
UK MPs 1880–1885