Sir Joseph Compton-Rickett, DL PC (13 February 1847 – 30 July 1919), was a British Liberal Party politician. He was also an industrialist (until 1902), lay preacher, and writer. He wrote poetry and fiction, as well as on such topics as popular philosophy. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Maurice Baxter.[1]
Sir Joseph Compton-Rickett | |
|---|---|
| HM Paymaster General | |
| In office 1916–1919 | |
| Prime Minister | David Lloyd George |
| Preceded by | Arthur Henderson |
| Succeeded by | Tudor Walters |
| Member of Parliament for Scarborough | |
| In office 7 August 1895 – 8 February 1906 | |
| Preceded by | Sir George Sitwell, Bt |
| Succeeded by | Walter Rea |
| Member of Parliament for Osgoldcross | |
| In office 8 February 1906 – 25 November 1918 | |
| Preceded by | Sir John Austin, Bt |
| Succeeded by | John Stephenson Rowntree |
| Member of Parliament for Pontefract | |
| In office 14 December 1918 – 30 July 1919 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick Handel Booth |
| Succeeded by | Walter Forrest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Rickett 13 February 1847 London, England, UK |
| Died | 30 July 1919 (aged 72) UK |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
Background
He was born in London as Joseph Rickett, the eldest son of Joseph Rickett, of East Hoathly. He was educated at King Edward VI School, Bath. In 1868 he married Catharine Sarah Gamble (1847–1933). They had ten children.[2] There were four sons and four daughters living when he died in 1919.[3] He was knighted on 24 December 1907.[4] He assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Compton in 1908.
In 1911 he was appointed to the Privy Council.[5]
Professional career
He was in business and interested in various commercial undertakings.[2] In 1902, he retired from the chairmanship of several coal trade companies to devote himself to his political career.[5]
Political career
He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Scarborough from 1895–1906. He had gained the seat from the Conservatives in 1895 and held it in 1900. He was then Member of Parliament for Osgoldcross from 1906–1918. In 1906 he re-gained the seat that had been Independent Liberal since 1899. He held office in the Coalition Government of David Lloyd George as Paymaster General from 1916 to 1919. In 1917 he served as a Charity Commissioner.[5]
He was Member of Parliament for the Pontefract constituency that largely absorbed Osgoldcross from 1918 until his death aged 72 the following year.[citation needed] For the execution of his will, Sir Joseph's eldest son, Arthur Compton-Rickett, was appointed the public trustee.[3]
Electoral record
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Joseph Rickett | 8,482 | 66.1 | ||
| Conservative | Granville Wheler | 4,358 | 33.9 | n/a | |
| Majority | 4,124 | 32.1 | |||
| Turnout | 12,840 | ||||
| Liberal gain from Independent Liberal | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Joseph Compton-Rickett | 9,517 | 66.3 | ||
| Conservative | Gerald de la Pryme Hargreaves | 4,840 | 33.7 | ||
| Majority | 4,677 | 32.6 | |||
| Turnout | |||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Joseph Compton-Rickett | 8,518 | 66.2 | −0.1 | |
| Conservative | Malcolm Campbell-Johnston | 4,347 | 33.8 | +0.1 | |
| Majority | 4,171 | 32.4 | −0.2 | ||
| Turnout | 70.4 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -0.1 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Joseph Compton-Rickett | 8,561 | 62.9 | ||
| Labour | Isaac Burns | 5,047 | 37.1 | ||
| Majority | 3514 | 25.8 | |||
| Turnout | 45.6 | ||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | ||||
References
- ^ Sutherland, John (13 October 2014). The Longman Companion to Victorian Fiction. Routledge. ISBN 9781317863335. Retrieved 6 May 2017 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Joseph Compton Rickett". Some Scarborough Faces (Past and Present): Being a Series of Interviews. Illustrated with Photographs. 1901. pp. 100–102. (with photo on p. 100)
- ^ a b Hazlehurst, Cameron; Whitehead, Sally; Woodland, Christine, eds. (1996). A Guide to the Papers of British Cabinet Ministers 1900-1964. p. 306. ISBN 9780521587433.
In 1907 Joseph Compton-Rickett and his wife had five living daughters and four living sons. "Rickett, Joseph Compton". Who's Who: 1484. 1907. - ^ "The London Gazette". Thegazette.co.uk. 24 December 1907. p. 8979. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
Issue:28092
- ^ a b c 'COMPTON-RICKETT, Rt Hon. Sir Joseph', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press (April 2014)]; accessed 5 May 2017.
- ^ a b c British parliamentary election results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
- ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p520