Hugh Lea

Hugh Cecil Lea(27 May 1869 – 29 January 1926) was a BritishLiberal Partypolitician and newspaper proprietor.

Background

He was a son of Carl Adolph Lea, a London coal merchant registered as owning aMerchant navyship, thespritsail-rigged "Alacer", in 1875,^[1]his business failing the same year,^[2]and Elizabeth Maria (c. 1842-1931), daughter of Thomas Matthews. He was educated inBoulogne,ReimsandMunich.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Career

Business

Lea was on the London staff ofThe African Review.He ownedThe Wine and Spirit Trade Record.

Politics

St Pancras East in London County, showing boundaries 1885–1918

Lea was Liberal MP forSt Pancras Eastfrom 1906 to 1910. Standing for parliament for the first time, he gained the seat from the Conservative at the 1906 General Election. He only served one parliamentary term before standing down at the general election of January 1910. He did not stand for parliament again.^[6]He was a Member ofLondon County Council,representingSt Pancras Eastfor the Liberal Party backedProgressivesfrom 1910 to 1913.^[3]

Military endeavours

Lea was an advocate for a greater mix of social classes in the military officer class, having come from a background which necessitated starting off his military endeavours in the ranks. Leaenlistedin theOxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantryin 1887; he "excelled in his exams, progressing through his education certificates" and was appointed a staff clerk in theArmy Pay Department,paying £18 as a lance corporal for his own discharge. He went to the United States, and was commissioned in theIllinois National Guardof theUnited States Army.^[7]

He was commissioned a temporary Infantry second-lieutenant in 1915,^[8]serving in theRifle Brigadeuntil relinquishing his commission due to ill health the following year;^[9]in 1919, he was serving with the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, relinquishing his commission as a temporary lieutenant and being granted the honorary rank of lieutenant.^[10]^[11]

Lea's experiences with non-commissioned officers led him to advocate forJohn Dimmer's commission, Dimmer being from a "decidedly working-class" background and lacking the financial security to allow him to take a position as an officer, being considered "professionally but not socially fit, for a commission" by the commanding officer of the 4th Battalion,King's Royal Rifle Corps.Dimmer would become a Lieutenant-colonel, and was awarded theVictoria CrossandMilitary Cross.^[12]

Personal life

In 1896, Lea married Jessie, daughter of Charles Fish. They lived at 60,Cadogan Place,London S.W.^[13]^[14]

Lea's grave inHampstead Cemetery

Lea died after a short illness at the age of 56. He is buried inHampstead Cemetery.

References

^Mercantile Navy List, 1875, Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen of Great Britain, p. 113
^Record of failures and liquidations in the financial, international, wholesale, and manufacturing branches of commerce in the United Kingdom, From 1865 to 1884, both inclusive, Richard Seyd, Seyd & Co., p. 241
^^a ^bWho Was Who1998
^The Liberal Year Book, Liberal Publication Department, 1908, p. 60
^Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Dod's Parliamentary Companion Ltd, 1907, p. 290
^Craig 1989^{[page needed]}
^Officers not gentlemen: Officers Commissioned from the Ranks of the Pre-First World War British Regular Army, 1903-1918, Roger Deeks, University of Birmingham, 2017, pp. 98-99
^The London Gazette, 9 April 1915, p. 3455
^The London Gazette, 16 May 1916, p. 4859
^Supplement to The London Gazette, 27 January 1920, p. 1187
^Johnson 2013,p. 60
^Officers not gentlemen: Officers Commissioned from the Ranks of the Pre-First World War British Regular Army, 1903-1918, Roger Deeks, University of Birmingham, 2017, pp. 98-99, 127
^The Liberal Year Book, Liberal Publication Department, 1908, p. 60
^Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Dod's Parliamentary Companion Ltd, 1907, p. 290

Sources

Craig, FWS (1989).British parliamentary election results 1885–1918.Politico's Publishing.ISBN 978-0900178276.
Johnson, Matthew (2013).Militarism and the British Left, 1902–1914.London:Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN 978-1137274120.
Who Was Who.Vol. I, 1897–1915. London:A & C Black.1998.ISBN 978-0713626704.

External links

Who's Who

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Sir Thomas Wrightson	Member of ParliamentforSt Pancras East 1906–January 1910	Succeeded by Joseph Martin

[1] Mercantile Navy List, 1875, Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen of Great Britain, p. 113

[2] Record of failures and liquidations in the financial, international, wholesale, and manufacturing branches of commerce in the United Kingdom, From 1865 to 1884, both inclusive, Richard Seyd, Seyd & Co., p. 241

[WWW-3] Who Was Who1998

[4] The Liberal Year Book, Liberal Publication Department, 1908, p. 60

[5] Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Dod's Parliamentary Companion Ltd, 1907, p. 290

[6] Craig 1989^{[page needed]}

[7] Officers not gentlemen: Officers Commissioned from the Ranks of the Pre-First World War British Regular Army, 1903-1918, Roger Deeks, University of Birmingham, 2017, pp. 98-99

[8] The London Gazette, 9 April 1915, p. 3455

[9] The London Gazette, 16 May 1916, p. 4859

[10] Supplement to The London Gazette, 27 January 1920, p. 1187

[11] Johnson 2013,p. 60

[12] Officers not gentlemen: Officers Commissioned from the Ranks of the Pre-First World War British Regular Army, 1903-1918, Roger Deeks, University of Birmingham, 2017, pp. 98-99, 127

[13] The Liberal Year Book, Liberal Publication Department, 1908, p. 60

[14] Dod's Parliamentary Companion, Dod's Parliamentary Companion Ltd, 1907, p. 290

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