On This Day

May 30, 1907

Death of Edward Frederick ‘Freddy’ Leveson-Gower, barrister and Liberal MP

Descended from an aristocratic line with connections to the Cavendish family, Freddy entered the House of Commons as MP for Derby with the support of his uncle the 6th Duke of Devonshire. His election was overturned on petition but after a spell in the Foreign Office he found a seat at Stoke on Trent with the aid of his cousin, the Duke of Sunderland. When he lost that in 1857 he transferred to Bodmin, a constituency he represented from 1859 until his retirement in 1885. In later life, he developed a great personal friendship with Mr and Mrs Gladstone.