William Sturges Bourne facts for kids

William Sturges-Bourne (7 November 1769 – 1 February 1845) was an important British politician. He was known as William Sturges until 1803. He was a member of the Tory party, which was a major political group in Britain at the time. For a short period in 1827, he served as the Home Secretary, a very senior government job, under Prime Minister George Canning.

Early Life and Education

William Sturges-Bourne was born William Sturges. He was the only son of Reverend John Sturges and his wife, Judith Bourne. He went to school at Winchester College. After that, he studied at Christ Church, Oxford, which is a famous university. In 1793, he became a lawyer, working at Lincoln's Inn.

In 1803, William Sturges inherited some property from his uncle, Francis Bourne. Because of this, he added "Bourne" to his last name, becoming William Sturges-Bourne.

William Sturges-Bourne's Political Journey

William Sturges-Bourne became good friends with George Canning while they were at Oxford. This friendship helped him a lot in his political career.

Starting in Parliament

In 1798, with Canning's help, Sturges-Bourne was elected to Parliament for the area of Hastings. This was his first step into national politics.

Key Government Roles

• Secretary to the Treasury: In the government led by Prime Minister William Pitt, Sturges-Bourne became the Secretary to the Treasury. This role involved managing the country's money.
• Lord of the Treasury: After a short time out of government, he returned as a Lord of the Treasury from 1807 to 1809. He left this role when his friend Canning also left the government.
• Return to Parliament: Sturges-Bourne left Parliament in 1812. However, Canning's influence helped him return in 1815, representing Bandon Bridge.
• Board of Control: From 1814 to 1822, he worked as a commissioner on the Board of Control. This group helped manage British affairs in India.
• Poor Laws Reform: From 1818 to 1819, he led a committee to change the Poor Laws. These laws were about helping people who were very poor. His work led to successful changes, known as the Sturges Bourne Acts.

Becoming Home Secretary

Even though he retired from government in 1822 after inheriting a lot of money, he came back to serve. When his friend George Canning became Prime Minister in April 1827, Sturges-Bourne was appointed Home Secretary. This is a very important job, responsible for law and order within the country.

He only held the Home Secretary role for a short time. A few months later, he became the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests. This job involved managing royal lands and forests.

Later Career and Retirement

Sturges-Bourne was offered the job of Chancellor of the Exchequer (the main finance minister) several times. However, he turned it down. He retired from government in February 1828.

He supported Catholic emancipation, which meant giving more rights to Catholics. But he did not agree with the Reform Bill, a major change to how elections worked. He retired from Parliament in 1831. Later in his career, he continued to work on reforming the Poor Laws as part of a Royal Commission.

In April 1826, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a special honor for people who have made important contributions to science.

Family Life

In 1808, William Sturges-Bourne married Anne. She was the third daughter of Oldfield Bowles. William Sturges-Bourne passed away at Testwood House in the New Forest, Hampshire, in February 1845. He was 75 years old.