Sir Arthur Elton, 7th Baronet facts for kids

Sir Arthur Hallam Elton (born April 19, 1818, died October 14, 1883) was an important person in British history. He was a writer and a politician from the Liberal party. This party was a big political group in the United Kingdom during his time. Arthur was the son of Sir Charles Abraham Elton.

Early Life and Political Start

Arthur Hallam Elton was born into an important family. He inherited his father's special title, which was "Baronet." He also inherited the family's large home, called Clevedon Court, in a place called Somerset.

In 1857, he was given an important local job. He became the High Sheriff of Somerset. This role meant he was a key official in the county.

A Life in Politics

Sir Arthur became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1857. An MP is a person elected to represent an area in the country's government. He was elected for the town of Bath during the general election that year.

However, he lost his seat in the House of Commons in the 1859 election. This happened because he disagreed with a government policy. He did not support Lord Palmerston's ideas about China.

Helping Clevedon Grow

After leaving Parliament, Sir Arthur spent his life helping the town of Clevedon. He wanted to make Clevedon a better place for everyone.

He started a lending library. This allowed people to borrow books. He also set up "allotments." These were small plots of land that people could rent to grow their own food.

Sir Arthur also helped build and pay for the local hospital. It was called a "cottage hospital" and is still helping people today.

His Legacy

In 1882, a fire badly damaged the west side of his home, Clevedon Court. It was later rebuilt. Today, this historic house is owned by the National Trust. The National Trust helps protect important places in Britain.

Sir Arthur also built a large building called Hallum Hall. It was located on Dial Hill. This building was first used as an orphanage, a home for children who had lost their parents. Later, it was renamed St Edith's children's home. It continued to be a home for children until 1974.

The building is very old and has a special "gothic Victorian" style. It still looks much the same from the outside. However, it has now been changed into modern apartments.