Edward Samuel Wesley de Cobain (1840 - 23 September 1908) was an Irish Conservative politician and landowner who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892. He was expelled from the House for failing to appear to answer charges. He was later imprisoned on charges of gross indecency under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885.
De Cobain was the son of the Rev. Edward De Cobain, of Ashley Hall, Belfast and his wife Harriet Ann Smyth, daughter of John Smyth of Smythborough, and the Shades of Ballynure, County Monaghan, Ulster. His brother, Fletcher De Cobain, would also become a minister. ESW De Cobain was educated at Bell's Academy, Belfast. He was cashier for the Borough of Belfast in the 1860s. For five years he was Grand Master of the Orange Lodge of Belfast, and was Deputy Grand Master for Ireland. He was the author of political lectures and occasional poems.[1] In the 1885 general election de Cobain was nominated as the Independent Conservative candidate for East Belfast. He beat the Tory candidate, Sir J. P. Corry, and was elected Member of Parliament for Belfast East. He was reelected in 1886.[2]
Scandal and imprisonment
In April 1891, a warrant was issued by Justice Richard Eaton, Resident Magistrate of Belfast, for his arrest for "the commission of unnatural offences in Belfast."[2] De Cobain had fled to the continent through London to Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. De Cobain continued to proclaim his innocence and refused to resign his seat in Parliament, saying it was tantamount to an admission of guilt. The House of Commons ordered him to attend and when he failed to do so he was expelled on 23 February 1892.
De Cobain sailed to New York in May 1892 where he lived for a while and conducted revivalist meetings in Brooklyn. In February 1893, de Cobain returned to Belfast, where he was subsequently arrested. In court, de Cobain claimed that charges were the result of an attempt to blackmail him but the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour.[2][3]
According to the BBC, papers at the Belfast Public Records Office document allegations that some people were encouraged to give statements against de Cobain, with one allegedly being offered £500. The historian Nicola Morris has stated that "it is not beyond the realms of possibility that there was a set up".[4]
References
^Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886
^ abcMurgu, Cal (2017). "'Innocence is as Innocence Does': Anglo-Irish Politics, Masculinity and the De Cobain Gross Indecency Scandal of 1891–3". Gender & History. 29 (2): 309–328. doi:10.1111/1468-0424.12293. ISSN 1468-0424.
edward, cobain, edward, samuel, wesley, cobain, 1840, september, 1908, irish, conservative, politician, landowner, house, commons, from, 1885, 1892, expelled, from, house, failing, appear, answer, charges, later, imprisoned, charges, gross, indecency, under, c. Edward Samuel Wesley de Cobain 1840 23 September 1908 was an Irish Conservative politician and landowner who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892 He was expelled from the House for failing to appear to answer charges He was later imprisoned on charges of gross indecency under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 Edward de CobainMember of Parliamentfor Belfast EastIn office 18 December 1885 26 February 1892Preceded byConstituency CreatedSucceeded byGustav Wilhelm WolffPersonal detailsBorn1840Newry IrelandDied23 September 1908 1908 09 23 aged 67 68 Bangor IrelandNationalityBritishPolitical partyConservativeDe Cobain was the son of the Rev Edward De Cobain of Ashley Hall Belfast and his wife Harriet Ann Smyth daughter of John Smyth of Smythborough and the Shades of Ballynure County Monaghan Ulster His brother Fletcher De Cobain would also become a minister ESW De Cobain was educated at Bell s Academy Belfast He was cashier for the Borough of Belfast in the 1860s For five years he was Grand Master of the Orange Lodge of Belfast and was Deputy Grand Master for Ireland He was the author of political lectures and occasional poems 1 In the 1885 general election de Cobain was nominated as the Independent Conservative candidate for East Belfast He beat the Tory candidate Sir J P Corry and was elected Member of Parliament for Belfast East He was reelected in 1886 2 Scandal and imprisonment EditIn April 1891 a warrant was issued by Justice Richard Eaton Resident Magistrate of Belfast for his arrest for the commission of unnatural offences in Belfast 2 De Cobain had fled to the continent through London to Boulogne sur Mer France De Cobain continued to proclaim his innocence and refused to resign his seat in Parliament saying it was tantamount to an admission of guilt The House of Commons ordered him to attend and when he failed to do so he was expelled on 23 February 1892 De Cobain sailed to New York in May 1892 where he lived for a while and conducted revivalist meetings in Brooklyn In February 1893 de Cobain returned to Belfast where he was subsequently arrested In court de Cobain claimed that charges were the result of an attempt to blackmail him but the jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment with hard labour 2 3 According to the BBC papers at the Belfast Public Records Office document allegations that some people were encouraged to give statements against de Cobain with one allegedly being offered 500 The historian Nicola Morris has stated that it is not beyond the realms of possibility that there was a set up 4 References Edit Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886 a b c Murgu Cal 2017 Innocence is as Innocence Does Anglo Irish Politics Masculinity and the De Cobain Gross Indecency Scandal of 1891 3 Gender amp History 29 2 309 328 doi 10 1111 1468 0424 12293 ISSN 1468 0424 Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPs Constituencies beginning with B part 2 Was Orangeman Edward De Cobain jailed for a crime he didn t commit BBC News 16 September 2011 Retrieved 26 July 2019 External links EditHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Edward de CobainParliament of the United KingdomNew constituency Member of Parliament for Belfast East1885 1892 Succeeded byGustav Wilhelm Wolff Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edward de Cobain amp oldid 1097375629, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
