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Eugene Wason
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Eugene Wason
Eugene Wason (26 January 1846 – 19 April 1927) was a Scottish lawyer and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons in three periods between 1885 and 1918.
Eugene Wason came from a Liberal family. His father, brother and son-in-law, were all Liberal Members of Parliament. His father was Rigby Wason sometime MP for Ipswich, his brother was Cathcart Wason the MP for Orkney and Shetland from 1900 to 1921 (and previously an MP in New Zealand 1876–79), first elected as a Liberal Unionist but later switching to the Liberals and his daughter Minna married John William Crombie who was MP for Kincardineshire from 1892 to 1908. In 1870, Wason married Eleanor Mary from Dolgelly, the daughter of C. R. Williams, Deputy Lieutenant of Merionethshire. They had three sons and two daughters.
Wason, like his brother Cathcart, was well over 6 feet tall. He was described by one of the contemporary Speakers of the House of Commons as 'the largest and tallest man in the House.' Sir Percy Harris who was Liberal MP for Bethnal Green South West and whose father was a close friend of Wason's has recorded that Eugene and Cathcart were giants, Eugene being thick set and heavy while Cathcart was willowy and thin. Harris related that the story always told about Eugene was that if he stepped on a weighing machine the hands would go on until they could no farther as he topped the maximum 20 stone mark on the dial. Not surprisingly, according to Harris, Eugene was fond of his food and wine,) although he was also a keen sportsman listing his recreations in Who's Who in his younger days as football, shooting, rowing, and fishing although in later life these pursuits turned into reading, bridge, backgammon, and the card game picquet.
Wason was educated first privately in France at Boulogne-sur-Mer, then at Rock Ferry in Cheshire before going to Rugby School. While at Rugby, Wason served in the School Rifle Corps, achieving the rank of Lieutenant. He later became a member of the 8th Ayrshire Rifle Volunteers. After Rugby, Wason went to Wadham College, Oxford where he gained a BA degree in 1868 and an MA in 1870. While he was a student at Oxford, Wason rowed in Trial Eights in 1865 and 1866 and was Captain of Wadham College Boat Club. He was also winner of the University foils for 1868.
Wason's chosen professions were the law and politics. He was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple in 1870 and practised on the Northern Circuit. Whether he did not at first take to being a barrister or perhaps just to gain greater legal experience, in 1872 Wason was disbarred as a barrister at his own request in order to become a solicitor. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1876, becoming a partner in Williams, James & Wason until 1885. Again at his own request, Wason was struck off the Rolls in 1886, ceasing to be a solicitor, in order to gain readmission as a member of the Bar the following week. This was deemed a unique experience, Wason having been both disbarred and struck off the Rolls, but each time at his own request. From 1878 to 1882, Wason served as Assistant Examiner to the Incorporated Law Society in Common Law.
Wason was first elected to Parliament at the 1885 general election for the constituency of Ayrshire South. This was his local seat as his home was at Blair, Dailly, a village in the county. He held the seat only until the 1886 election when he lost to a Liberal Unionist but regained it at the 1892 general election and then served as its MP until 1895 when he again forfeited the seat to a Liberal Unionist, Sir William Arrol.
Wason returned to Parliament in December 1899. The sitting Liberal MP for Clackmannan and Kinross, J B Balfour became a judge and resigned his seat. Wason was selected as Liberal candidate and fighting the by-election against the background of the war in South Africa he managed to hold the seat, beating his Conservative opponent George Younger albeit by a marginally reduced majority of 516 – down from 545 at the previous general election.
After his by-election victory, Wason retained his Clackmannan and Kinross seat at the 1900 general election in a straight fight with the Conservatives by a majority of 351. In the Liberal landslide election of 1906 he increased his majority over the Conservatives to 1,379 and in January 1910 he maintained his advantage by a majority of 1,268. In December 1910 he was returned unopposed. By 1918 Wason was 72 years old and decided to retire from Parliament at the next election. He therefore stood down from Parliament at the 1918 election.
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Eugene Wason
Eugene Wason (26 January 1846 – 19 April 1927) was a Scottish lawyer and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons in three periods between 1885 and 1918.
Eugene Wason came from a Liberal family. His father, brother and son-in-law, were all Liberal Members of Parliament. His father was Rigby Wason sometime MP for Ipswich, his brother was Cathcart Wason the MP for Orkney and Shetland from 1900 to 1921 (and previously an MP in New Zealand 1876–79), first elected as a Liberal Unionist but later switching to the Liberals and his daughter Minna married John William Crombie who was MP for Kincardineshire from 1892 to 1908. In 1870, Wason married Eleanor Mary from Dolgelly, the daughter of C. R. Williams, Deputy Lieutenant of Merionethshire. They had three sons and two daughters.
Wason, like his brother Cathcart, was well over 6 feet tall. He was described by one of the contemporary Speakers of the House of Commons as 'the largest and tallest man in the House.' Sir Percy Harris who was Liberal MP for Bethnal Green South West and whose father was a close friend of Wason's has recorded that Eugene and Cathcart were giants, Eugene being thick set and heavy while Cathcart was willowy and thin. Harris related that the story always told about Eugene was that if he stepped on a weighing machine the hands would go on until they could no farther as he topped the maximum 20 stone mark on the dial. Not surprisingly, according to Harris, Eugene was fond of his food and wine,) although he was also a keen sportsman listing his recreations in Who's Who in his younger days as football, shooting, rowing, and fishing although in later life these pursuits turned into reading, bridge, backgammon, and the card game picquet.
Wason was educated first privately in France at Boulogne-sur-Mer, then at Rock Ferry in Cheshire before going to Rugby School. While at Rugby, Wason served in the School Rifle Corps, achieving the rank of Lieutenant. He later became a member of the 8th Ayrshire Rifle Volunteers. After Rugby, Wason went to Wadham College, Oxford where he gained a BA degree in 1868 and an MA in 1870. While he was a student at Oxford, Wason rowed in Trial Eights in 1865 and 1866 and was Captain of Wadham College Boat Club. He was also winner of the University foils for 1868.
Wason's chosen professions were the law and politics. He was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple in 1870 and practised on the Northern Circuit. Whether he did not at first take to being a barrister or perhaps just to gain greater legal experience, in 1872 Wason was disbarred as a barrister at his own request in order to become a solicitor. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1876, becoming a partner in Williams, James & Wason until 1885. Again at his own request, Wason was struck off the Rolls in 1886, ceasing to be a solicitor, in order to gain readmission as a member of the Bar the following week. This was deemed a unique experience, Wason having been both disbarred and struck off the Rolls, but each time at his own request. From 1878 to 1882, Wason served as Assistant Examiner to the Incorporated Law Society in Common Law.
Wason was first elected to Parliament at the 1885 general election for the constituency of Ayrshire South. This was his local seat as his home was at Blair, Dailly, a village in the county. He held the seat only until the 1886 election when he lost to a Liberal Unionist but regained it at the 1892 general election and then served as its MP until 1895 when he again forfeited the seat to a Liberal Unionist, Sir William Arrol.
Wason returned to Parliament in December 1899. The sitting Liberal MP for Clackmannan and Kinross, J B Balfour became a judge and resigned his seat. Wason was selected as Liberal candidate and fighting the by-election against the background of the war in South Africa he managed to hold the seat, beating his Conservative opponent George Younger albeit by a marginally reduced majority of 516 – down from 545 at the previous general election.
After his by-election victory, Wason retained his Clackmannan and Kinross seat at the 1900 general election in a straight fight with the Conservatives by a majority of 351. In the Liberal landslide election of 1906 he increased his majority over the Conservatives to 1,379 and in January 1910 he maintained his advantage by a majority of 1,268. In December 1910 he was returned unopposed. By 1918 Wason was 72 years old and decided to retire from Parliament at the next election. He therefore stood down from Parliament at the 1918 election.
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