Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron Houghton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Houghton
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Lord Houghton
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 June 1809 London, England |
| Died | 11 August 1885 (aged 76) Vichy, France |
| Political party | Tory Whig |
| Spouse | Hon. Annabel Crewe (d. 1874) |
| Children | 3, including Florence and Robert |
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| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron Houghton (born June 19, 1809 – died August 11, 1885) was an English poet and politician. He was also a great supporter of writers and artists. He strongly believed in social justice, which means fairness for everyone in society. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), a special honor for scientists.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Richard Milnes was born in London, England. His father was Robert Pemberton Milnes. His mother was Henrietta, daughter of Robert Monckton-Arundell.
Richard was taught at home when he was young. In 1827, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. There, he joined a group of smart friends called the Apostles Club. Famous writers like Alfred Lord Tennyson were part of this group.
After finishing his studies in 1831, Richard traveled a lot. He visited places like Germany, Italy, and Greece. In 1834, he wrote a book about his travels in Greece.
Political Career and Beliefs
Richard Milnes returned to London in 1837. He was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontefract. An MP is a person who helps make laws for the country.
In Parliament, he cared a lot about copyright laws. Copyright protects the rights of artists and writers. He also worked to improve schools for young people who had gotten into trouble.
He later disagreed with the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel, about the "Corn Laws." These laws were about the price of food. After this, he supported another politician named Lord Palmerston.
In 1848, he visited Paris during a time of big change. He wrote about what he saw, showing he supported new ideas in Europe. This made some conservative people upset.
Richard Milnes also cared about female education and ending slavery in the United States. He shared these interests with his relative, Harriet Martineau.
In 1863, Lord Palmerston made Richard Milnes a Lord. He became Baron Houghton.
A friend, George W. E. Russell, said that as Richard got older, he became even more supportive of people's rights. He was always against unfairness.
Literary Work and Helping Others
Richard Milnes wrote many poems. He published books of poetry like Poems of Many Years in 1838. He also wrote Poetry for the People in 1840. His short poems, called ballads, were very popular.
In 1848, he wrote a book about the life of the poet John Keats. He got a lot of information for this book from Keats' friend.
Richard Milnes was very good at finding talented writers. He helped many of them become famous. He helped Alfred Tennyson get a special payment from the government. As someone who wanted to end slavery, he also helped the American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson become known in Britain.
He was one of the first people to support the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne. He also helped David Gray by writing an introduction for his book. He even helped Coventry Patmore get a job at the British Museum. Richard Milnes was a true "patron of literature," meaning he used his influence to support writers.
Supporting Women's Rights
Richard Milnes admired women writers. He was a good friend of the Gaskell family. Elizabeth Gaskell was a famous novelist.
He was a strong supporter of women's rights. In 1871, he helped lead a group in Leeds that worked for social improvements. In 1873, he became the president of this group.
He supported Meta Gaskell, Elizabeth Gaskell's daughter. Meta worked to help women get better education. People said that talking with the Gaskell family was one of the best things about living in Manchester for those who loved books.
Personal Life and Family
Richard Milnes wanted to marry Florence Nightingale, a famous nurse. She said no, but he remained one of her strongest supporters.
On July 30, 1851, he married Annabella Hungerford Crewe. They had three children together:
- Hon. Amicia Henrietta Milnes
- Hon. Florence Ellen Hungerford Milnes, who became a novelist.
- Lord Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes, who later became a very important politician.
Annabella died in 1874. Lord Houghton passed away in August 1885, in France, at the age of 76. He was buried at Fryston. His son, Robert, took over his title and became a leading politician.
Richard Milnes was also interested in parapsychology. This is the study of strange mental abilities that are not easily explained. He was a member of a group that researched these topics.
Images for kids
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Lord Houghton
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Lord Houghton, a supporter of writers
See also
In Spanish: Richard Monckton Milnes para niños
