Philip Stanhope, 1st Baron Weardale facts for kids
Philip James Stanhope, 1st Baron Weardale (born December 8, 1847 – died March 1, 1923), was an important British politician. He belonged to the Liberal Party. He was also known as a philanthropist, which means he loved to help others and gave money to good causes.
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Early Life and Family
Philip Stanhope was born in Marylebone, London. He came from a very important family involved in politics. His father was Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope.
Philip was the younger son in his family. His older brothers, Arthur and Edward, were also politicians. However, they were part of the Conservative Party, which was different from Philip's Liberal Party.
When he was a young man, Philip joined the Royal Navy. He worked hard and became a lieutenant. After serving for some time, he left the navy.
Becoming a Politician
In 1886, Philip Stanhope was elected to the House of Commons. This is an important part of the British Parliament. He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Wednesbury.
He lost his seat in 1892 but was elected again in 1893. This time, he represented Burnley. He held this seat until 1900.
After another defeat, he was elected one more time in 1904. He became the MP for Harborough. He served there until 1906.
In 1906, Philip Stanhope received a special honor. He was given the title of Baron Weardale. This meant he became a member of the peerage, a group of high-ranking people.
Working for Peace and Helping Others
Lord Weardale was a strong believer in peace. He was against wars, including the Boer War. This was a conflict that happened in South Africa.
In 1910, he was the president of the sixth National Peace Conference in Leicester. He also led the British group in the Inter-Parliamentary Union. This is an organization where politicians from different countries meet to discuss peace. He became its president from 1912 to 1922.
Besides his peace work, Lord Weardale helped many people. He was the president of the Save the Children Fund. This charity helps children in need around the world. He was also a trustee for the National Portrait Gallery. This is a famous art museum in London.
Views on Women's Rights
In 1912, Lord Weardale became a joint president of the National League for Opposing Woman Suffrage. This group was against giving women the right to vote. At that time, many people disagreed about women's suffrage.
In 1914, something unusual happened to him. A woman attacked him with a dog whip at Euston Station. She thought he was the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, who was also against women getting the vote.
His Personal Life
In 1877, Lord Weardale married Countess Alexandra Tolstoy. She was a Russian countess and a relative of the famous writer Leo Tolstoy.
They lived in a large house called The Wodehouse near Wombourne. Famous people, like the former Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, visited them there.
In 1906, he built an even bigger house called Weardale Manor. It was located on Toys Hill in Kent. This house was huge, with 145 rooms! However, they only used it during the summer months.
Lord Weardale passed away in Sevenoaks in March 1923. He was 75 years old. He was buried at Chevening. Since he did not have any children, his title of Baron Weardale ended when he died.
After his death, Lady Weardale rarely visited Weardale Manor. When she died in 1934, she left the house to her nephew, Lord Stanhope. He did not have enough money to keep up such a big house. So, it fell into disrepair and was torn down in 1939. Many large country houses were demolished around that time.
