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Hubert Duncombe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Colonel the Honourable Hubert Ernest Valentine Duncombe, DSO (14 February 1862 - 21 October 1918) was a British soldier and politician who served as the Conservative MP for Egremont from 1895 to 1900.

Duncombe was a younger son of William Duncombe, a Conservative politician later created Earl of Feversham, and his wife Mabel Violet (née Graham). He was educated at Harrow School, the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and Magdalene College, Cambridge.[1] Following Cambridge, he was admitted to bar at the Inner Temple.[2] He married music hall performer Nellie Leamar in 1883.[3][4]

In 1893 he was selected as the prospective Conservative candidate for Egremont;[5] he had previously been suggested as a possible candidate for York.[6] He was elected in the 1895 general election, with a majority of 131.[7] He did not seek re-election at the 1900 general election.[8]

Duncombe was an officer of the Volunteer Force, originally as a captain with the 5th VB Devonshire Regiment from 1891,[9] and later with the 2nd VB Yorkshire Regiment. He volunteered for active service in the Second Boer War in February 1900,[10] and served with the Imperial Yeomanry, originally ranked as captain and serving as the adjutant of a battalion commanded by his fellow MP, Arthur Montagu Brookfield. He was later promoted to lieutenant-colonel and awarded the Distinguished Service Order.[2]

In 1904, he was declared bankrupt, with debts of around £4,400.[11] In 1913, he was implicated in a fraud by Edmund Eaton, who had promoted an oil company as though it were endorsed by a Royal Commission; Duncombe was a director of the company, but resigned his directorship immediately and the charges against him were dismissed.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Duncombe, Hon. Hubert Ernest Valentine". Who's Who & Who Was Who. Vol. 1920–2016. A & C Black. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b "Duncombe, the Hon. Hubert [Ernest] Valentine (DNCM881HV)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. ^ "The Bulletin, Vol. 3 No. 115". Trove. 25 July 1885. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  4. ^ Munday, Luther (1907). A chronicle of friendships. Cornell University Library. New York : F. A. Stokes. p. 186.
  5. ^ "Representation of West Cumberland". Yorkshire Gazette. 17 June 1893. (subscription required)
  6. ^ "Election Movements". Newcastle Courant. 9 March 1888. (subscription required)
  7. ^ "Declaration of the Poll". Cumberland Pacquet, and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser. 25 July 1895. (subscription required)
  8. ^ "The Election Campaign". Leeds Mercury. 20 September 1900. (subscription required)
  9. ^ "The Hon HV Duncombe MP". Maryport Advertiser. 27 July 1895. (subscription required)
  10. ^ "War Notes and News". Lakes Herald. 9 February 1900. (subscription required)
  11. ^ "Affairs of the Hon H. Duncombe". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 2 November 1904. (subscription required)
  12. ^ "The Case of Edmund Eaton". Truth. 19 February 1913. (subscription required)