The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-30 00:00:00

Death of Mr. Cubitt, MP.

The announcement of the unexpected death of
Mr. William Cubitt, DT.P, for Andover, will be
roceived with general regret by the public. Mr.
Cubitt was the Lord Mayor of London for two suc-
cessive years, and there has rarely been a Lord
mayor who has been so generally esteemed when
occupying that cffice, his re-election in 1861—a
most unusual occurrence—being in itself a sufficient
proof of his popularity.
Mr. Cubitt was the second sen of Mr. Jonathan
Cubitt, of Buxton, in Norfolk, where he was born
in 1791. His eider brother, Mr. Thomas Cubitt,
was the celebrated builder of an extensive area of
squares and streets in Pimlico. He acquired a vast
end purchased the magnificent estate of
near Dorking, from the executors of Mr.
if
)13 tnubni
ees,
W.
J. Denison, member for West Surrey ; and to
the representation of West Surrey his eldest son,
Mr. George Cubitt, succeeded in Match, 1860.
Mr. William Cubitt was fora short time in the
navy, and after a time returned home and was
placed under his brother, who was much older than
himself, and had by that time obtained a good po-
sition as a builder. For many years after that the
brothers Cubitt carried on the business of builders
and contractors on the highest scale. The reputa-
tion of the firm is its vast engagements, its great
wealth, and its well-known liberal treatment of
the workmen attached to it. Mr. Cubitt has for
some years retired from the firm, but when he was
elected Lord Mayor in 1860 in no place were the
general as in the " old familiar place"
On the 24th of June, 1846, Mr. William Cubitt,
citizen and fishmonger, was elected sheriff of London
his colleague being
irnejoGierianyg'ss- isroi n -road .
and spectacle-maker."
(July 28-9) Mr. Cubitt
,a,nl\di
r. jointc h asheriffrlCharles
H Hill,
Midcit
idzleens e x,
Conservative colleague,
oAubs ot
eudt ai
nconi monthp
aantyl e rwwi
tahr das
Mr. H. B, Coles, two Liberals from the repre-
sentation of Andover, The votes were—for
Coles, 134 ; for Cubitt, 121 ; for Fellowes (Whig),
107 ; for Smith (Whig), 61. Mr. Cubitt, as own-
ing some property near Andover (Penton Lodge),
has been successively returned for the borough, lat-
terlyF
o r t e
se withuc. a
InLiberal
July,
ly colleague, the Hon. Dudley
I\h, Alderman Cubitt,
being then Lord Mayor, was a candidate for the
City of London—for the seat vacated by Lord John
Russell, who had accepted an earldom. As Lord
Mayor Mr. Cubitt was undoubtedly most popular,
and from his popularity the Conservative perty cal-
culated that he would be easily returned. As may
be remembered,therewas a great demonstration both
for and against the Lord Mayor, who simply stated
that he was in favour of free trade, and that he had
voted for the admission of Jews to Parliament. It
is well known that the election went against Mr.
Cubitt by a majority of 472, the votes being—for
Mr. Western Wood, 5,460 ; for Mr. Cubitt, 5,168.
In Parliament Mr. Cubitt was a Conservative.
For five years, however, he voted for the abolition
of church rates, because "he thought that a rate
imposed on Dissenters who could not share in the
ministrations of the Church was a grievance from
which Dissenters ought to be relieved." He has
latterly voted against the abolition of church rates,
for he felt, as he said in 1861, on the City hustings,
" that there was a chance of compromise." By all
parties in the house Mr. Cubitt was universally re-
spected, and his unopposed return for his favourite
borough of Andover, on the death of Mr. H. B.
Coles, was heard of with much pleasure.
In 1860 Mr. Cubitt was elected Lord
Carter, The
London, in succession to Alderman
Cubitt
Recorder told the Chief Baron truly that Alarnintelli.
Mayor, of
had "conducted his business with
sinegounsideracion
gence and success, and by his
At the banquet
ployed their affection and esteem.'cCubitt
as a
Hemp
and kindness, had won from thegtehaotus.ands he
banquet
ployed
Palmerston eulogised Mr. i
him for his " character and capaciy.
shire neighbour," and Mr. Gladstoneu.t warmly praised
For his ability and liberality during his
Ills
re-election
was eon-
Lord Mayor for 1861.62.
mayoralty of 1860-61, Mr. Cubitt was proposed as
tested,but was carried by 1,488 votes against Sir H.
11lug
noe
tri dg
rei'os
u 5s iy-lB' Sir Peter Laurie (who of course
was intended for the office, but was
gb
e
joined as senior alderman with Lord Mayor Cubitt)
polling 1,080 votes.
The two years of Mr. Cubitra tnayorLlty are
noteworthy for his liberality in general, and for the
splendid hospitality he showed to the foreign ex-
hibitors and the members of the royal commissions
who visited this country in 1862. He opened the
subscriptions for the sufferers by the Hartley colliery
explosion and for the Lancashire operatives. He
was one of the leading members of the committee
for the national memorial to the Prince Consort, and

The constituency of Andover consists of the cor-
poration, the freemen, and the £lO householders.
The population is 5,430, and the registered electors
amount to 240.