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. For example, while the political systems ...

politician. He was a member of parliament (MP) for over 20 years, representing seats on the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

, and served as private secretary to the Liberal statesman Viscount Palmerston.

Family and early life

Clifford was the third son of Admiral Sir Augustus Clifford, 1st Baronet and his wife Elizabeth Frances, the second daughter of the Whig parliamentarian Lord John Townshend. He was educated at

Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...

and at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

where he graduated in 1843 with a 4th-class Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in

classics Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...

. He became a Fellow of All Souls 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 association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1846. He lived at Westfield House, Ryde, on the

. 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

, 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 Bicameralism, 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 ...

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, who served as Foreign Secretary,

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...

and

Prime Minister A prime minister 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. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

. He also held several local ceremonial appointments: he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

in 1847, and as a Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight Rifle Volunteers in January 1860, but had resigned the latter commission by February 1863.

Works

Clifford was the author of translations of

Aristophanes Aristophanes (; ; ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek Ancient Greek comedy, comic playwright from Classical Athens, Athens. He wrote in total forty plays, of which eleven survive virtually complete today. The majority of his surviving play ...

' '' Ranae'' and of the

Aeschylus Aeschylus (, ; ; /524 – /455 BC) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek tragedy, tragedian often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek tragedy is large ...

's '' Prometheus Vinctus''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clifford, Charles, 4th Baronet 1821 births 1895 deaths Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford 4 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