Sir Henry Kenyon Stephenson, 1st Baronet DSO (16 August 1865 – 20 September 1947) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and businessman. His father was

Henry Stephenson Harry Stephenson Garraway (16 April 1871 – 24 April 1956) was a British actor. He generally portrayed amiable and wise Gentleman, gentlemen in many films of the 1930s and 1940s. Among his roles were Joseph Banks, Sir Joseph Banks in ''Mutiny ...

Career

Stephenson was born into a family of Typefounders in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

. He became the chairman and managing director of Stephenson, Blake & Co Ltd, (1927) and later the Chair of the Sheffield Gas Company.Michael Stenton and Stephen Lees, ''Who's Who of British MPs: Volume III, 1919–1945'' He became the treasurer of the University College of Sheffield, and later the first treasurer of its successor, the

University of Sheffield The University of Sheffield (informally Sheffield University or TUOS) is a public university, public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Its history traces back to the foundation of Sheffield Medical School in 1828, Fir ...

. Stephenson joined the

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 ...

and was elected to

Sheffield City Council Sheffield City Council is the local authority for the City of Sheffield, a metropolitan borough with city status in South Yorkshire, England. The council consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors. ...

, becoming

lord mayor Lord mayor is a title of a mayor of what is usually a major city in a Commonwealth realm, with special recognition bestowed by the sovereign. However, the title or an equivalent is present in other countries, including forms such as "high mayor". A ...

in 1908–09 and again in 1910–11. In 1910, he also became the pro-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, succeeding Sir Frederick Mappin.''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage,'' 100th Edn, London, 1953: 'Stephenson of Hassop Hall'. He had been an officer in the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...

for many years and was Sheffield University's representative on the West Riding Territorial Association. He had been awarded the

Volunteer Decoration The Volunteer Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the decoration was discontinued in the United Kingdom ...

, held the substantive rank of

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

from 1898 and the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel. On the outbreak of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he was officer commanding 8th West Riding Battery in the III West Riding Brigade,

Royal Field Artillery The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry. It was created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of the regiment, the ...

(the 'Sheffield Artillery'). Appointed to command the 1/IV West Riding Brigade, RFA, he took it to the Western Front in April 1915. He was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

and twice

Mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

.248 Bde War Diary, May 1915–October 1916, The National Archives, Kew, file WO 95/2782/2.
/ref> At the 1918 general election, he became the first Member of Parliament for the Sheffield Park constituency, holding the seat as a

National Liberal National liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal policies and issues with elements of nationalism. Historically, national liberalism has also been used in the same meaning as conservative liberalism (right-liberalism). A serie ...

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

, but dropping to a distant third place in

1923 In Greece, this year contained only 352 days as 13 days was skipped to achieve the calendrical switch from Julian to Gregorian Calendar. It happened there that Wednesday, 15 February ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Thursday, 1 March ' ...

. He served as

High Sheriff of Derbyshire This is a list of Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1567 until 1974 and High Sheriffs since. The ancient Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around ...

in 1932.He also served as

Master Cutler The Master Cutler is the head of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire established in 1624. Their role is to act as an ambassador of industry in Sheffield, England. The Master Cutler is elected by the freemen of the company on the first Monday o ...

in 1919 and later retired to

Hassop Hall Hassop Hall is a 17th-century country house near Bakewell, Derbyshire, which was operated as a hotel until it closed on 29 September 2019. It is a Grade II* listed building. History The Manor was owned by the Foljambe family until the 14th cent ...

. In 1936 he was created a Baronet, of Hassop Hall in the County of Derby.

Family

On 10 January 1894 he married Frances, eldest daughter of Major William Blake of Mylnhurst,

Eccleshall Eccleshall () is a town and civil parish in the Stafford district, in the county of Staffordshire, England. It is located seven miles northwest of Stafford, and six miles west-southwest of Stone. Eccleshall is twinned with Sancerre in France. ...

, Sheffield. They had eight children: * Sir Henry Francis Blake Stephenson, 2nd Baronet, born 3 December 1895 * William Raymond Shirecliffe Stephenson, born 27 August 1898 * Percival John Parker Stephenson, born 18 May 1900 * Charles Eustace Kenyon Stephenson, born 7 September 1903 * Evelyn Mary Stephenson, married 5 April 1923 Anthony Henry Mather Jackson * Helen Millicent Frances Stephenson * Cynthia Margaret Stephenson * Emma Letitia Gertrude Stephenson, married 25 October 1941 Group Captain Philip Charles Fenner Lawton, DFC Sir Henry died on 20 September 1947 and was succeeded by his eldest son.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stephenson, Henry Kenyon 1865 births 1947 deaths Military personnel from Sheffield Royal Artillery officers Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Lord mayors of Sheffield UK MPs 1918–1922 UK MPs 1922–1923 British Army personnel of World War I Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom High sheriffs of Derbyshire National Liberal Party (UK, 1922) politicians Master Cutlers Politicians from Sheffield Deputy lieutenants of the West Riding of Yorkshire