James Stuart-Wortley | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Christchurch Country | |
| In office 1853–1855 Servingwith Jerningham Wakefield | |
| Preceded by | New constituency |
| Succeeded by | Dingley Askham Brittin John Hall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Frederick Stuart-Wortley 16 January 1833 York,England |
| Died | 27 November 1870 (aged 37) |
| Parent(s) | John Stuart-Wortley,2nd Baron Wharncliffe Lady Georgiana Elizabeth Ryder |
| Relatives | Edward Montagu-Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie,1st Earl of Wharncliffe (brother) Charles James Stuart-Wortley (uncle) James Stuart-Wortley (uncle) Dudley Ryder,1st Earl of Harrowby (grandfather) |
James Frederick Stuart-Wortley JP (16 January 1833 –27 November 1870 [Wrong date of death;see talk page.]) was a politician in New Zealand and the UK. He was New Zealand's inaugural Baby of the House and remains the youngest member of parliament in the country's history;in fact he was too young (at 20 years and 7 months) to even be legally elected.
Stuart-Wortley was born in York [ citation needed ],United Kingdom,on 16 January 1833 [1] and was the third son of the 2nd Lord Wharncliffe and his wife,Lady Georgiana Elizabeth Ryder. [2] He was the younger brother of the 1st Earl of Wharncliffe (1827–1899). [3] Charles James Stuart-Wortley and James Stuart-Wortley were his uncles.[ citation needed ] Dudley Ryder,1st Earl of Harrowby was his maternal grandfather.
In 1850,he travelled to New Zealand as a colonist on the Charlotte Jane ,one of the First Four Ships sent by the Canterbury Association. [4] In his first year,he lived with other bachelors in Lyttelton—Charles Bowen,Thomas Hanmer,and Charles Maunsell—in a place dubbed "Singleton House" by Charlotte Godley. [5]
He bought 500 acres (200 ha) of land at Tai Tapu near Halswell. [2] In October 1852,he purchased Run 53,located between Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora and the Selwyn River. He on-sold the land in June 1853 and it became part of the Harman and Davie's Station. [6] Stuart-Wortley then started Hawkeswood Station in partnership with others. This station was located north of the Waiau Uwha River. [6]
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1853 –1855 | 1st | Christchurch Country | Independent | ||
On 27 August 1853,Stuart-Wortley was elected to the 1st New Zealand Parliament as a representative of the Christchurch Country electorate, [7] which consisted of rural Canterbury and much of Westland. Henry Sewell,who kept a "secret" journal, [lower-alpha 1] recorded the following about the young man's candidacy: [9]
There is doubt whether he is actually of age. The Peerage says no,but he says yes,and upon the best authority,namely that of his family lawyers.
Stuart-Wortley was 20 years and 7 months when elected;so was not yet 21,the minimum age to qualify as an elector. [1] [10]
After the first session of Parliament finished in August 1854,Stuart-Wortley travelled with Frederick Weld from Auckland (where Parliament met in those years) to Tauranga,Maketu,and Rotorua. [11] He resigned his seat on 18 July 1855 [7] and returned to the United Kingdom. [12] His seat stayed vacant until the next election,which was held on 20 December 1855 in the Christchurch Country electorate. [13]
He was appointed a justice of the peace in early 1858. [14] He returned to England later in 1858. [2]
In the UK,he stood for election to the House of Commons at the 1865 general election,when he was an unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate for Sheffield. [15]
Stuart-Wortley died in England in November 1870,aged 37. [16] [Wrong date of death;see talk page.] His elder brother Edward built St Mary and St John's Church,Hardraw as a memorial to him. [3]
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