Frederick Pennington

Frederick Pennington (7 March 1819 – 11 May 1914) was an English merchant and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1885.

Pennington was the son of John Pennington, cotton spinner and merchant of Hindley, Lancashire and his wife Elizabeth Hargreaves, daughter of John Hargreaves of Westhoughton. He was educated at Dr Formby's school at Southport and in Paris from 1830 to 1832. After many years as an East India merchant, he retired from business in 1865. He was a J.P. for Surrey.

Pennington was a member of the council of the Anti-Corn Law League which he supported generously. He was an advanced Liberal and part of the radical Liberal group. He stood for parliament unsuccessfully at West Surrey in 1868. At the 1874 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for . He held the seat until 1885.

Pennington lived at Broome Hall, Holmwood in the Surrey Hills where the weekend gatherings included many eminent guests from the worlds of politics, art and literature. He died at the age of 94.

Pennington married Margaret Landell Sharpe, daughter of Rev. John Sharpe Vicar of Doncaster, in 1854. She was heavily involved in the women's movement and a campaigner for emancipation and suffrage. One of Pennington's sisters married Thomas Thomasson.

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