John Frederick Lees (1809 – 1867)[1] was a British landowner and Liberal Conservative politician who represented Oldham in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom as a Member of Parliament from 1835 to 1837.
John Frederick Lees | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Oldham | |
| In office 1835–1837 | |
| Preceded by | William Cobbett |
| Succeeded by | William Augustus Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1809 Oldham, Lancashire |
| Died | 1867 (aged 57–58) Cheltenham, Gloucestershire |
| Political party | Liberal Conservative |
| Relatives | Dame Sarah Lees |
| Residences | |
| Occupation | Politician |
Biography
editLees was the grandson of a cotton manufacturer,[2] a local mill-owner,[3] mine-owner,[4] and landowner: the Lord of the manor of Oldham[5] and an Oxford graduate,[6] but was dismissed as "a gentleman... qualified neither by age nor ability to fulfill the duties of a member of the imperial parliament" by the Manchester Times.[7] Hansard reports him to have made no speeches in Parliament during his term.[8]
Politics
editThanks to internal squabbles (principally over the desired relationship between the state and the Anglican church) amongst the Radicals of Oldham,[9] he was elected as a 'Liberal Conservative' at a by-election caused by the death of William Cobbett, narrowly defeating John Morgan Cobbett (Cobbett's son) after another Radical candidate (Feargus O'Connor) withdrew on the first morning of the poll.[10] Lees attributed his victory to the absence of the organised 'intimidation system' he claimed had been practiced in the previous contested election (that of 1832).[11] By the general election of 1837 the Radicals had regrouped, and Lees came bottom of the poll:[12] this he attributed to the return of intimidation and 'exclusive dealing'.[13]
References
edit- ^ "Deaths". Blackburn Standard. 25 September 1867. p. 3.
- ^ The Admission Register of the Manchester School with some Notices of the more Distinguished Scholars. Manchester University Press. 1874. pp. 150–. GGKEY:LJ44YNJ692P. - entry for Edward Lees
- ^ "Oldham - Cotton Mill Burnt". Manchester Times. 5 December 1840. p. 3.
- ^ "Oldham, September 23, 1836: Explosion of Fire-damp - Shocking Accident". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 24 September 1836. p. 3.
- ^ "News of the Neighbouring Towns - Oldham- Turnpike Roads". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 7 June 1851. p. 8.
- ^ "Marriages". Preston Chronicle. 24 December 1831. p. 3.
- ^ "Representation of Oldham". Manchester Times. 4 July 1835. p. 3.
- ^ "People: Mr John Lees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).
- ^ the divisions between Oldham Radicals are explored at length in Bickerstaffe, Derek (1964). "Politic and party organisation in Oldham" (PDF). Durham E-Theses Online. Durham University. Retrieved 25 February 2016.; pages 31-59 cover the period 1832-7
- ^ The Spectator. F.C. Westley. 1835. p. 651.
- ^ "Oldham Operative Conservative Association". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 7 January 1837. p. 4.
- ^ "Local Intelligence - Oldham". Manchester Times. 29 July 1837. p. 3.
- ^ "Oldham Conservative Festival". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 6 January 1838. p. 3.
External links
edit- History of Parliament Online - LEES, John Frederick (1809-1867), of Werneth, Oldham, Lancs. (currently (Feb 2016) at 'preview' status - password protected)
