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Harold Baker (politician)

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Baker in the 1920s

Harold Trevor Baker PC (22 January 1877 – 12 July 1960) was a British scholar, barrister, and Liberal politician.

Early life

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Baker was born on Portsea Island, the son of Louisa and Sir John Baker, MP for Portsmouth. He was educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford. He received the Gaisford Prize in 1899. He was also a Craven Scholar, Hertford Scholar and an Eldon Scholar. He was President of the Oxford Union in the Michaelmas term of 1900.[1]

Career

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Baker in 1910

Baker was Called to the Bar from the Inner Temple in 1903.[2] He was Secretary to the Royal Commission on War Stores in South Africa.[1]

Baker was elected to the House of Commons for Accrington in the January 1910 general election. He served in the Liberal administration of H. H. Asquith as Financial Secretary to the War Office from 1912 to 1914 and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1915. During the European War that broke out in 1914 he was a Member of His Majesty's Army Council, and in 1916 he became Inspector of Quartermaster-General Services.[1]

Baker was one of the few Liberal MPs of his day who were opposed to granting the vote to women.[3]

He was defeated at the 1918 general election, when he faced both a Labour opponent as well as a Coalition government backed Unionist. He tried to win his seat back in 1922 but finished third. He did not stand for parliament again.[4]

While in parliament and out of it, Baker continued with his career as a barrister. In 1933 he became a Fellow of Winchester College and was its Warden from 1936 to 1946.[1]

Personal life

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Baker never married.[1] By his affair with Lady Gwendoline Bertie, the wife of Jack Churchill, he was the father of Clarissa Eden.[5]

Electoral record

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General election January 1910: Accrington[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Baker 8,968 58.1 +1.3
Conservative Albert Henry Jessel 6,455 41.9 n/a
Majority 2,513 16.2 −2.3
Turnout 15,423 94.6 +11.7
Registered electors 16,297
Liberal hold Swing n/a
General election December 1910: Accrington[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Harold Baker 8,129 55.7 −2.4
Conservative Ernest Gray 6,461 44.3 +2.4
Majority 1,668 11.4 −4.8
Turnout 14,590 89.5 −5.1
Registered electors 16,297
Liberal hold Swing −2.4
General election 14 December 1918: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Ernest Gray 13,808 47.2 +2.9
Liberal Harold Baker 8,378 28.6 −27.1
Labour Charles Roden Buxton 6,369 21.7 n/a
National Democratic William Hammond 738 2.5 n/a
Majority 5,430 18.6 30.0
Turnout 28,555 69.5 −20.0
Unionist gain from Liberal Swing +15.0
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 15 November 1922: Accrington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charles Roden Buxton 16,462 44.3 +22.6
Unionist Ernest Gray 11,408 30.6 −16.6
Liberal Harold Baker 9,395 25.1 −3.5
Majority 5,054 13.7 32.3
Turnout 88.7 +19.2
Labour gain from Unionist Swing +19.6

Baker died in Winchester in July 1960, aged 83.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Baker, Right Hon. Harold Trevor". Who's Who. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  3. ^ The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies 1897-1914 by Leslie Hume
  4. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1918-1973, F. W. S. Craig
  5. ^ Hugo Vickers, "The Avon lady on Suez", The Oldie, December 2024, p. 23
  6. ^ a b British Parliamentary Election Results, 1885-1918 (Craig)
  7. ^ Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Accrington
January 1910 – 1918 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Financial Secretary to the War Office
1912–1915 		Succeeded by
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