Christopher Sykes (politician): Difference between revisions
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Sykes was the second son of [[Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet]], and his wife Mary Ann Foulis, daughter of Sir William Foulis, 7th Baronet.{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}}<ref name=Debrett>[https://archive.org/stream/debrettshouseo1886londuoft#page/146/mode/2up Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886]</ref> His father was a popular horse breeder who bred bloodstock; however, he was an authoritarian father who bullied his children.<ref>[[Dictionary of National Biography]]</ref> Sykes was educated at [[Rugby School]] and [[Trinity College, Cambridge]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}}<ref name=Venn>{{acad|id=SKS848C|name=Sykes, Christopher}}</ref> He began mixing with London's great and good and became a [[connoisseur]] of books, china and furniture. He was a [[Deputy Lieutenant]] and [[Justice of the Peace|J.P.]] for the East Riding of Yorkshire.{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}}<ref name=Debrett/> |
Sykes was the second son of [[Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet]], and his wife Mary Ann Foulis, daughter of Sir William Foulis, 7th Baronet.{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}}<ref name=Debrett>[https://archive.org/stream/debrettshouseo1886londuoft#page/146/mode/2up Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886]</ref> His father was a popular horse breeder who bred bloodstock; however, he was an authoritarian father who bullied his children.<ref>[[Dictionary of National Biography]]</ref> Sykes was educated at [[Rugby School]] and [[Trinity College, Cambridge]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}}<ref name=Venn>{{acad|id=SKS848C|name=Sykes, Christopher}}</ref> He began mixing with London's great and good and became a [[connoisseur]] of books, china and furniture. He was a [[Deputy Lieutenant]] and [[Justice of the Peace|J.P.]] for the East Riding of Yorkshire.{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}}<ref name=Debrett/> |
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At the [[1865 United Kingdom general election|1865 general election]] Sykes was elected Conservative [[Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Beverley (UK Parliament constituency)|Beverley]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} At the [[1868 United Kingdom general election|1868 general election]] he was elected MP for the [[East Riding of Yorkshire (UK Parliament constituency)|East Riding of Yorkshire]], which he held until 1885, when it was divided under the [[Redistribution of Seats Act 1885]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} He was then elected for [[Buckrose (UK Parliament constituency)|Buckrose]], one of the constituencies into which his previous constituency had been divided, which he held until 1892, when he retired. {{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} Between 1868 and 1892, he made only six speeches, and did |
At the [[1865 United Kingdom general election|1865 general election]] Sykes was elected Conservative [[Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Beverley (UK Parliament constituency)|Beverley]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} At the [[1868 United Kingdom general election|1868 general election]] he was elected MP for the [[East Riding of Yorkshire (UK Parliament constituency)|East Riding of Yorkshire]], which he held until 1885, when it was divided under the [[Redistribution of Seats Act 1885]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} He was then elected for [[Buckrose (UK Parliament constituency)|Buckrose]], one of the constituencies into which his previous constituency had been divided, which he held until 1892, when he retired. {{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} Between 1868 and 1892, he made only six speeches, and did little except introduce the bill which became the [[Sea Birds Preservation Act 1869]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} This led to him being caricatured in [[Vanity Fair (UK magazine)|Vanity Fair]] as "The Gull's friend".<ref>{{cite journal |last = Pellegrini | first=Carlo | authorlink= Carlo Pellegrini (caricaturist)|date= 14 Nov 1874 |title= The Gull's friend |url= http://www.vanityfairprints.com/online_store/store/images/0000001549.jpg | journal= [[Vanity Fair (UK magazine)]]|access-date= 10 June 2019 }}</ref> He was "widely recognised" as "Mr Brancepath" in [[Lothair (novel)|Lothair]] the novel by [[Benjamin Disraeli]].{{sfnp|The Times|1898|page=8}} He was honoured with the Order of St Lazarus of Belgium in 1879.<ref name=Venn/> |
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Sykes became a close friend of [[Edward VII]] as [[Prince of Wales]], who - because of his great height - called him the "great Xtopher", (pronounced "Christopher").{{sfnp|Ridley|2012|pp=117, 280 & 333}} Sykes entertained the prince and princess in great splendour at [[Brantingham Thorpe]], his country house in Yorkshire, the [[Doncaster Races]], and his London home in [[Berkeley Square]].{{sfnp|Ridley|2012|p=280}} The Prince exploited his friend and subjected him to humiliations, for example, on one occasion, pouring a glass of brandy over his head.{{sfnp|Ridley|2012|p=117}} |
Sykes became a close friend of [[Edward VII]] as [[Prince of Wales]], who - because of his great height - called him the "great Xtopher", (pronounced "Christopher").{{sfnp|Ridley|2012|pp=117, 280 & 333}} Sykes entertained the prince and princess in great splendour at [[Brantingham Thorpe]], his country house in Yorkshire, the [[Doncaster Races]], and his London home in [[Berkeley Square]].{{sfnp|Ridley|2012|p=280}} The Prince exploited his friend and subjected him to humiliations, for example, on one occasion, pouring a glass of brandy over his head.{{sfnp|Ridley|2012|p=117}} |
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Revision as of 13:13, 21 June 2019
Sykes as caricatured by Ape (Carlo Pellegrini) in Vanity Fair, November 1874
Christopher Sykes (1831 – 15 December 1898) was an English Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1865 to 1892.[2] He enjoyed the "intimate friendship" of Edward VII when Prince of Wales and Alexandra of Denmark when Princess of Wales.[2]
Sykes was the second son of Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet, and his wife Mary Ann Foulis, daughter of Sir William Foulis, 7th Baronet.[2][3] His father was a popular horse breeder who bred bloodstock; however, he was an authoritarian father who bullied his children.[4] Sykes was educated at Rugby School and Trinity College, Cambridge.[2][5] He began mixing with London's great and good and became a connoisseur of books, china and furniture. He was a Deputy Lieutenant and J.P. for the East Riding of Yorkshire.[2][3]
At the 1865 general election Sykes was elected Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Beverley.[2] At the 1868 general election he was elected MP for the East Riding of Yorkshire, which he held until 1885, when it was divided under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.[2] He was then elected for Buckrose, one of the constituencies into which his previous constituency had been divided, which he held until 1892, when he retired. [2] Between 1868 and 1892, he made only six speeches, and did little except introduce the bill which became the Sea Birds Preservation Act 1869.[2] This led to him being caricatured in Vanity Fair as "The Gull's friend".[6] He was "widely recognised" as "Mr Brancepath" in Lothair the novel by Benjamin Disraeli.[2] He was honoured with the Order of St Lazarus of Belgium in 1879.[5]
Sykes became a close friend of Edward VII as Prince of Wales, who - because of his great height - called him the "great Xtopher", (pronounced "Christopher").[7] Sykes entertained the prince and princess in great splendour at Brantingham Thorpe, his country house in Yorkshire, the Doncaster Races, and his London home in Berkeley Square.[8] The Prince exploited his friend and subjected him to humiliations, for example, on one occasion, pouring a glass of brandy over his head.[9]
However, Sykes's lavish entertainment of the Marlborough House Set - and the Prince of Wales - "dissipated much of his fortune".[8] Nearly bankrupted in 1890, Sykes was forced to sell both Brantingham Thorpe and his London home. Despite this, the Prince of Wales never forgot his devoted friend, and after Sykes' death in 1898, he installed a tablet to his memory at Westminster Abbey.
References and sources
- ^ "Personal". Illustrated London News. 24 December 1898. p. 945.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j The Times (1898), p. 8.
- ^ a b Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886
- ^ Dictionary of National Biography
- ^ a b "Sykes, Christopher (SKS848C)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ Pellegrini, Carlo (14 November 1874). "The Gull's friend". Vanity Fair (UK magazine). Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- ^ Ridley (2012), pp. 117, 280 & 333.
- ^ a b Ridley (2012), p. 280.
- ^ Ridley (2012), p. 117.
- "Obituary". The Times (35702). 17 December 1898. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
- Ridley, Jane (2012). Bertie - A Life of Edward VII. London: Chatto & Windus. ISBN 978-0099575443.