John Aldridge (British politician)

John Aldridge
MP
Member of Parliament
for Horsham
In office
18 November 1868 – 3 May 1869
Serving with Robert Henry Hurst
Preceded byRobert Henry Hurst
Succeeded byRobert Henry Hurst
Personal details
Born4 January 1832
Died23 February 1888(1888-02-23) (aged 56)
Resting placeLower Beeding, Sussex, UK
NationalityBritish
Political partyConservative
Parent(s)Robert Aldridge
Caroline Beauclerk

Lieutenant-Colonel John Aldridge (4 January 1832 – 23 February 1888)[1] was a British soldier, Conservative Party politician, and landowner in Sussex.

Family

Aldridge was the son of Robert Aldridge and Caroline Anne, daughter of Charles George Beauclerk. He was married in 1863 to Mary Alethea, daughter of Samuel Matthews, and together they had five children:[2]

  • Emily Marian (1864–1897)
  • Robert Beauclerk (1865–1892)
  • Charles Powlett (1866–1941)
  • Herbert Henry (1869–1922)
  • John Barttelot (1871–1909)

Military career

Aldridge served in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, rising to the rank of Captain in the regiment on 29 December 1854 and Brevet Major in the army on 6 June 1856. After his brief political career he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the part-time Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia (later the 3rd and 4th battalions of Royal Sussex Regiment) on 27 October 1875.[2][3]

Political career

He was elected MP for Horsham in 1868 alongside Robert Henry Hurst. This was unusual as the seat was only eligible to send one member. Although both candidates were declared elected, petitions were lodged against them both, and on 3 May 1869 Aldridge withdrew his claim to entitlement to the seat, leaving Hurst as the sole MP.[4]

St Leonard's House

Aldridge inherited the St Leonard's Forest estate, near Horsham, from his father, Robert Aldridge, in 1871. After 1878, he began selling land from the estate, perhaps due to the agricultural recession. Upon his death in 1888, the estate passed to his son, Robert Beauclerk Aldridge.[2]

Other activities

He was also a Justice of the Peace and a Deputy Lieutenant for Sussex.[2]

References

  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 4)
  2. ^ a b c d Kingsley, Nick (17 September 2013). "(74) Aldridge of St. Leonard's House and Inholmes". Landed families of Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  3. ^ Army List, various dates.
  4. ^ Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Horsham
1868–1869
With: Robert Henry Hurst 		Succeeded by