Robert Aglionby Slaney


Robert Aglionby Slaney was a British barrister and Whig politician from Shropshire. He sat in the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Shrewsbury for most of the period from 1826 until his death in 1862.

Early life

Slaney was the eldest son of Robert Slaney of Hatton Grange, Shropshire, and his wife, Mary, daughter of Thomas Mason of Shrewsbury. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was called to the bar in 1817 at Lincoln's Inn.

Career

He was first elected at the 1826 general election, and was re-elected at the next three general elections, until his defeat at the 1835 general election by the Conservative Party candidate John Cressett-Pelham. He was re-elected in 1837, but did not stand in 1841, when the seat was won by Benjamin Disraeli. He won the seat again in 1847, but did not stand in 1852. He was High Sheriff of Shropshire in 1854.
Slaney was returned again at the 1857 general election, re-elected in 1859, and held the seat until his death, aged 70.
Among other achievements, Slaney was instrumental in setting up the Select Committee on Public Health of 1840, which paved the way for the later Board of Health; and in fostering the Industrial and Provident Societies Partnership Act 1852, sometimes known as Slaney's Act.
Attending the opening of the London International Exhibition on 1 May 1862, he fell through a gap in a platform floor and injured his right leg, despite which he continued to view the exhibition and attended Parliament up until the 8th. He died, at his London house in Mayfair, from gangrene that set in.

Family

His residence was listed in 1857 as Walford Manor, Shropshire. Slaney had three daughters, amongst whom his estate was shared. The youngest, Frances Catherine, married William Kenyon, who as a condition of Slaney's will took the additional surname of Slaney. The eldest, Elizabeth Frances, married the naturalist Thomas Campbell Eyton, a Deputy Lieutenant of Shropshire.