John Eldon Gorst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Eldon Gorst
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"Tory organisation". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1880.
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| Solicitor-General | |
| In office 2 July 1885 – 28 January 1886 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Marquess of Salisbury |
| Preceded by | Sir Farrer Herschell |
| Succeeded by | Sir Horace Davey |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | |
| In office 4 August 1886 – 9 November 1891 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Marquess of Salisbury |
| Preceded by | Stafford Howard |
| Succeeded by | George Curzon |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 9 November 1891 – 11 August 1892 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Marquess of Salisbury |
| Preceded by | William Jackson |
| Succeeded by | Sir J. T. Hibbert |
| Vice-President of the Committee on Education |
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| In office 4 July 1895 – 8 August 1902 |
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| Monarch | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Arthur Dyke Acland |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Devonshire |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 May 1835 Preston, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 4 April 1916 (aged 80) London, England |
| Political party | |
| Spouse |
Mary Elizabeth Moore
(m. 1860) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
Sir John Eldon Gorst (born May 24, 1835 – died April 4, 1916) was an important British lawyer and politician. He held several key roles in the government. For example, he was the Solicitor-General for England from 1885 to 1886. Later, he became the Vice-President of the Committee on Education from 1895 to 1902.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Eldon Gorst was born in Preston, Lancashire, England. His father was Edward Chaddock Gorst. John went to St John's College, Cambridge, a famous university. He was a very bright student and graduated with high honors in 1857. After college, he began studying to become a lawyer in London.
Adventures in New Zealand
Before finishing his law studies, John Gorst traveled to New Zealand. This was because his father became ill and then passed away. In New Zealand, he met the Māori people, who are the native people of the country.
Working with the Māori King Movement
At that time, the Māori had set up their own king in the Waikato area. John Gorst became friends with a Māori chief named Tamihana, also known as the "kingmaker." Gorst helped set up a trade school for Māori people in a place called Te Awamutu. He also worked as a go-between, helping the Māori and the government talk to each other.
Sir George Grey, a leader in New Zealand, gave Gorst several important jobs. He became an inspector of schools, then a local judge, and finally a civil commissioner in the Upper Waikato region. The Kingite Māori considered this area their own land.
Conflict and Return to England
Chief Tamihana's friendship helped keep Gorst safe when another chief, Rewi Maniapoto, and his warriors tried to harm him. Gorst was warned beforehand, so he escaped. However, the warriors destroyed the trade school and a printing press. They also scared away settlers who had been living peacefully in Waikato since 1830.
This event, along with an attack on British soldiers, led to the start of a war in 1863 between the Maori King Movement and the New Zealand government. Years later, in 1884, Gorst hosted the Māori King and his group when they visited England. They wanted to meet Queen Victoria to discuss land issues. Gorst was part of a group that protected native peoples' rights. In 1908, he wrote a book about his time in New Zealand called New Zealand Revisited: Recollections of the Days of my Youth.
Political Career in Britain
After his time in New Zealand, John Gorst returned to England. He finished his law studies and became a lawyer in 1865. He later became a Queen's Counsel in 1875, which is a special title for experienced lawyers.
Entering Parliament
Gorst first tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hastings in 1865, but he didn't win. The next year, he was elected as an MP for Cambridge. He helped organize the National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations in 1867. He lost his seat in 1868, but he then worked hard to reorganize the Conservative Party. His efforts helped the Conservatives win the election in 1874.
Key Government Roles
In 1875, Gorst was elected MP for Chatham, a seat he held until 1892. He joined a group of politicians known as the Fourth Party. This group included famous figures like Lord Randolph Churchill. They believed in "Tory democracy," which meant supporting policies that helped ordinary people.
When the Conservatives came to power in 1885 under Lord Salisbury, John Gorst was made Solicitor-General. This is a senior legal role for the government. He was also knighted, which means he received the title "Sir."
Even though the government changed briefly, Gorst returned to office in 1886. He became the Under-Secretary of State for India. In 1890, he joined the Privy Council, a group of important advisors to the monarch. The next year, he became Financial Secretary to the Treasury, a role dealing with government money. He also served as a deputy chairman in the House of Commons from 1888 to 1891.
Focus on Education and Social Issues
In 1892, Gorst became an MP for Cambridge University. In 1895, he was appointed Vice-President of the Committee on Education. He held this important education role until 1902. He was never a member of the Cabinet, which is the most senior group of government ministers.
John Gorst cared deeply about social issues. He continued to support "Tory democracy" principles. He was interested in improving housing for the poor, educating children, and other social problems. He often spoke about these issues in parliament and wrote about them.
Later Political Life
Gorst disagreed with some new ideas about trade, especially those from Joseph Chamberlain. In the 1906 election, he ran as an independent candidate but lost his seat. He then left the Primrose League, a political organization he helped start, because he felt it no longer followed the ideas of Benjamin Disraeli. In 1910, he tried to win a seat for the Liberal Party in Preston but was not successful.
Family Life
John Gorst married Mary Elizabeth Moore in 1860 in Geelong, Australia. They had met on a ship traveling from England. Their older son, Sir Eldon Gorst, also became a very important figure, serving as the Consul-General in Egypt. John Gorst passed away in London in April 1916, at the age of 80. He is buried in St Andrew's churchyard in Castle Combe, Wiltshire. His younger son, Harold Edward Gorst, wrote a book about his father's connection with Lord Randolph Churchill. John Gorst also had an older half-brother, Edward Frankland.
