William Somervell
William Somervell | |
---|---|
Member of Parliament for Keighley | |
In office 26 April 1918 – 25 November 1918 | |
Preceded by | Sir Swire Smith |
Succeeded by | Robert Clough |
Personal details | |
Born | Kendal, Westmorland, England | 5 April 1860
Died | 26 September 1934 Kendal, Westmorland, England | (aged 74)
Political party | Liberal |
Spouses |
Florence Howard (m. 1889) |
Children | 3, including Howard Somervell |
William Henry Somervell (5 April 1860 – 26 September 1934) was an English businessman, philanthropist and Liberal politician.
Family and education
William Somervell was born at Kendal in Westmorland on 5 April 1860, the son of John Somervell. He was educated at Stramongate School, Kendal[1] and the Grove House School, Tottenham. In 1889, he married Florence Howard of Bickley, near Chislehurst in Kent. They had two sons and a daughter.[2] One of his sons, Dr Howard Somervell (1890–1975), was medical missionary for the London Missionary Society (LMS) hospital at Neyyor, Travancore in southern India[1] and a mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest and was a colleague of George Mallory.[3]
In religion Somervell was a
Philanthropy
Somervell's reputation as a philanthropist derives not only from his religious work but rather from his long-time association with the Kendal Charity Organization Society, of which he was for a while, chairman. During this time he gave away what was described as 'a large portion' of his own income.[5]
Career
In 1876, Somervell entered the family business, Somervell Bros. of Kendal, leather merchants and boot manufacturers.[1] Later known as K Shoes, the company remained a major employer in Kendal until its factory closed in 2003. He travelled widely on business for the firm, visiting India, Australia and New Zealand.[2] A director of the firm, he eventually he rose to be chairman of the board during the last years of his life.[1]
Politics
Kendal
Somervell twice contested the South or Kendal Division of Westmorland in the Liberal interest. In December 1910 he reduced the Unionist majority and lost by 308 votes.[6] He was selected to fight the seat again at a by-election on 18 March 1913[7] occasioned by the death of the sitting Tory MP Josceline Bagot. He failed to win the seat however and explained his defeat, and the doubling of the Unionist majority, by claiming that his opponent, Colonel John Wakefield Weston (who stood as an Independent Unionist) had been selected because he was a 'semi-Liberal' and a popular local man. To underline this, it was speculated that when the new member took his seat in the House of Commons he would be introduced not by the Conservative whips but by Lord Henry Cavendish-Bentinck and another private member.[8]
Keighley
Somervell got his chance to enter the House Commons at another by-election, this time in the Liberal seat of
However, Somervell's stay in
Appointments
Somervell served for many years as a
Artist
Somervell was reported to have had some skill in painting in water-colours and pastels. He also collected pictures and organised exhibitions of modern art. He was founder member of the Kendal Sketch Club and was an active member of the Society of Modern Artists, the Lakes Artists' Society between 1918–1924[13] and the Contemporary Art Society.[1]
Publication
- Commerce as a Vocation in Essays on Vocation, Matthews, Davies and Osler (eds.), Oxford University Press, 1919
Death
Somervell died at his home, Brantfield, Kendal on 26 September 1934 aged 74. He had suffered from ill-health in the last years of his life.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h The Times, 27 September 1934 p14
- ^ a b c Who was Who, Oxford University Press, 2007
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31701. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ The Times, 20 August 1931 p7
- ^ a b The Times, 27 November 1914 p5
- ^ The Times House of Commons, 1911; Politico's Publishing, 2004 p91
- ^ The Times, 18 March 1913 p8
- ^ The Times, 20 March 1913 p6
- ^ The Times, 29 April 1918 p5
- ^ Roy Douglas, Background the 'Coupon' election arrangements; English Historical Review, Vol 86, No 339, April 1971 pp318-336
- ^ The Times, 11 December 1918 p10
- ^ F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results, 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow, 1949 p517
- ^ "History of The Lake Artists Society". The Lake Artists Society. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- ^ The Times, 28 September 1934 p16