Arthur Wellesley Soames was a British Liberal politician and architect.
Background
Soames was born in Brighton, the son of William Aldwin Soames. He was educated at Brighton College, the public school which his father had founded in 1845, and in 1871 he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge where he obtained his Bachelor in 1877 and Master of Arts in 1881.
Education
Studied at Brighton College. Trinity College Cambridge. Studied and practised as an architect, 1882-1898.
Career
He then set up his own architectural practice between 1882 and 1898. Soames was a Liberal in the Radical tradition. He was Chairman of the East Marylebone Liberal and Radical Association.
He was adopted as the Radical candidate for Ipswich at the 1892 general election and fought the seat, without success, in 1895.
However he got his opportunity to enter Parliament at a by-election in the constituency of South Norfolk held on 12 May 1898. The by-election was occasioned by the resignation on grounds of ill-health of the sitting Liberal Unionist (formerly Liberal) Member of Parliament, Francis Taylor.
Standing as a Radical, Soames gained 4,625 votes. His Unionist opponent, Sancroft Holmes received 3,295 giving a very healthy Liberal majority of 1,330.
Soames decided not to contest his seat again at the 1918 general election, by that time aged 66 years.
Membership
26th United Kingdom Parliament. 27th United Kingdom Parliament. 28th United Kingdom Parliament.
29th United Kingdom Parliament.
30th United Kingdom Parliament.
Interests
Golf, fishing, shooting.
Connections
Spouse 1876, Eveline, daughter of Technology Horsman Coles of Ore, Sussex.