Charles John Wingfield

Sir Charles John Wingfield KCSI CB (16 April 1820 – 27 January 1892) was a British civil servant and politician. He had a distinguished career with the Bengal Civil Service, was later elected as the first Member of Parliament for the United Kingdom's Parliament constituency of Gravesend.

Sir
Charles John Wingfield
Photograph by Felice Beato, 1858–1859
Member of Parliament
for Gravesend
In office
18 November 1868 – 5 February 1874
Preceded byNew constituency
Succeeded byBedford Clapperton Trevelyan Pim
Personal details
Born(1820-04-16)16 April 1820
Died27 January 1892(1892-01-27) (aged 71)
Political partyLiberal
ProfessionBengal Civil Service

Early years

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Wingfield was educated at Westminster School and Haileybury.[1][2]

Wingfield's father, William Wingfield (1772–1858), was a Master in Chancery and served as a member of parliament for Bodmin in 1806.[3] William changed his surname to Wingfield-Baker in 1849 by Royal licensure after his inheritance of Orsett Hall in Essex.[4] Several of William's children changed their surname as well. From William's first marriage to Lady Charlotte-Maria (died 1807), eldest daughter of Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby, Wingfield had several older half siblings including: George-Digby, John-Digby, Mary, Caroline, Frances-Eliza, and Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker, a member of parliament for South Essex.

By his father's marriage to Wingfield's mother, Elizabeth Mills, Wingfield had several additional siblings, including: William-Wriothesley-Digby, Frederick, Henry, Kenelm-Digby, Julia, and Lucy.

Career

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Wingfield served in the Bengal Civil Service from 1840 to 1866.[5] He was a proponent of Charles Canning's clemency policy during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.[6] While in the BCS, he held several offices including Commissioner of Gorakhpur, which is the post he held when appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath on 18 May 1860,[7] and Vice-Chairman of the East India Association's Council.[8] From 15 February 1859 to 20 April 1860, he was the Chief Commissioner of Oude.[9] On 24 May 1866, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India.[10]

A Liberal,[11] Wingfield was elected to Parliament over Bedford Pim,[12] serving served during the period of 18 November 1868 to 5 February 1874 when Wingfield was unseated by Pim.[13]

Personal life

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Wingfield never married. His residence was located first at 12 Albert Mansions, Victoria Street, London,[1] and at the time of his death on 27 January 1892 at 66 Portland Place, London.[14]

In his will (proved on 4 March 1892[14]), Wingfield bequeathed money to at least two charities, including the London and the National Dental Hospitals.[15]

Legacy

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The 80-acre (320,000 m2) Wingfield Park, named in his honour, is half a mile south of Sikandar Bagh in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b Dod's peerage, baronetage, and knightage of Great Britain and Ireland: for ... : including all the titled classes. Vol. 30 (Digitized 28 January 2010 ed.). Whittaker. 1870. p. 644.
  2. ^ Danvers, FC; H Martineau; M Monier-Williams, Sir; SC Bayley, Sir; P Wigram; B Sapte (1894). Memorials of old Haileybury College (Digitized 9 May 2007 ed.). Westminster: A. Constable and Company. p. 325.
  3. ^ "STIFFORD". british-history.ac.uk. British History Online. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  4. ^ Burke, Sir Bernard (1858). A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 1 (Digitized 5 June 2008 ed.). Harrison. p. 42.
  5. ^ Kelly's handbook to the titled, landed & official classes (Digitized 3 October 2007 ed.). Kelly and Co. 1882. p. 902.
  6. ^ The Army and navy magazine, Volume 13. Vol. 13 (Digitized 14 June 2007 ed.). 1887. p. 101.
  7. ^ "No. 22387". The London Gazette. 18 May 1860. p. 1916.
  8. ^ East India Association (1872). Journal of the East India Association. Vol. 6 (Digitized 20 June 2008 ed.). London, England. p. 238.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. ^ Sykes, John Caskell Walker (1886). A compendium of the law specially relating to the Taluqdars of Oudh: Being the Oudh estates act (I.) of 1869, an act to amend the Oudh estate act, 1869. (Act X. of 1885) the Oudh sub-settlement act (XXVI.) of 1866, the Oudh Taluqdars' relief act (XXIV.) of 1870, and parts of the Oudh rent act ... (Digitized 25 November 2008 ed.). Thacker, Spink. p. 384.
  10. ^ "No. 23119". The London Gazette. 25 May 1866. pp. 3128–3129.
  11. ^ "Discover Garvesham". discovergravesham.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  12. ^ Dod's parliamentary companion (Digitized 25 July 2008 ed.). Dod's Parliamentary Companion Ltd. 1872. p. 125.
  13. ^ "The House of Commons Constituencies beginning with "G"". leighrayment.com. 24 February 2010. Archived from the original on 31 December 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ a b "No. 26295". The London Gazette. 7 June 1892. p. 3371.
  15. ^ "Editorial". British Journal of Dental Science. 35 (Digitized 18 April 2007). Oxford House: 305. 1892.
  16. ^ Murray, John (1903). A Handbook for travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon: including the provinces of Bengal, Bombay, and Madras ; the Punjab, North-West provinces, Rajputana, Central Provinces, Mysore, etc. ; the native states, Assam and Cashmere (Digitized 4 May 2007 ed.). London: J. Murray. pp. 247–248.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency Member of Parliament for Gravesend
18681874
Succeeded by