William Brampton Gurdon


Sir William Brampton Gurdon was a British civil servant who became a Liberal Party politician.

Early life

Gurdon was the youngest son of Brampton Gurdon of Letton, Norfolk and his wife Henrietta Susanna, daughter of the 1st Baron Colborne. He was educated at Eton and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1863 with a BA degree.

Career

Gurdon entered the Treasury as a clerk in 1863, and became private secretary to William Ewart Gladstone when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1865 to 1866 and when Prime Minister from 1868 to 1874.

Parliament

At the 1885 general election Gurdon stood unsuccessfully in South West Norfolk. He was unsuccessful again at Rotherhithe in 1886 and in Colchester at a by-election in 1888.
He finally entered Parliament on his fourth attempt, when he was elected at a by-election in March 1899 as the Member of Parliament for North Norfolk. He held the seat for 11 years, until he stood down at the January 1910 general election.
He was also a Justice of the Peace for Suffolk, and a member of East Suffolk County Council. He was sworn as a Privy Counsellor in July 1907, and became Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk in October 1907.

Personal life

In 1888 he married Lady Eveline Camilla Wallop, daughter of the 5th Earl of Portsmouth. She died in 1894. There is a memorial to them both in the church of St Edmund in Assington, Suffolk.