James Stuart-Wortley | |
---|---|
Member of Parliament for Christchurch Country | |
In office 1853–1855 Serving with
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 [1] [2]) 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 [3] and was the third son of the 2nd Lord Wharncliffe and his wife, Lady Georgiana Elizabeth Ryder. [4] He was the younger brother of the 1st Earl of Wharncliffe (1827–1899). [5] 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. [6] 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. [7]
He bought 500 acres (200 ha) of land at Tai Tapu near Halswell. [4] 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. [8] Stuart-Wortley then started Hawkeswood Station in partnership with others. This station was located north of the Waiau Uwha River. [8]
Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
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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, [9] which consisted of rural Canterbury and much of Westland. Henry Sewell, who kept a "secret" journal, [a] recorded the following about the young man's candidacy: [11]
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. [3] [12]
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. [13] He resigned his seat on 18 July 1855 [9] and returned to the United Kingdom. [14] His seat stayed vacant until the next election, which was held on 20 December 1855 in the Christchurch Country electorate. [15]
He was appointed a justice of the peace in early 1858. [16] He returned to England later in 1858. [4]
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. [17]
Stuart-Wortley died in England in November 1870, aged 37. [1] [2] His elder brother Edward built St Mary and St John's Church, Hardraw as a memorial to him. [5]