Leonard Courtney, 1st Baron Courtney of Penwith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Courtney of Penwith
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| Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Chairman of Ways and Means |
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| In office 1886–1893 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Arthur Otway |
| Succeeded by | John William Mellor |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 6 May 1882 – 12 December 1884 |
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| Preceded by | Lord Frederick Cavendish |
| Succeeded by | J. T. Hibbert |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | |
| In office 26 June 1881 – 6 May 1882 |
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| Preceded by | M. E. Grant Duff |
| Succeeded by | Evelyn Ashley |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | |
| In office 1881 – 26 June 1881 |
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| Preceded by | Lord Peel |
| Succeeded by | Lord Rosebery |
| Member of Parliament for Bodmin Liskeard (1876–1885) |
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| In office 22 December 1876 – 26 September 1900 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Horsman |
| Succeeded by | Sir Lewis Molesworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 July 1832 Penzance, Cornwall, England |
| Died | 11 May 1918 (aged 85) Chelsea, London, England |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Catherine Courtney (m. 1883) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge Lincoln's Inn |
Leonard Henry Courtney, 1st Baron Courtney of Penwith (6 July 1832 – 11 May 1918) was an important British politician and academic. He became well-known for supporting a fair voting system called proportional representation. He also spoke out against imperialism (when one country controls another) and militarism (when a country relies heavily on its military).
Courtney served in William Ewart Gladstone's government from 1880 to 1883. He was also the Chairman of Ways and Means (which means he was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons) from 1886 to 1893. He was the only person to hold the title of Baron Courtney of Penwith.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Leonard Courtney was born in Penzance, Cornwall. He was the oldest son of John Sampson Courtney, who was a banker.
He went to St John's College, Cambridge, a famous university. There, he was a very bright student, achieving top honors in mathematics. After college, he became a lawyer, joining Lincoln's Inn in 1858. From 1872 to 1875, he taught political economy (the study of how countries manage their money and resources) at University College, London. He also led the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall from 1881 to 1882.
Starting His Political Journey
In December 1876, Courtney was elected to Parliament for Liskeard. He was a member of the Liberal Party. He continued to represent this area, and later Bodmin, until 1900.
He left Parliament because of his strong views against the South African War. He and his wife, Catherine, were part of a group who disagreed with the war.
Key Government Roles
Until 1885, Courtney was a loyal supporter of Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. He especially agreed with Gladstone on money matters and foreign policy.
- In 1880, he became the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department.
- In 1881, he moved to be the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.
- In 1882, he became the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, dealing with the country's finances.
Courtney was known for sticking to his beliefs. In 1884, he resigned from his government job. This was because the government's new voting law did not include his idea for proportional representation. This system aims to make sure that the number of seats a political party gets in Parliament matches the number of votes they receive.
Standing Up for His Beliefs
In 1886, Courtney refused to support Gladstone's Home Rule Bill. This bill would have given Ireland more control over its own affairs. Courtney's strong opposition helped to defeat the bill. His honesty and intelligence made him an important figure in the Liberal Unionist party, which was formed by Liberals who disagreed with Home Rule.
Later in 1886, Courtney was chosen as Chairman of Ways and Means. This made him the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. In 1889, he became a member of the Privy Council, a group of important advisors to the King or Queen.
After 1895, Courtney's views started to differ more from the Unionist party. He often criticized their plans in Parliament. He was more like an opposition member than a government supporter. When the conflict with the Transvaal began in 1899, Courtney's strong anti-war opinions meant he could no longer support the government leaders.
He led the South African Conciliation Committee. This group worked to inform British people about the suffering of the Boers during the war.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1902, he became the head of a special group that looked into pensions for government workers.
Eventually, Courtney rejoined the Liberal party. In 1906, he was made a peer, becoming Baron Courtney of Penwith. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords.
Courtney was a strong supporter of the women's movement, influenced by his wife and sister-in-law. He also wrote many articles for The Times newspaper and other publications about politics and economics. In 1901, he published a book called The Working Constitution of the United Kingdom. He was also the President of the Royal Statistical Society from 1897 to 1899.
Personal Life
Leonard Courtney married Catherine Potter in 1883. Catherine was the daughter of Richard Potter and the older sister of Beatrice Webb, another famous social reformer. They did not have any children.
Lord Courtney passed away in May 1918 at the age of 85. He was living at 15 Cheyne Walk in Chelsea, London, at the time of his death. Since he had no children, his title of Baron Courtney of Penwith ended with him.
Images for kids
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Lord Courtney and his wife Catherine in 1916
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"Proper self-sufficiency"
Caricature of Courtney by "T" (Théobald Chartran) in Vanity Fair, 25 September 1880 -
15 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London, where Courtney was living at the time of his death
