Sir Charles Clifford, 1st Baronet

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Sir Charles Clifford

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Sir Charles Clifford, ca 1860.jpg

| caption = {{circa|1860}}

| order = 1st Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives

| primeminister = Henry Sewell

| term_start = 26 May 1854

| term_end = 5 November 1860

| predecessor = Office Established

| successor = David Monro

| constituency_MP2 = City of Wellington

| parliament2 = New Zealand

| term_start2 = 14 July 1853

| term_end2 = 12 December 1860

| successor2 = William Taylor
Isaac Featherson
William Rhodes

| alongside2 = Robert Hart (1853–1855)
James Kelham (1853–1855)
Isaac Featherston (1855–1860)
Sir William Fitzherbert (1855–1858)
William Rhodes (1858 – 1860)

| party = Independent

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1813|01|01|df=y}}

| birth_place = Scotforth, Lancashire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1893|02|27|1813|01|01|df=y}}

| death_place = London, England

| children = Sir George Clifford, 2nd Baronet

| relations = Aroha Clifford (granddaughter)

}}

Sir Charles Clifford, 1st Baronet (1 January 1813 – 27 February 1893) was a New Zealand politician. He was the first Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, serving from 1854 to 1860.

Early life and family

Clifford was born in Mount Vernon, Scotforth, Lancashire, England, eldest of nine children of George Lambert Clifford (1779–1854), of Wycliffe Hall, Yorkshire ("an elegant mansion with a Catholic Chapel, and beautiful leisure grounds")History, gazetteer, and directory of the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire, William White, 1840, p. 663 and of Tixall, Staffordshire, and Mary (died 1854), daughter of Walter Hill Coyney, of Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. The family was wealthy and well-connected; George Lambert Clifford- reckoned "stately, yet kindly and gentlemanly"-Stonyhurst College, Its Past and Present: An Account of its History, Architecture, Treasures, Curiosities, &c, A. Hewitson, 1870, p. 48 was paternal grandson of Hugh Clifford, 3rd Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, and maternal grandson of James Aston, 5th Lord Aston of Forfar.Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 1, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, pp. 820–1

After attending Stonyhurst College (as his father had, being recognised as the very first pupil to enter, commemorated by a bust in his honour at the school)Hewitson, Stonyhurst College, Present and Past, (Preston, 1888), pp. 32–33Centenary Record- Stonyhurst College: Its life beyond the seas, 1592–1794, and on English soil, 1794–1894, Rev. John Gerard, 1894, pp. 88–89 Clifford set out for New Zealand with his cousin William Vavasour, leaving in 1842. Arriving in the New Zealand Company settlement of Wellington, the two established a land, shipping and commissions agency with finance from their parents. They later expanded their holdings, establishing a considerable number of farming ventures. Clifford also worked in partnership with Frederick Weld, another cousin.

At the same time, he was active in the Wellington militia, attaining the rank of captain. He was in charge of Clifford's Stockade in Johnsonville north of Wellington in the mid-1840s. He became a justice of the peace in 1844"List of Magistrates" (8 June 1844) 16 The New Zealand Gazette 96. and a magistrate in 1846."List of Magistrates" (12 October 1846) 16 The New Zealand Gazette 79.{{DNZB|Laing|H. A.|1c20|Charles Clifford|28 October 2020}}

In Wellington on 13 January 1847, Clifford married Mary Anne Hercy, thirdThe Patrician, vol. IV, ed. John Burke, E. Churton, 1847, p. 87 daughter of John Hercy, JP, DL of Cruchfield House, Hawthorn Hill, Berkshire.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WI18470116.2.12 |title=Married |date=16 January 1847 |work=Wellington Independent |volume=2 |issue=132 |page=3 |via=PapersPast}} The couple went on to have five children.

New Zealand politician

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1853}}

|end = 1855

|term = 1st

|electorate = City of Wellington

|party = Independent politician

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1855}}

|end = 1860

|term = 2nd

|electorate = City of Wellington

|party = Independent politician

}}

At the 1853 New Zealand provincial elections, Clifford was elected to the Wellington Provincial Council, representing the City of Wellington.

On 26 May 1854 when the 1st New Zealand Parliament convened, Clifford was unanimously elected Speaker"Untitled" (31 May 1854) 14 The New Zealand Gazette 63. (having previously been Speaker for the Wellington Provincial Council). He remains the youngest ever Speaker, having been appointed at the age of forty-one. He was Member of the New Zealand Parliament for the City of Wellington from {{NZ election link year|1853}} until his retirement as its speaker in 1860.{{cite book |last= Scholefield |first= Guy |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 |author-link=Guy Scholefield |edition=3rd |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1950 |publisher=Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |page=100}}

The most challenging event to arise during Clifford's speakership was the prorogation of Parliament by Robert Wynyard, the acting Governor. Wynyard, objecting to Parliament's denial that it required royal assent to establish New Zealand's self-rule, ordered Parliament to be suspended. Parliament chose to suspend its own standing orders, allowing it to leave Wynyard's instructions officially "unopened" while it continued to debate. The possibility of suspending standing orders was challenged by Wynyard's supporters, but Clifford eventually decided to allow it. Clifford also allowed the proposal and passage of a motion condemning Wynyard's attempt prorogation.

Retirement and later life

Clifford retired from Parliament in 1860, deciding to return to England. He did, however, retain a considerable interest in New Zealand's affairs, and advised British authorities on a number of matters. In 1866, he presented the New Zealand Parliament with a ceremonial mace similar to the one used in the British House of Commons. He also retained considerable business interests in New Zealand. Clifford died in London on 27 February 1893.

Honours

In 1854 on appointment as Speaker of the New Zealand House Representatives Clifford was granted the title of The Honourable."Untitled" (11 July 1854) 16 The New Zealand Gazette 72. and became The Hon. Charles Clifford Esq. In 1858 Clifford was appointed as a Knight of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland{{London Gazette |issue=22204 |date=26 November 1858 |page=5073 }} and became The Hon. Sir Charles Clifford. On 16 July 1887 Clifford was created a baronet, of Flaxbourne, New Zealand,{{London Gazette|issue=25723|date=22 July 1887|page=4001}} and became The Hon. Sir Charles Clifford Bt., the Clifford-baronetcy became extinct in 2025.https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/nz/obituaries/the-press-nz/name/sir-clifford-obituary?id=58035431