Henry Cecil Raikes

Henry Cecil Raikes (November 18, 1838 – August 24, 1891) was a British Conservative Party politician.

He was the son of Vicar Henry Raikes (1782-1854), Chancellor of the diocese of Chester and the grandson of Thomas Raikes, merchant and banker in London, who was Governor of the Bank of England (1797-1799) and a personal friend of prime minister William Pitt the Younger.

He married Charlotte Blanche Trevor-Roper of Plas Teg, Mold, daughter of Charles Blayney Trevor-Roper on 26 September 1861. He was the father of Vice-Admiral Cecil Dacre Staveley Raikes (1874-1947).Rt. Hon Henry Cecil Raikes lived in Llwynegrin Hall, Wales.He died on 24 August 1891.

He was successively Member of Parliament (MP) for Chester (1868–1880), Preston (1882) and Cambridge University (1882–1891), Chairman of Committees and Deputy Speaker of the British House of Commons 1874–1877 and Postmaster General 1886–1891.

He is one of the earliest British politicians to have had their voice recorded. George Edward Gouraud recorded him on behalf of Thomas Edison on the evening of October 5, 1888. [http://cylindersontheweb.angelcities.com/rare_recordings.htm] .

External references

* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp03696 Portraits of Henry Cecil Raikes]
* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp54032 Portraits of Mrs Katherine Raikes, daughter in law of Henry Cecil Raikes, Wife of Vice-Admiral Cecil Dacre Staveley Raikes]
* [http://cylindersontheweb.angelcities.com/rare_recordings.htm Recording of Henry Cecil Raikes made by George Edward Gouraud on behalf of Thomas Edison on October 5, 1888] .