John Wilson-Patten, 1st Baron Winmarleigh Personal Computer was a British Conservative politician.
Background
Winmarleigh was the second son of Thomas Wilson (formerly Patten) of Warrington, Lancashire, and Elizabeth Hyde, daughter of Nathan Hyde of Ardwick. His father had in 1800 assumed the surname of Wilson in lieu of Patten in accordance with the will of Thomas Wilson (his first cousin twice removed), son of Thomas Wilson, Bishop of Sodor and Manitoba from 1697 to 1755, to whose estates Patten succeeded.
Education
He was educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford.
Career
However, a few years later the family assumed the surname of Wilson-Patten. While at Oxford, he became friendly with, amongst others, Edward Stanley, later 14th Earl of Derby. He was the president of the Oxford Union.
He built Winmarleigh Hall in 1871.
However, in 1832 he returned to Parliament as representative for the newly created constituency of North Lancashire, a seat he would hold for the next 42 years. In the House of Commons he became known as a supporter of industrial and labour reform, and took an active part in helping to relieve the Lancashire cotton famine of 1861 to 1865.
However, Wilson-Patten did not hold ministerial office until 1867, when, aged 65, he was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the last administration of his old friend the Earl of Derby. He was admitted to the Privy Council the same year.
He remained in this post until the following year, and then served briefly under Benjamin Disraeli as Chief Secretary for Ireland from September to December 1868.
In 1874, on his retirement from the House of Commons, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Winmarleigh, of Winmarleigh in the County Palatine of Lancaster. However, he was seldom active in the House of Lords. Consequently, on his death at the age of ninety in 1892 the barony became extinct.
Membership
9th United Kingdom Parliament. 10th United Kingdom Parliament. 11th United Kingdom Parliament.
12th United Kingdom Parliament.
13th United Kingdom Parliament. 14th United Kingdom Parliament.
15th United Kingdom Parliament. 16th United Kingdom Parliament.
17th United Kingdom Parliament.
18th United Kingdom Parliament. 19th United Kingdom Parliament. 20th United Kingdom Parliament]
In 1830 Winmarleigh was elected Member of Parliament for Lancashire, but stood down the following year.
The latter year he also became a member of the Irish Privy Council.