Joseph Stanley Holmes, 1st Baron Dovercourt (31 October 1878 – 22 April 1961) was a British chartered accountant, businessman and Liberal Party politician, who later served as a Liberal National Member of Parliament.

Background and education

Holmes was born in Marylebone, Middlesex, the son of Horace G. Holmes, JP. He was educated at the City of London School.thepeerage.com Joseph Stanley Holmes, 1st and last Baron Dovercourt
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Career

Holmes was a chartered accountant and company director. He served as vice-president of the Building Societies Association and was a member of the London County Council 1910 to 1919. He was elected Liberal Member of Parliament for North East Derbyshire at the 1918 general election, but narrowly lost the seat at the 1922 general election. The initially declared majority was only 5 votes, and an electoral petition was lodged. The petition was dismissed when a recount found a higher majority of 15. Holmes then stood unsuccessfully in Dunbartonshire at the 1923 general election, and in

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

at the 1924 election. He finally returned to the House of Commons after a thirteen-year absence at the 1935 general election, when he was elected for

Harwich Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-on- ...

as a Liberal National. He held the seat until 1954, sitting later as a 'National Liberal and Conservative'. He introduced as

Private Member's Bill A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in whi ...

s the Inheritance (Family Provision) Act 1938 and the Coast Protection Act 1939. On 18 January 1954 he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Dovercourt, of Harwich in the County of Essex.

Personal life

Lord Dovercourt married Eva Gertrude, daughter of William Thomas Rowley, in 1905. He died in Marylebone, London, in April 1961, aged 82. The barony became extinct on his death.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dovercourt, Stanley Holmes, 1st Baron 1878 births 1961 deaths Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Members of London County Council People educated at the City of London School Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for constituencies in Derbyshire UK MPs 1918–1922 UK MPs 1935–1945 UK MPs 1945–1950 UK MPs 1950–1951 UK MPs 1951–1955 UK MPs who were granted peerages People from Marylebone Progressive Party (London) politicians National Liberal Party (UK, 1931) politicians Hereditary barons created by Elizabeth II