Philip Pusey (25 June 1799 ? 9 July 1855) was a reforming agriculturalist, a Tory Member of Parliament (MP) and a friend and follower of Sir Robert Peel .

Life [ edit ]

Pusey stood for election in Rye at a by-election in 1830 and was originally declared elected, ^{[1] [2]} but following an election petition he was unseated by an order of the House of Commons ^[1] on 17 May 1830. ^{[ citation needed ]}

He did not contest Rye at the 1830 general election , when he was elected as a Member for Chippenham . ^[3] He did not contest Chippenham at the 1831 election , and stood instead in Rye. After riots in the town hall, Pusey agreed to withdraw from the election in return for a guarantee from General De Lacy Evans to protect the peace of the town; Evans won the seat. ^[1]

Pusey was then returned at an uncontested by-election ^[4] in July 1831 for the borough of Cashel in Ireland, ^[5] and held that seat until the 1832 general election , when he stood unsuccessfully in Berkshire . ^[6] He was elected without a contest ^[6] for Berkshire at the 1835 general election , ^[7] and held the seat until he retired from the House of Commons at the 1852 general election . ^[6]

He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire in January 1831, ^[8] and was nominated as High Sheriff of Berkshire in November 1833 ^[9] and again in November 1834. ^[10]

Succeeding to the Manor of Pusey in Berkshire in 1828, he built a reputation as a progressive and practical farmer. Disraeli called him "one of the most distinguished country gentlemen who ever sat in the House of Commons". ^[11] His most notable contribution to farming was the development of a system of using lush water-meadows to support large flocks of ewes and early-maturing lambs. He was an early advocate of the use of earthenware drainpipes for field drainage. ^[12]

He was one of the founders of the Royal Agricultural Society , and was chairman of the agricultural implement section of the Great Exhibition of 1851. He was a fellow of the Royal Society , a writer on varied topics in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society and the translator of the hymn Lord of our Life and God of our Salvation . ^[13]

Family [ edit ]

The eldest son of Philip Bouverie-Pusey , Pusey was the elder brother of the churchman Edward Bouverie Pusey . He married Lady Emily Herbert, daughter of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon , in 1822.

References [ edit ]

External links [ edit ]

• Hansard 1803?2005: contributions in Parliament by Philip Pusey