Henry Hobhouse (East Somerset MP)

Henry Hobhouse PC (1 March 1854 – 25 June 1937) was an English landowner and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1906.

Hobhouse was the son of Henry Hobhouse, of Hadspen House, Somerset and his wife the Hon. Charlotte Etruria Talbot, daughter of James Talbot, 3rd Baron Talbot of Malahide. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford and was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn. He practised as a parliamentary draughtsman and was a J.P. for Somerset.

In the 1885 general election, Hobhouse was elected MP for East Somerset. He held the seat until 1906. Hobhouse was particularly concerned with education. He was appointed to the Board of Education in 1900 and was behind the establishment of the 1902 Education Act.

Hobhouse was involved in the founding of Sexey's School and Sunny Hill at Bruton. He was also pro-chancellor of Bristol University and an honorary LLD of the University,. He worked hard on behalf of the university and left a collection of books to the library.

Hobhouse was a county figure and knowledgeable about local matters. A member of Somerset County Council, he was responsible for forming the County Councils Association. He was also behind the establishment of the Cider Institute in 1902 and was its chairman.

Hobhouse lived at Hadspen House, Castle Cary, Somerset and died at the age of 83.

He was the father of Stephen Henry Hobhouse, an important British peace activist and prison reformer. Another son, Arthur Lawrence Hobhouse built the system of National parks in England and Wales. His daughter Rachel (1883–1981) married Sir George Felix Neville Clay, 5th Baronet, and had a son Sir Henry Felix Clay, 6th Baronet.

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