Algernon West

Algernon Edward West
Born	4 April 1832 5 New Street, London
Died	21 March 1921 Manchester Square, London
Education	Eton, Christ Church, Oxford
Known for	Private Secretary to William Gladstone, 1861–1894
Spouse(s)	Mary Elizabeth Caroline West (1833–1894)
Children	Horace Charles George West (b. 1859) Reginald Jervoise West (1861–1921) Constance Mary West (b. 1862)[1] Gilbert Richard West (1863–1892) Augustus William West (b. 1866)
Parent(s)	Martin John West (d. 1870) and Maria Walpole (d. 1870)

The Rt Hon Sir Algernon Edward West GCB (4 April 1832 – 21 March 1921)^[2] was Principal Private Secretary to Prime Minister Gladstone.

Biography

He was the son of Martin John West and Lady Maria Walpole, daughter of the second Earl of Orford. His father was a cousin to William Pitt, through alliance with the Temple family, and his mother was a great-granddaughter of Sir Robert Walpole, the prime minister.^[3] He married Mary Elizabeth Caroline Barrington, daughter of Hon. George Barrington and Lady Caroline Grey (daughter of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, also a prime minister), on 12 August 1858.^[4]

He was Private Secretary to Gladstone between 1861 and 1894. He was a Progressive Party Alderman of London County Council from 1898 to 1907. He held the office of Justice of the Peace (JP) for Middlesex. He held the office of Chairman of the Board of the Inland Revenue. He was invested as a Knight Commander, Order of the Bath (KCB) on 30 July 1886. He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (PC). He was invested as a Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath (GCB) on 26 June 1902.^[5][6]

From 1880, he lived at the manor at Wanborough, Surrey. West entertained many political figures at the manor including Gladstone, Queen Victoria and Bismarck.

West was also a director of the South Eastern Railway and he caused a new station, named Wanborough but actually at Normandy, to be opened in 1891. In 1900, Wanborough Manor was passed on to H. H. Asquith until he became Prime Minister. In 1908, West returned to stay in the manor until his death in 1921.

West's grave at St Bartholomew's Church, Wanborough, Surrey

References

1. Lundy, Darryl. "p. 5181 § 51807". The Peerage.
2. Oxford biography
3. The Times, London, 22 March 1921
4. Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 990. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
5. Lundy, Darryl. "p5181.htm". The Peerage.
6. Announcements, The Times, London, UK, 22 March 1921