The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-16 00:00:00

A WARWICKSHIRE WORTHY.

'

We regret to announce the death of the Right
Hon. C. N. Newdegate, which occurred on Sunday at
Arbizry Hall, his Warwickshire seat, near Nuneaton.
The deceased, Charles Newdigate Newdegate, the re-
present ative of a very old family, was born on the 14th
of July, 1816. He was the only son of Mr. Charles
Newdigate Parker, who adopted the surname and
arms of Newdegate, and to whom Sir Roger New-
digate left the immediate succession to some of
his estates. To Mr. Francis Newdigate was
left a life interest in the Warwickshire estates,
which came into the possession of the gentleman
now deceased on the death of his uncle in 1835.
His father had died about two years previously.
Mr. Newdegate was educated at Eton and King's
College, London. He subsequently went to Christ
Church, Oxford, where he graduated. Ho was first
returned unopposed for North Warwickshire, at a
bye-election in 1843, and sat for that constituency
until early in 1885, when owing to ill-health he was
cogyelled to retire. At every Dissolution of Par-
liament after his first return until 1880 he was
compelled to face an opposition which was generally
severe, but he was always returned at the head of
the poll. For many years his colleague was the
well-known Richard Spooner, and in modern times
he sat with Mr. Bromley Davenport. Soon arter
his retirement from Parliament he was sworn a
member of her Majesty's Privy Council. The esteem
in which he was held by his constituents was mani-
fested on the Bth of December last, when, at a meeting
at Coventry, they pretented him with an illumi-
nated address and a cheque for £547. Lord Leigh,
Lord-Lieutenant of the county, presided at the
meeting at which the presentation took place, sup-
ported by several members of Parliament and local
gentry. His lordship said the testimonial was not a
party one, but was subscribed to by the whole con-
stituency out of admiration for the straightforward
manner in which Mr. Newdegate always conducted
himself as their representative. In his reply Mr.
Newdegate referred to his opposition to the admission
of Atheists to the House of Commons, and observed
that people said his principles were old-fashioned,
but they were the principles of the English Consti-
tution and of the English common law, which were
eerived from the Bible. He, of course, alluded to
the determined stand which he took against the ad-
mission of Mr. Bradlaugh to the House without duly
taking the oath, like other members. Mr. Newdegate
strongly opposed this admission on principle, and the
contest was long and stoutly fought.
By the death of Mr. Newdegate Warwickshire has
lost one of her kindest and best men, as was evidenced
by the many manifestation of regret which were every-
where observed as soon as it became known that he
had passed away. He had a wonderfully strong con-
stitution, and this enabled him to gratify to a great
extent his intense desire for work. Be has of late
years suffered greatly from an overworked brain; but
as evidence of his sheer strength of will it may be
mentioned that some time ago, whilst presiding at a
meeting of his parishicners, he was seized with a fit
and fell down unconscious, but on recovering he
insisted on completing the duties so suddenly
interrupted. Again, in 1882, while bunting
with the Atherstone hounds, he was similarly seized
and fell off his horse, but his determination not to be
beaten led him, when he had sufficiently recovered, to
remount and go on hunting as though nothing had
occurred. Mr. Newdegate was a vigorous opponent
of the Romish Church, notwithstanding that his first
tutor was a Roman Catholic, and he has many times
dwelt with pleasure upon the fact that the Pope had
styled him a heretic. The deceased gentleman was
ever popular among his tenants, being a kind and con-
siderate landlord. He was an exceedingly charitable
man, and through his death many homes will be
rendered gloomy. The deceased gentleman, who was a
Deputy-Lieutenant and Jastiqe of the Peace for
Warwickshire. was never married.