Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Seale-Hayne, Charles Hayne
SEALE-HAYNE, CHARLES HAYNE (1833–1903), liberal politician, born at Brighton on 22 Oct. 1833, was only son of Charles Hayne Seale-Hayne of Fuge House, Dartmouth (1808-1842), by his wife Louisa, daughter of Richard Jennings, of Portland Place, London. His father was second son of Sir John Henry Scale (1785-1844), first baronet and M.P. for Dartmouth, whose family was connected since the seventeenth century with Devonshire, where they were large landowners and held many public offices. Charles was educated at Eton, and called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn on 30 April 1857. In that year and in 1860 he unsuccessfully contested Dartmouth in the liberal interest. In 1885 he was elected M.P. for the Mid or Ashburton division of Devonshire, and retained the seat for the liberals to the day of his death. He was assiduous in his attendance at Westminster, and became in 1892 paymaster-general in Gladstone's fourth administration, being also made privy councillor. He held office until the defeat of the liberal government in 1895. He was treasurer of the Cobden Club, and took an active part in the local affairs of Devonshire. For many years he held the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the South Devon militia, and afterwards the same rank in the 2nd Devon volunteer artillery. He died, unmarried, in London on 22 Nov. 1903, and was buried at Kensal Green cemetery. By his will, dated 17 Jan. 1889, Seale-Hayne directed that, after paying certain legacies, the residue of his property should form a trust to establish and endow a college, to be erected in the neighbourhood of Newton Abbot, Devonshire, for the technical education of artisans and others, without distinction of creed, and for the special encouragement of the industries, manufactures, and products of the county of Devon. The trustees acordingly received the sum of over 90,000l., from which a farm of 225 acres has been purchased two and a half miles outside Newton Abbot. A college is to be erected in the centre of the property. Seale-Hayne's publications include 'Annals of the Militia: being the Records of the South Devon Regiment' (Plymouth, 1873) and 'Politics for Working Men, Farmers and Landlords.'
[The Times, and Western Times, 23 Nov. 1903; Western Mag. and Portfolio, Jan. 1904; personal information.]