Edmund Lechmere

Sir
Edmund Lechmere
3rd Baronet

"St John of Jerusalem". Caricature by T published in Vanity Fair in 1883.
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Tewkesbury
In office
1866–1868
Preceded by John Reginald Yorke and William Edward Dowdeswell
Succeeded by William Edwin Price
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for West Worcestershire
In office
1876–1885
Preceded by Fredrick Knight and William Edward Dowdeswell
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Bewdley
In office
1885–1892
Preceded by Enoch Baldwin
Succeeded by Alfred Baldwin
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Evesham
In office
1892–1895
Preceded by Sir Richard Temple, Bt
Succeeded by Charles Wigram Long
The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital first annual report 1883

Sir Edmund Anthony Harley Lechmere, 3rd Baronet (8 December 1826 – 18 December 1894) was a British Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1866 and 1895. He was a pioneer of the Red Cross.[1]

Lechmere was the son of Sir Edmund Hungerford Lechmere, 2nd Baronet of Hanley Castle, Worcestershire and his wife Maria Clara Murray, daughter of Hon. David Murray, brother of Alexander Murray, 7th Lord Elibank.[2] He was educated at Charterhouse School and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1852 he inherited the baronetcy on the death of his father. He was a senior partner in the Worcester Old Bank. In 1862 he was High Sheriff of Worcestershire.[3]

In March 1866 Lechmere was elected at a by-election as one of the two Members of Parliament (MPs) for Tewkesbury,[4] but when the borough's representation was reduced to one seat at the 1868 general election, he was defeated by the Liberal Party candidate William Edwin Price.[4] He contested Tewkesbury again in 1874, without success,[4] but in July 1876 he was elected at a by-election as MP for Western Worcestershire.[5] After the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, he was elected at the 1885 general election as MP for Bewdley.[6] He held the seat until the 1892 general election,[7] when he was elected as MP for Evesham.[8] He held that seat until his death.[9]

Lechmere gave an annual prize for history at the Oxford Military College in Cowley and Oxford Oxfordshire from 1876-1896.

Lechmere and his wife were among the founders of Venerable Order of St John. They had travelled several times to Jerusalem and were involved in the establishment of The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital.[10]

Lechmere married Louisa Katherine Haigh (1837-), only daughter and heiress of John or Joseph Haigh of Whitwell Hall at York, on 30 September 1858.[3] Her father, the son of a wealthy textile merchant with origins in Golcar, was born at Spring Grove, Huddersfield in 1805. (See here for Haigh's will.)

References

  1. National Portrait Gallery
  2. The Peerage of the British Empire as at Present Existing, 12th ed., Edmund Lodge, 1843, pg 210
  3. 1 2 Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886
  4. 1 2 3 Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 303–304. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  5. Craig, Election results 1832–1885, page 487
  6. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1974]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 419. ISBN 0-900178-27-2.
  7. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 3)
  8. Craig, Election results 1885–1918, page 422
  9. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 2)
  10. VADS The National Inventory of Continental European Paintings
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Reginald Yorke
William Edward Dowdeswell
Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury
18661868
With: John Reginald Yorke
Succeeded by
William Edwin Price
Preceded by
Fredrick Knight and
William Edward Dowdeswell
Member of Parliament for West Worcestershire
18761885
With: Fredrick Knight
Constituency abolished
Preceded by
Enoch Baldwin
Member of Parliament for Bewdley
18851892
Succeeded by
Alfred Baldwin
Preceded by
Sir Richard Temple, Bt
Member of Parliament for Evesham
18921895
Succeeded by
Charles Wigram Long
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Edmund Hungerford Lechmere
Baronet
(of Hanley)
18561894
Succeeded by
Edmund Arthur Lechmere
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