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Article added to Wikipedia 19 September 2010 James Spencer-Bell (?1819 - 1872) was a British politician, who was MP for Guildford from 1852 until 1857.

He died in on 22 February 1872, aged 53 [1] [2][3].[4]

Marriage and name-change

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James Bell married Mary Ann Spencer, daughter of Jeremiah Spencer of South Lodge [5],

Cockermouth, Cumberland on 9 June 1858, at the Friends Meeting House, Cockermouth He is described as a Gentleman, the son of John Bell, Chemist [6] [7] On 29 January 1866, they received a Royal Licence to change their name to "Spencer-Bell" , and to incorporate the Spencer coat of arms in theirs, according to the London Gazette [8]

They had an address at 1, Devonshire Place, London [9] and at Fawe Park, Keswick, Cumberland [10] [11],

Mary Ann Spencer-Bell died 16 August 1891, aged 59 [12] [13].

Architectural interests

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He trained as an architect but seems not to have practiced in that profession, after the age of 30. He served as Honorary Secretary to the RIBA [14] and received an obituary notice on his death:

I am unable to obtain particulars as to Mr. Bell's professional life. He was, fortunately for his own ease, in a position requiring little labour on his part, but he was attached to the profession he nominally followed and for some time showed his interest in it by acting as honorary secretary to the Institute. He was a pupil of Mr. Railton's but did not attempt to practise after the age of thirty. Mr Bell travelled much, and was indefatigable with his pencil. He represented the borough of Guildford for some time in Parliament. He took an active part in the committees of the House of Commons, and was a diligent worker in several societies of a benevolent and religious character. He was in declining health for some time prior to his death, which occurred in February last, at the age of 52 [15].

Political activity

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James Bell, as he was then called, was elected MP for Guildford from the General Election of 1852 along with R. D. Mangles (both Liberals) [16]. Mangles was first elected in 1841, in this two-member constituency. After the election, there was a petition, alleging bribery and treating, which was found to be groundless and costs were awarded against the petitioner, in March 1853[17].

At the General Election of 1857, Bell was displaced by William Bovill [18].

There is no record in Hansard of James Bell speaking in the House of Commons.

He was a member of a delegation from the Society of Friends to Mr Gladstone and Mr W.E.Forster concerning Quaker views on the Elementary Education Bill of 1870 [19]

Children

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  • James Frederick Spencer-Bell, born 1863 at Alton in Hampshire [21] [22] died 1886. [23][24].
  • Helen Johanna Spencer-Bell, born 1865 in Marylebone, Middlesex [21][25] [20].
  • Juliet Spencer-Bell, born 9 July 1866, in London [26] [21] . In 1892, married Colonel Edmond Herbert Grove-Hills, FRS [27] [20] [28]
  • Hubert John Spencer-Bell born 20 February 1869, in Marylebone, Middlesex [29] [21] [20] [30], died 1888, aged 19 [31]

Fawe Park

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Fawe Park is a large Victorian house that was built in 1858 for James Bell (after 1866, called James Spencer-Bell). It was designed by Alfred Waterhouse [10] [32]. It is on the west bank of Derwent Water, opposite the town of Keswick. It is not open to the public (2010).

After James Spencer-Bell's death, the house was occupied by his son Frederick Spencer-Bell and following his early death by his daughter Adelaide and her husband, Samuel Middleton Fox. After their deaths, it was occupied by their son, Commodore Frederick Middleton Fox. The current ownership has not yet been discovered.

Beatrix Potter

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Beatrix Potter, author and illustrator of children's books visited the house in July, 1903. The house was the setting one of the scenes in the 2006 film about her life, "Miss Potter" [33] [34].

Fawe Park Road, Putney

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Fawe Park Road in Putney, South West London was developed by James Spencer-Bell and auctioned in 1894 [35]. The road still exist and runs east-west from Putney Bridge Road (A3209) to Disraeli Road.

References

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  1. ^ The Times, Tuesday, February 27, 1872; pg. 1; Issue 27310; col A: Death notices: James Spencer-Bell.
  2. ^ Annual Monitor index. p.376 -1873 volume
  3. ^ RIBA Library catalogue lists:
    • Death date: Feb 1872 Microfiche: 3/D3, 78/A6 Obituaries:Builder v73, 9 Nov 1872, p879; RIBA Proceedings 1872/3, p8
    • Lecture by James Spencer-Bell entitled On Physics, etc., 24 July 1865 54p., holograph
    Title: Lecture by James Spencer-Bell entitled On Physics, etc., 24 July 1865 Collection context: Forms part of the RIBA Archive: Voluntary Architectural Examination Lectures, 1865 - Contents: Read at the RIBA as part of a course of lectures to students preparing for the RIBA Voluntary Architectural Examination. Summarises elementary physics and chemistry with reference to the practice of architecture, based on two textbooks, Neil Arnott's `Elements of physics, 1828, and George Fownes' `Manual of elementary chemistry, 1858. Order/Ref no.: ED/7.2.2
    • Essay by James Spencer-Bell entitled 'On the modifications and adaptation of the Orders of the Greeks by the Romans and Moderns', 1847 21 p., ms.
    Collection context: Forms part of the RIBA Archive: Papers Read at General Meetings, 1835-1858 General note: Awarded the RIBA Medal of Merit and read at the RIBA on 22 March 1847 Contents: Spencer-Bell proclaims the purity of Grecian architecture, in which the column was the crucial component, and traces its progressive debasement in Roman and mediaeval times, when the column became subordinate to the arch and ceased to regulate the proportions of buildings; the goes on to trace its regeneration by Italian Renaissance architects and praises the purity of detail and correctness of character in the application of the classical orders by Sir Christopher Wren; he comments on the beneficial effects on British architecture of the architectural Grand Tour of Italy and of the archaeological discoveries made in Greece by Professor Cockerell and others; he ends by praising the Germans for 'having made the most successful application of Grecian architecture --- many of the buildings of Berlin and Munich, when referred to a Greek standard, are singularly original and happy in their conception and pure in their execution and detail'. Order/Ref no.: MS.SP\1\5
    • Paper by James Spencer-Bell entitled "The architectural remains of the Roman provinces", read at the RIBA, 4 Nov 1850 43p., manuscript
    Collection context: Forms part of the RIBA Archive: Papers read at general meetings, 1835-1858 Order/Ref no.: MS.SP/10/36
  4. ^ Report of Prof Kerr's presentation: "Labourers and artizan's dwellings" Daily News (London, England), Tuesday, December 4, 1866; Issue 6422 and "Royal Institute of British Architects", The Morning Post (London, England), Tuesday, December 04, 1866; pg. 3; Issue 29011. Follow-up meeting: "Royal Institute of British Architects", The Morning Post, Wednesday, December 19, 1866; pg. 3; Issue 29024.
  5. ^ Note on the Spencer family of Cockermouth:
    In the 1861 Census, the household at South Lodge, Cockermouth consisted of Head: Jeremiah Spencer, age 71, Landed Proprietor, Wife: Lucy, age 63, Jeremiah Spencer, Son, aged 27 and three servants, a cook, a housemaid and a groom.
    In the 1841 Census, the parents, Jeremiah and Lucy Spencer were absent. listed are Mary Ann, 9 years and Jeremiah, 7, together with four adults with different surnames.
    This would lead to the following family structure:
    Jeremiah Spencer, born ?1790 married Lucy, born ?1798, presumably before Mary Ann's birth in ?1832, The son, Jeremiah being born in ?1834.
    Local Directories give a picture of the Spencer's rapid rise in status for in Jolie's Guide and Directory, 1811, a Jeremiah Spencer is shown in Cockermouth as a tallow chandler and agent for the Eagle insurance company. This is presumably a relative of Jeremiah Spencer, born ?1790.
    In Piggot's Directory of 1828/1829, Cokermouth tradesmen include Jeremiah Spencer, tallow chandler of the Market place.
    In Piggot's Directory of 1834, the Cockermouth entry for "Nobility, entry and Clergymen includes "Jeremiah Spencer, Esq."
  6. ^ The marriage was according to the usage of the Society of Friends, London. The marriage was noted in The Times, Wednesday, Jun 16, 1858; pg. 1; Issue 23021; col A: Marriages.
  7. ^ Beckfoot Marriages in Cumberland Roots website: 25 February 1847; Jeremiah Spencer of Cockermouth a Gentleman, parent(s) Jeremiah Spencer of Cockermouth a tallow chandler married Lucy Bell of Allonby, parent(s) Daniel Bell, a broker. Married at Allonby
  8. ^ Name change: London Gazette 2 February 1866, page 585 of issue 23065.
  9. ^ Devonshire Place: there are currently three places in London with this name. It is likely that Devonshire Place, a turning south from Marylebone Road, is the correct one.
  10. ^ a b Fawe Park built by Waterhouse see article by Colin Cunningham, ‘Waterhouse, Alfred (1830–1905)’ in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2010 accessed 3 May 2010: "The earliest of these were for relatives, such as his cousin Sebastian Waterhouse in Liverpool; but these were soon followed by a range of mansions for industrialists on the urban fringes and several houses in the Lake District, among which was Fawe Park (1858), for James Bell MP. This last was the subject of the first watercolour Waterhouse exhibited at the Royal Academy."
  11. ^ Aerial view of Fawe Park on this page, describing Beatrix Potter's visit.
  12. ^ Mary Ann Spencer Bell died 16 August 1891, according to Probate notice in the London Gazette 8 January 1892, page 162 of issue 26243
  13. ^ Annual Monitor index
  14. ^ The architecture of Deane and Woodward by Frederick O'Dwyer says, on p35, that James Bell, as Hon Sec of RIBA, read Deane's obituary at a meeting on 24 June 1861.
  15. ^ Obituaries included in the Presidential address of the Royal Institute of British Architects 4 November 1872 and reported in The Builder, 9 November 1872, page 879, Column c:
  16. ^ The Times, Saturday, July 17, 1852; pg. 2; Issue 21170; col E: "The General Election".
  17. ^ "GUILDFORD ELECTION. HC Deb 07 March 1853 vol 124 c1220 1220 LORD SEYMOUR appeared at the bar with the Report of the Select Committee appointed to try and determine the proceedings at the Election for the Borough of Guildford. The Committee had determined that Ross Donnelly Mangles, Esq., and James Bell, Esq., are duly elected to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Guildford; and the Committee had further agreed to the following Resolutions:— "That the allegations of bribery and treating contained in the Petition were made without any reasonable ground, and are frivolous and vexatious." "The Committee have thereupon ordered, that all costs and expenses, of and relating to the said allegations, shall be forthwith paid by the Petitioner and his surety, to the said Ross Donnelly Mangles and James Bell, esquires." Source: Hansard online
  18. ^ The Times, Monday, March 30, 1857; pg. 6; Issue 22641; col C: "The Elections"- "His vote on the China Question, against the Government appears to have given general dissatisfaction among his constituents" For the motion and the vote see The Times, Thursday, March 05, 1857; pg. 6; Issue 22620; col E: War With China. Division., House Of Commons, Tuesday, March 3. For contemporary comment on "The China Question" see The Times, Thursday, March 05, 1857; pg. 9; Issue 22620; col A: "The Defeat Of Ministers" and The Times, Friday, March 06, 1857; pg. 4; Issue 22621; col A: "House Of Lords, Thursday, March 5"
  19. ^ The Times 14 May 1870, pg 12 Column C: "The Elementary Education Bill: a deputation". The text of the statement by London Yearly Meeting on this Bill is to be found in the issue of Monday, 16 May, 1870 of the Northern Echo (Darlington).
  20. ^ a b c d Under a codicil of the Will of Mary Ann Spencer-Bell, Adelaide would receive the Swinside and Fawe park estates, Helen the South Lodge estate and Juliet the Brandenhow estate. Hubert was already sufficiently provided for. The Will's provision was published in The Leeds Mercury, Friday, November 20, 1891; Issue 16731.
  21. ^ a b c d Census 1881, Class RG11; Piece 5170; Folio 110; Page 9; GSU roll 1342247 - from Ancestry.com. 1881 Census for Fawe Park lists those present and their ages.
  22. ^ Birth index says James Frederick Bell was born in the April May June period- Hampshire Vol 2c Page 142.
  23. ^ "The Times", Saturday, September 11, 1886; pg. 8; Issue 31862; col C: "Drowned" - Mr F. Spencer-Bell, of Fawe Park and Mr Edward Rathbone, of Liverpool, drowned by capsizing a small boat in Derwent-water. and The Times, Monday, September 13, 1886; pg. 9; Issue 31863; col F (bodies recovered).
  24. ^ Annual Monitor " index. p38
  25. ^ Birth Index says Helen Johanna Bell was born in 1865, during the January, February, March period - Vol 1a Page 442
  26. ^ The announcement of the birth of an unnamed daughter on 9 July 1866, at Devonshire Place, Portland Place, was announced in The Pall Mall Gazette , Wednesday, July 11, 1866; Issue 443.
  27. ^ The Times, Wednesday, Oct 04, 1922; pg. 7; Issue 43153; col C: "Obituary. Colonel Grove-Hills".
  28. ^ Marriage index says Juliet's marriage was at St George's, Hanover Square - Vol10 page 753
  29. ^ The Morning Post (London, England), Wednesday, February 24, 1869; pg. 8; Issue 29707 "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries " - "a son" (forename not stated)
  30. ^ Birth index says Marylebone Vol 1a Page 492
  31. ^ Annual Monitor index p.376
  32. ^ Image of Fawe Park on the Victoria & Albert Museum website (Beatrix Potter section)
  33. ^ Aerial view of Fawe Park on this page, describing Beatrix Potter's visit.
  34. ^ "The Real Mr McGregor's garden" from the Victoria & Albert Museum website.
  35. ^ The Times, Saturday, Nov 10, 1894; pg. 15; Issue 34418; col A: Sales By Auction of Fawe Park Road.

[[Category:United Kingdom MP stubs]] [[Category:English Quakers]]

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