The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-11-24 00:00:00

DEATH OF LORD OVERSTONE.

Lord Overatone died at his residence in London,
No. 2, Carlton-gardens, on Saturday afternoon, in his
eighty eighth year. The Right Hon. Samuel Jones
Loyd, First Baron Overstone, was the only son of Mr.
Lewis Loyd, banker, of 0 verstone Park, Northampton-
shire, and Sarah, daughter of Mr. John Jones, of
Manchester, also a banker. His lordship was born at
the bank premises in Lothbury, on September 25,
1796, and was educated at Eton, as well as privately
erder Bishop Blomtield. From Eton he proceeded
to Trinity College. Cambridge, where he gradn.
ated M.A. in 1817. He was elected for Hythe
in 1819, and sat for that town till 1826. He
afterwards, in 1882, contested Manchester, but
ursucceesfully. From that, date his lordship dis•
played the most indefatigable energy in endeavouring
to place th financial condition of the country on a
more shtiefactory basis. Sir Robert Peel, no doubt
acting upon his advice, introduced the Bank Charter
Act, by which the Bank of England was made the hank
of issue, and the payment of notes in gold was guaran-
tted by securities and bullion. For his services to
political economy the degree of D.C.L. was conferred
on hint by Oxford Ueiversity, Shortly after he was
rai.ed to the peerage, in 18.5 a, his lordship gave up the
business of barking, with which be had been connected
.ince he left the university, and the firm of Jones,
Loyd, and Co. was some years afterwards merged
into the London and WeAminster Bank. Although
Lord Overetone only sat in the House of Commons
for seven yearn, he was frequently called before par-
liamentary committees, and was in constant connnuni-
cation with the Government at various periods of his
career. He was one of the Conamissioners appointed
in 1837 to inquire into the condition of the handloom
weavers, and in the report which Wal issued he main-
tained that one method of benefiting their condition
would be the whole or r artisl repeal of the Corn Laws.
He also took great interest in the reform of the Poor
Laws, and was the chairman of the Irish Famine
Commission of 1847. He was also for some time a
trustee of the National Gallery, and was examined
before the parliamentary committee on that institu-
tion in 1.853. He was extremely fond of art, and
formed a tine collecii )n of pictures. He took a leading
part in the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of
1851, and in 1858 we. 9 appointed one of the Commis.
sinners for considering how far it might be practic•
&tale and advisable to introduce the decimal coinage.
In 1860 he was a member of the Volunteer Commis•
sion, and also a member of the Select Committe of the
House of Lords on the Elective Franchise. In 1-62
he was appointed one of the Commissioners to inquire
into the working of the Patent Laws, but from that
date his lordship ceased to take any very active part in
politics. He was a great supporter of the Church, and,
as showing his liberality, it may be mentioned that he
had subscribed over £12,000 to the Bishop of London's
Fund. He married in 1829 Harriet, the daughter of
Mr. Ichabod Wright, of Mapperley Hall, Notting-
ham; she died in 1864. He leaves is-ne an only
daughter, Harriet Sarah, married in 1853 to Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Sir Robert Loyd-Lindsay, V.C.
K.C.8,, and M. V. for Berkshire.