Irwin Cox

(Irwin) Edward Bainbridge Cox, JP, DL, who used the pen-name I.E.B.C. (9 July, 1838 – 27 August, 1922) was a British Barrister, magazine proprietor and politician. He served as a Unionist Member of Parliament for Harrow at the beginning of the Twentieth Century.

Early career

Cox was born in Taunton, Somerset, the son of E.W. Cox who was a Serjeant-at-law and served as Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1868 to 1869. He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge where he read law; afterwards he studied for the Bar, and was called by the Middle Temple in 1864.

Family connections

Initially, Cox assisted his father who ran the "Law Times" newspaper, and later took over the management of his father's properties (he was Lord of the Manor of Taunton, and owned about 2,000 acres). His father died in 1879 and he took over permanently, moving to the home he inherited at Moat Mount, Mill Hill, Middlesex. His wife, whom he married in 1865, was the daughter of the Vicar of Mill Hill.

Recreations

Cox had many recreations, including angling (he owned a first edition of Izaak Walton's "The Compleat Angler") and shooting; at Moat Mount, he began to conserve game for shooting. Among those who visited to enjoy the sport was Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Developing the family newspaper business, Cox also became proprietor of "The Field", and also edited the annual Angler's Diary under the initials "I.E.B.C.".

Politics

When it was established in 1889, Cox was elected to Middlesex County Council as a Conservative, and became an Alderman in 1901. He enjoyed local government and was High Sheriff of the County for the year 1898 to 1899, also becoming a Deputy Lieutenant. Meanwhile he was Chairman of the Petty Sessional Division of Gore from 1894. When the sitting Member of Parliament for Harrow, William Ambrose, was appointed a Judge, Cox was unanimously selected to follow him. Although standing as a Conservative, Cox pledged to vote against the Conservative government's Street Traffic Bill which regulated bus transport. Cox won the election despite an energetic challenge from the Liberal candidate.

Parliament

Cox was a self-described "strong supporter of Mr. Balfour's government", and he also went along with Joseph Chamberlain's campaign for tariff reform. However, Cox did not entirely enjoy Parliamentary life; although re-elected at the 1900 general election, no speech by him in the House of Commons is recorded. He announced in 1904 his decision to stand down before the next election and his name rarely appears in Division Lists after then.

He went back to writing books on angling and shooting, and also hosted fox hunting. Cox died in 1922 at the age of 84.

References

*Obituary, "The Times", 30 August, 1922
*"Who was Who", A & C Black
*M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs" Vol. II (Harvester Press, 1978)