William Brodrick, 8th Viscount Midleton


William Brodrick, 8th Viscount Midleton, was a British peer, local landowner and Conservative politician in both Houses of Parliament, entering first the Commons for two years.

Early life

Midleton was born on 6 January 1830. He was the eldest son of first cousins, Harriett Brodrick and Reverend William John Brodrick, 7th Viscount Midleton, the Dean of Exeter and Chaplain to Queen Victoria. His younger brother, the Hon. George Charles Brodrick, was for many years warden of Merton College, Oxford.
His paternal grandparents were the former Mary Woodward and The Right Reverend the Hon. Charles Brodrick, Archbishop of Cashel. His paternal uncle, Charles, was the 6th Viscount Midleton and his aunt, Mary, was the wife of the 2nd Earl of Bandon. His maternal grandparents were George Brodrick, 4th Viscount Midleton and the former Frances Pelham and his maternal uncle, George, was the 5th Viscount Midleton.
He was educated at Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford.

Career

Midleton contested the East Surrey parliamentary seat in 1865 but was unsuccessful. Midleton was returned to Parliament as one of two representatives for Surrey Mid in 1868. He served on two commissions, the Noxious Vapours Commission and the Sale of Exchange of Livings although his blindness limited his ability to do more in public life. Midleton's son later wrote of him:
My father, whose courage and self-denial were conspicuous, suffered from serious defects of sight and hearing, partly due to an accident, but mainly to his father and mother having been first cousins, from which source a disability affected several of my grandfather's family in different ways. The calamity of partial blindness came upon my father early in his married life, and deprived him of a rising practice at the Bar. Although he fought his way with splendid energy into Parliament, his infirmities robbed him of the full scope which his ability and untiring work would have commanded.

Hansard records 161 contributions, with a notable hiatus for the years 1898 to 1901.

Later life

He vacated his seat in the commons in 1905 when he succeeded his father in the viscountcy. For some time he was president of the National Protestant Church Union, and Midleton served as High Steward of Kingston-upon-Thames from 1875 to 1893 and Lord Lieutenant of Surrey between 1896 and 1905.
He made considerable improvements to Peper Harow House.

Personal life

On 25 October 1853 Lord Midleton married the Hon. Augusta Mary Fremantle. She was the third daughter of Thomas Fremantle, 1st Baron Cottesloe and the former Louisa Elizabeth Nugent. They had three sons and five daughters:
Lady Midleton died on 1 June 1903 aged 75 at Peper Harow. Lord Midleton survived her by four years and died on 18 April 1907, aged 77 at Peper Harow. He was succeeded by his eldest son, St John, who was a prominent Conservative politician and was created Earl of Midleton in 1920. His probate was resworn in 1907 at a rounded .