George Salis-Schwabe


George Salis-Schwabe was a British army officer, calico printer and Liberal politician.

Life

Salis-Schwabe was the son of Salis Schwabe of Crumpsall House, Manchester and Glyn Garth, Anglesey, formerly of Rhodes House, Middleton, a successful cotton printer of Westphalian Jewish origin who had settled in England in 1817 and converted to the Unitarian church, and his wife, noted educationalist Julie Schwabe. His parents had a wide circle of notable friends. He was educated at University College School, London and London University. He joined the army and became Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the 16th Lancers. He was Brigade Major of Cavalry at the Curragh and at Aldershot from 1873 to 1877. He served in the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 when he was mentioned in despatches and awarded Medal with Clasp. He was a partner in firm of Salis Schwabe & Co, Calico Printers, of Rhodes and Manchester.
At the 1885 general election Salis-Schwabe was elected as the Member of Parliament for the new Middleton division of Lancashire. When the Liberals split over Home Rule for Ireland, he joined the breakaway Liberal Unionist Party, and did not stand again at the 1886 election.
George Salis Schwabe was Lieutenant Governor of the Chelsea Royal Hospital from 1898 to 1903. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1902 Coronation Honours list published on 26 June 1902, and received the decoration from King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on 24 October 1902.
He died on 13 July 1907, at the age of 63.

Family

Salis-Schwabe married in 1870 Mary Jaqueline James, daughter of Sir William Milbourne James, Lord Justice of Appeal. They had five children:
Maurice Salis Schwabe, Sir Walter George Salis Schwabe, K.C., sometime Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Edgar William Salis Schwabe, Gladys Mary Salis Schwabe and Rhoda Jaqueline Salis Schwabe. Gladys married British businessman Paul Crompton and died with him and their six children in the 7 May 1915 sinking of the RMS Lusitania.