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Sir Charles Seely

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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"SIR CHARLES SEELY, 1ST Bart. (1833-1915), British politician was born at Lincoln Aug. I 11833. He came of a family which held large property, including coal-mines, in the Midlands, and also in the Isle of Wight. In 1869 he entered the House of Commons as Liberal member for Nottingham, but lost his seat at the general election of 1874. He was reelected in 1880, but seceded from the Liberal party on Irish Home Rule, and in 1885 lost his seat. He was once more elected in 1892, and held the seat until 1895. In 1896 he was created a baronet. Sir Charles Seely was a warm supporter of the Volunteer movement. He died suddenly at Brooke House, Isle of Wight, April 16 1915.

His youngest son, John Edward Bernard Seely (1868-), British politician, was born at Brooke Hill Hall, Derbyshire, May 31 1868. Educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, he was called to the bar in 1897, and from 1900 to 1901 served with the yeomanry during the South African War. In 1900 he entered the House of Commons as Liberal member for the Isle of Wight, but was defeated at the 1906 election. He was, however, elected the same year for the Abercromby division of Liverpool. In 1908 he entered the Asquith Government as Under-Secretary for the Colonies, but in 1910 lost his seat, although in the second general election of that year he stood successfully for the Ilkeston division of Derbyshire. In 1911 he was made Under-Secretary for War, and in 1912 became War Minister. Owing, however, to the events attending the Curragh incident of 1914, he resigned in the summer. He served in the army with distinction in the World War, rising to the rank of genera] in 1918, and on his return to official life became parliamentary under-secretary to the Ministry of Munitions and deputy-Minister of Munitions (1918). In Jan. 1919 he became Under-Secretary for Air, and president of the Air Council, but resigned in Nov. of the same year.