Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Hanbury, Robert William
HANBURY, ROBERT WILLIAM (1845–1903), politician, born on 24 Feb. 1845 at Bodehall House, Tamworth, was only son of Robert Hanbury of Bodehall, a country gentleman of moderate landed estate but of ample means derived chiefly from collieries, by his wife Mary, daughter of Major T. B. Bamford of Wilnecote Hall, Warwickshire. Left an orphan in early childhood, Hanbury was educated at Rugby and at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he was well known as an 'oar.' He graduated B.A. in 1868 with a second class in literæ humaniores. At the age of twenty-seven he became in 1872 conservative member for Tamworth borough, and held that seat until 1878, when he was elected for North Staffordshire. He lost this seat at the general election of 1880, and for the next five years threw himself energetically into the work of conservative organisation. He contested Preston unsuccessfully in 1882, but won the seat in 1885, retaining it with increasing majorities until his death.
A vigilant and unsparing critic of the estimates even in the conservative parliament of 1886-92, he was regarded at first as something of a free-lance; but when the liberals returned to power in 1892, he and his allies, Mr. Thomas Gibson Bowles and (Sir) George Christopher Trout Bartley [q. v. Suppl. II], kept up a ceaseless warfare in committee of supply upon the policy of the government in every department. He was particularly energetic in attacking from the financial side Gladstone's home rule bill of 1893, and it was largely due to him that the question of the national store of cordite assumed the importance that inspired Mr. Brodrick's motion of June 1895, on which the Rosebery ministry was defeated.
When the Salisbury government came into power, Hanbury was made a privy councillor and financial secretary of the treasury. That post he held until 1900. The unionist ministry was then reconstructed after the general election of that year, and Hanbury succeeded Mr. Walter Long as president of the board of agriculture, with a seat in the cabinet. The change was regarded with some suspicion by the agricultural community ; but Hanbury went amongst the farmers on all available occasions, delivered speeches at agricultural gatherings, and won general confidence.
A man of exceptionally fine physique, Hanbury died suddenly from pneumonia on 28 April 1903, at his London residence, Herbert House, Belgrave Square. Mr. Arthur Balfour, the prime minister, spoke in the House of Commons, with the approval of all parties, the same evening (28 April), of Hanbury's love for the House of Commons, of his accurate knowledge of its procedure, of his assiduous attendance; to the board of agriculture he had successfully brought an originality of method and desire to adapt a young office to the needs of the agricultural community. He was buried in the churchyard at his country residence. Ham, near Ashbourne.
Hanbury was twice married (but left no issue): (1) in 1869 to Ismena Tindal (d. 1871), daughter of Thomas Morgan Gepp of Chelmsford; (2) in 1884 to Ellen, only child of Colonel Knox Hamilton; she survived him, marrying shortly after Victor Bowring, and taking the name of Bowring-Hanbury. Hanbury's eldest sister married Sir Archibald Milman, clerk assistant to the House of Commons, and there was a family lawsuit, carried up to the House of Lords, about the terms of his will. It was finally held on 7 Feb. 1905, by the earl of Halsbury and Lords Macnaghten, Davey, James, and Robertson (Lord Lindley dissenting) that upon the true construction of Hanbury s will there was an absolute gift of the testator's real and personal estate to his wife, subject to an executory gift of the same at her death to such of his nieces as should survive her (The Times Law Reports, xxi. 252).
A caricature by *Spy* appeared in 'Vanity Fair' (1896).
[The Times, 29 April and 7 May 1903; Annual Register for 1903 [119], 130.]