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Alpheus Morton

January 01, 1970

Sir Alpheus Cleophas Morton (12 March 1840[1] – 26 April 1923)[2][3] was a British architect and surveyor, and a Liberal Party[4] politician. He was active in local government in London from the 1880s until his death, and sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1889 and 1918.

Sir Alpheus Morton
"Peterborough". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1893.

Career edit

Morton was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire,[5] the son of Francis and Ann Morton, and considered himself Scottish.[6] He was educated privately in Canada.[7] He became an architect and surveyor, based in Chancery Lane in London.[8] By 1885 he was living in Clapham, and was a member of the Wandsworth District Board of Works and president of the Clapham, Stockwell, and South Lambeth Water Consumers' Defence Association.[9]

He was a member of the City of London Corporation from 1882[7] until his death,[10] for the ward of Farringdon Without.[7] The park at Finsbury Circus was known as "Morton's Park" in Corporation circles,[11][12] because it was mainly due to his work that the gardens had been opened to the public[10] after being compulsorily purchased by the Corporation through powers in the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1900.[13] Morton was one of those who gave evidence in support of the proposal to the House of Commons Select Committee which scrutinised the Bill in March 1900.[14] The Act received Royal Assent in July 1900,[15] and in August of each year Morton made an annual gift to the Lord Mayor of London of the first crop of mulberries from the park's gardens.[11][12][16][17][18][19][20][21]

He was later a member of the City and Guilds of London Institute, a member of the Commission of Lieutenancy of the City of London, a governor of St Bartholomew's Hospital, and chairman of the Metropolitan Paving Committee.[7] In January 1918 he was appointed as a trustee of the Crystal Palace, as a representative of the City of London Corporation.[22]

Parliament edit

Morton first stood for Parliament at the 1885 general election, when he contested Hythe,[4][9] and was unsuccessful again in Christchurch at the 1886 election.[23] He won a seat three years later, when he was elected at a by-election in October 1889 as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Peterborough,[24][25] after the death of the Liberal Unionist MP John Wentworth-FitzWilliam,[24] becoming the 81st new MP since the general election in 1886.[8] His victory was unexpected,[8] and when the result was declared he said that he hoped his victory would be seen as a gesture of conciliation Ireland.[8] He was re-elected in 1892,[26] and raised in Parliament the issue of the appointment of Justices of the Peace (magistrates) in April 1893.[27] In November that year, 280 Gladstonian MPs met the Lord Chancellor, Lord Herschell, in the House of Lords to discuss the system.[28] Morton led the response to the Lord Chancellor's explanation and defence of the existing system of appointment, and denounced the reliance on advice from Lord Lieutenants who were entirely dependent on what Morton called "class cliques".[28] He was also a member of a Select Committee set up to examine the accommodation provided for members and officials of the House of Commons.[29] Great Western Railway

At the 1895 general election, Morton was defeated in Peterborough by the Liberal Unionist Robert Purvis.[25] He continued to "nurse" the constituency in the hope of a return at the next election, but in May 1900 the Peterborough Liberal Association rejected a motion to adopt him as their candidate, choosing instead Halley Stewart, the former MP for Spalding.[30]

He contested Bath at the general election in October 1900, supported by a campaigning visit from former Liberal leader Sir William Vernon Harcourt.[31] However, the city's two seats were won by a Conservative Party and a Liberal Unionist, and Morton was the last-placed of the four candidates.[32] After eleven years out of the Commons, he was returned at the 1906 general election as MP for the Scottish county of Sutherland,[33] defeating the sitting Liberal Unionist MP Frederick Leveson-Gower.[34] He was re-elected for Sutherland in both the January[35] and December 1910 elections,[36] and held the seat until the constituency was abolished at the 1918 general election.[2][34]

In July 1910 he abstained on the Second Reading vote on the Parliamentary Franchise (Women) Bill, but voted in favour of Bill being referred to a Committee of the Whole House.[37]

He was knighted on 6 February 1918,[38] at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace where the new knights (who included the architect Edwin Lutyens) were introduced to King George V by the Home Secretary Sir George Cave.[39]

Morton died on 26 April 1923, aged about 83. A memorial service for him was held on 2 May in the church of St Dunstan-in-the-West in Fleet Street, where he had been a churchwarden, and had led the opposition 1919 to a proposal by the Bishop of London's Commission on the City Churches to demolish St Dunstans and 18 other churches.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ Mair, Robert Henry (1918). Debrett's House of Commons, and the Judicial Bench. Dean and Son. p. 118. Alpheus Cleophas MORTON, 2nd son of the late Francis Morton; b. March 12th, 1840
  2. ^ a b
  3. ^
  4. ^ a b Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 123. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  5. ^ 1871 England Census
  6. ^ New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957
  7. ^ a b c d Hesilridge, Arthur G. M. (1918). Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1918. London: Dean & Son. p. 118.
  8. ^ a b c d "Election Intelligence. Peterborough". The Times. London. 8 October 1889. p. 7, col D.
  9. ^ a b "Biographies of Candidates". The Times. London. 24 November 1885. p. 3, col E. Retrieved 10 December 2010. (subscription required)
  10. ^ a b c "Memorial Service. Sir A.C. Morton". The Times. London. 2 May 1923. p. 17, col D.
  11. ^ a b "Mulberries in Finsbury-Circus Garden". The Times. London. 9 August 1912. p. 9, col G.
  12. ^ a b "News in Brief". The Times. London. 20 August 1919. p. 7, col F.
  13. ^ "Best Value Inspection: Corporation of London Open Spaces Department" (PDF). Audit Commission. September 2001. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  14. ^ "City of London (Various Powers) Bill". The Times. London. 28 March 1900. p. 2, col F.
  15. ^ "House of Lords". The Times. London. 7 August 1900. p. 5, col A.
  16. ^ "Court Circular". The Times. London. 26 August 1913. p. 7, col F.
  17. ^ "News in Brief". The Times. London. 17 August 1917. p. 3, col G.
  18. ^ "News in Brief". The Times. London. 14 August 1914. p. 3, col G.
  19. ^ "News in Brief". The Times. London. 12 August 1920. p. 5, col F.
  20. ^ "News in Brief". The Times. London. 10 August 1921. p. 5, col G.
  21. ^ "News in Brief". The Times. London. 24 August 1922. p. 5, col G.
  22. ^ "News in Brief". The Times. London. 28 January 1918. p. 3, col G.
  23. ^ Craig, page 87
  24. ^ a b "No. 25981". The London Gazette. 8 October 1889. p. 5301.
  25. ^ a b Craig, page 168
  26. ^ "No. 26311". The London Gazette. 29 July 1892. p. 4310.
  27. ^ "Parliamentary Notices". The Times. London. 25 April 1893. p. 8, col C.
  28. ^ a b "The Lord Chancellor yesterday added to his usual functions that of university lecturer". The Times. London. 16 November 1893. p. 7, col C.
  29. ^ "Political Notes". The Times. No. 34245. London. 23 April 1894. p. 10, col B.
  30. ^ "News in brief: Election Intelligence". The Times. London. 10 May 1900. p. 12, col F.
  31. ^ "Sir William Harcourt at Bath". The Times. London. 1 October 1900. p. 8, col F.
  32. ^ Craig, page 66
  33. ^ "No. 27885". The London Gazette. 13 February 1906. p. 1049.
  34. ^ a b Craig, page 562
  35. ^ "No. 28338". The London Gazette. 11 February 1910. p. 1039.
  36. ^ "No. 28449". The London Gazette. 23 December 1910. p. 9559.
  37. ^ "Women's Suffrage Bill. Division List". The Times. London. 14 July 1910. p. 9, col B.
  38. ^ "No. 30607". The London Gazette. 2 April 1918. p. 4026.
  39. ^ "Court Circular". The Times. London. 7 February 1918. p. 9, col A.

External links edit

  • Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Alpheus Morton
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Peterborough
1889 – 1895 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Sutherland
1906 – 1918 		Constituency abolished

January 01, 1970
alpheus, morton, alpheus, cleophas, morton, march, 1840, april, 1923, british, architect, surveyor, liberal, party, politician, active, local, government, london, from, 1880s, until, death, house, commons, periods, between, 1889, 1918, peterborough, caricature. Sir Alpheus Cleophas Morton 12 March 1840 1 26 April 1923 2 3 was a British architect and surveyor and a Liberal Party 4 politician He was active in local government in London from the 1880s until his death and sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1889 and 1918 Sir Alpheus Morton Peterborough Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1893 Contents 1 Career 1 1 Parliament 2 References 3 External linksCareer editMorton was born in Cheltenham Gloucestershire 5 the son of Francis and Ann Morton and considered himself Scottish 6 He was educated privately in Canada 7 He became an architect and surveyor based in Chancery Lane in London 8 By 1885 he was living in Clapham and was a member of the Wandsworth District Board of Works and president of the Clapham Stockwell and South Lambeth Water Consumers Defence Association 9 He was a member of the City of London Corporation from 1882 7 until his death 10 for the ward of Farringdon Without 7 The park at Finsbury Circus was known as Morton s Park in Corporation circles 11 12 because it was mainly due to his work that the gardens had been opened to the public 10 after being compulsorily purchased by the Corporation through powers in the City of London Various Powers Act 1900 13 Morton was one of those who gave evidence in support of the proposal to the House of Commons Select Committee which scrutinised the Bill in March 1900 14 The Act received Royal Assent in July 1900 15 and in August of each year Morton made an annual gift to the Lord Mayor of London of the first crop of mulberries from the park s gardens 11 12 16 17 18 19 20 21 He was later a member of the City and Guilds of London Institute a member of the Commission of Lieutenancy of the City of London a governor of St Bartholomew s Hospital and chairman of the Metropolitan Paving Committee 7 In January 1918 he was appointed as a trustee of the Crystal Palace as a representative of the City of London Corporation 22 Parliament edit Morton first stood for Parliament at the 1885 general election when he contested Hythe 4 9 and was unsuccessful again in Christchurch at the 1886 election 23 He won a seat three years later when he was elected at a by election in October 1889 as the Member of Parliament MP for Peterborough 24 25 after the death of the Liberal Unionist MP John Wentworth FitzWilliam 24 becoming the 81st new MP since the general election in 1886 8 His victory was unexpected 8 and when the result was declared he said that he hoped his victory would be seen as a gesture of conciliation Ireland 8 He was re elected in 1892 26 and raised in Parliament the issue of the appointment of Justices of the Peace magistrates in April 1893 27 In November that year 280 Gladstonian MPs met the Lord Chancellor Lord Herschell in the House of Lords to discuss the system 28 Morton led the response to the Lord Chancellor s explanation and defence of the existing system of appointment and denounced the reliance on advice from Lord Lieutenants who were entirely dependent on what Morton called class cliques 28 He was also a member of a Select Committee set up to examine the accommodation provided for members and officials of the House of Commons 29 Great Western RailwayAt the 1895 general election Morton was defeated in Peterborough by the Liberal Unionist Robert Purvis 25 He continued to nurse the constituency in the hope of a return at the next election but in May 1900 the Peterborough Liberal Association rejected a motion to adopt him as their candidate choosing instead Halley Stewart the former MP for Spalding 30 He contested Bath at the general election in October 1900 supported by a campaigning visit from former Liberal leader Sir William Vernon Harcourt 31 However the city s two seats were won by a Conservative Party and a Liberal Unionist and Morton was the last placed of the four candidates 32 After eleven years out of the Commons he was returned at the 1906 general election as MP for the Scottish county of Sutherland 33 defeating the sitting Liberal Unionist MP Frederick Leveson Gower 34 He was re elected for Sutherland in both the January 35 and December 1910 elections 36 and held the seat until the constituency was abolished at the 1918 general election 2 34 In July 1910 he abstained on the Second Reading vote on the Parliamentary Franchise Women Bill but voted in favour of Bill being referred to a Committee of the Whole House 37 He was knighted on 6 February 1918 38 at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace where the new knights who included the architect Edwin Lutyens were introduced to King George V by the Home Secretary Sir George Cave 39 Morton died on 26 April 1923 aged about 83 A memorial service for him was held on 2 May in the church of St Dunstan in the West in Fleet Street where he had been a churchwarden and had led the opposition 1919 to a proposal by the Bishop of London s Commission on the City Churches to demolish St Dunstans and 18 other churches 10 References edit Mair Robert Henry 1918 Debrett s House of Commons and the Judicial Bench Dean and Son p 118 Alpheus Cleophas MORTON 2nd son of the late Francis Morton b March 12th 1840 a b Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPs Constituencies beginning with S part 6 Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPs Constituencies beginning with P part 1 a b Craig F W S 1989 1977 British parliamentary election results 1832 1885 2nd ed Chichester Parliamentary Research Services p 123 ISBN 0 900178 26 4 1871 England Census New York Passenger and Crew Lists including Castle Garden and Ellis Island 1820 1957 a b c d Hesilridge Arthur G M 1918 Debrett s House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1918 London Dean amp Son p 118 a b c d Election Intelligence Peterborough The Times London 8 October 1889 p 7 col D a b Biographies of Candidates The Times London 24 November 1885 p 3 col E Retrieved 10 December 2010 subscription required a b c Memorial Service Sir A C Morton The Times London 2 May 1923 p 17 col D a b Mulberries in Finsbury Circus Garden The Times London 9 August 1912 p 9 col G a b News in Brief The Times London 20 August 1919 p 7 col F Best Value Inspection Corporation of London Open Spaces Department PDF Audit Commission September 2001 Retrieved 10 December 2010 City of London Various Powers Bill The Times London 28 March 1900 p 2 col F House of Lords The Times London 7 August 1900 p 5 col A Court Circular The Times London 26 August 1913 p 7 col F News in Brief The Times London 17 August 1917 p 3 col G News in Brief The Times London 14 August 1914 p 3 col G News in Brief The Times London 12 August 1920 p 5 col F News in Brief The Times London 10 August 1921 p 5 col G News in Brief The Times London 24 August 1922 p 5 col G News in Brief The Times London 28 January 1918 p 3 col G Craig page 87 a b No 25981 The London Gazette 8 October 1889 p 5301 a b Craig page 168 No 26311 The London Gazette 29 July 1892 p 4310 Parliamentary Notices The Times London 25 April 1893 p 8 col C a b The Lord Chancellor yesterday added to his usual functions that of university lecturer The Times London 16 November 1893 p 7 col C Political Notes The Times No 34245 London 23 April 1894 p 10 col B News in brief Election Intelligence The Times London 10 May 1900 p 12 col F Sir William Harcourt at Bath The Times London 1 October 1900 p 8 col F Craig page 66 No 27885 The London Gazette 13 February 1906 p 1049 a b Craig page 562 No 28338 The London Gazette 11 February 1910 p 1039 No 28449 The London Gazette 23 December 1910 p 9559 Women s Suffrage Bill Division List The Times London 14 July 1910 p 9 col B No 30607 The London Gazette 2 April 1918 p 4026 Court Circular The Times London 7 February 1918 p 9 col A External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Alpheus Morton Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byHon John Wentworth FitzWilliam Member of Parliament for Peterborough1889 1895 Succeeded byRobert Purvis Preceded byFrederick Leveson Gower Member of Parliament for Sutherland1906 1918 Constituency abolished Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alpheus Morton amp oldid 1167815536, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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