Henry Cecil Raikes Personal Computer was a British Conservative Party politician.
Background
Born in Chester, Cheshire, Raikes was the son of Reverend Henry Raikes, Chancellor of the Diocese of Chester, and the grandson of Thomas Raikes, a merchant and banker in London, who was Governor of the Bank of England and a personal friend of prime minister William Pitt the Younger.
Education
He was educated at Shrewsbury School and Trinity College, Cambridge.
Career
He was Chairman of Ways and Means between 1874 and 1880 and served as Postmaster General between 1886 and 1891. He served as Chairman of the National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations from 1869 to 1874. In 1874 he was appointed Chairman of Ways and Means (Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons), a post he held until 1880, when he was sworn of the Privy Council.
Raikes 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 5 October 1888. Raikes married Charlotte Blanche, of Plas Teg, Mold, daughter of Charles Blayney Trevor-Roper, on 26 September 1861.
They had several children, including Cecil Dacre Staveley Raikes (1874–1947), a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy, and Henry Street John Digby Raikes, father of the Conservative politician Sir Victor Raikes. The family lived at Llwynegrin Hall, Wales.
Raikes died on 24 August 1891, aged 52.
Politics
He later returned to party political life when he served as Postmaster General under Lord Salisbury between 1886 and 1891.
Membership
20th United Kingdom Parliament. 21st United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament.
23rd United Kingdom Parliament.
24th United Kingdom Parliament]
Raikes was Member of Parliament for Chester between 1868 and 1880, for Preston in 1882 and for Cambridge University between 1882 and 1891.