James Lloyd Ashbury Vanity Fair 31 October 1874

James Lloyd Ashbury (1834 – 3 September 1895) was a

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yachtsman and

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politician.

Early life

The son of John Ashbury, founder of the

Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Company Ltd The Ashbury Carriage and Iron Company Limited was a manufacturer of railway rolling stock founded by John Ashbury in 1837 in Commercial Street, Knott Mill in Manchester, England, near the original terminus of the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne an ...

of Manchester, James trained as an engineer and joined the family company. When his father died in 1866 he inherited the business and a considerable fortune. His health was affected by the polluted atmosphere of Manchester, and Ashbury moved to the coast, where he took up sailing. As he attempted to advance in society he took up competitive yachting.

The America's Cup challenges

Ashbury was appointed commodore of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club in 1870, having been elected a member in 1867. He made the first two, albeit unsuccessful challenges for the America's Cup, held since 1851 by the

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. Ashbury's first challenge was in 1870 with his yacht ''Cambria''. The race for the America's Cup was held on 8 August, and ''Cambria'' faced 14 yachts of the New York Yacht Club. The race was won by the ''Magic'', with the ''Cambria'' finishing in eighth place. Ashbury stayed on to take part in the club cruise, and entertained the

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on his yacht. Returning to England, Ashbury commissioned a new yacht ''Livonia''. Ashbury took his new yacht across the Atlantic to once again challenge for the America's Cup, this time on behalf of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club. Controversial from the start, ''Livonia'' was defeated 4–1. He returned to the United Kingdom without the trophy accusing the New York Club of engaging in "unfair and unsportsmanlike proceedings". The club responded by returning a number of trophies he had donated in the previous year. Although the event ended in acrimony, Ashbury was the catalyst for the introduction of greater fairness in no longer allowing the defender to use multiple yachts against a single challenger, and was belatedly inducted into the

America's Cup Hall of Fame The America's Cup Hall of Fame, located at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, honors individuals for outstanding achievement in the America's Cup sailing competition. Candidates eligible for consideration include skippers ...

in 1997.

Member of parliament for Brighton

By the 1860s Ashbury was living in Brighton. When a general election was called in 1868, he put himself forward as a parliamentary candidate, claiming to be responding to an "extensively signed requisition". He was adopted as candidate by the

, pledging to give "general but independent support" to the government of

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. He called for "reform not revolution" and the provision of education for every man woman and child. He failed to be elected, with the Liberals holding both Brighton seats. He was again a candidate at the next general election in 1874 and on this occasion he was elected along with his fellow Conservative, Major-General

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. He was only to serve a single term in the

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as the Liberals regained the two Brighton seats at the next general election in 1880.

Later life and death

Following the loss of his parliamentary seat, Ashbury pursued his business interests, which rapidly failed. He purchased a large sheep station on the South Island of

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, but due to mismanagement it became a major financial liability. He was unable to pay creditors and spent many years in the courts, eventually facing bankruptcy. Ashbury disappeared into obscurity. The newspapers of September 1895 reported that the body of an elderly "gentleman of no occupation" known as James Ashbury had been found in his London lodgings, having apparently taken his life with an overdose of

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. It was several days before his identity emerged. He was buried in

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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashbury, James Lloyd 1834 births 1895 deaths Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1874–1880 Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery English male sailors (sport) Politicians from Manchester Drug-related suicides in England British politicians who committed suicide 1890s suicides