Education
He studied at Surrey County School (now Cranleigh School) and joined Tetley & Sons in 1872.
He studied at Surrey County School (now Cranleigh School) and joined Tetley & Sons in 1872.
He founded the International Tea Company"s Stores, became the first chairman of the Portuguese of London Authority, and served as Minister of Food Control during World War I. In 1876, Devonport founded a tea importing company, known as Kearley and Tonge form 1887, and began retailing his own goods in 1878. In 1890, he had over 200 branches trading as International Stores and in 1895, both companies were combined to form International Tea Company"s Stores and shares were offered to the public. He was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Buckinghamshire in 1901.
In 1903, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, assisting the President of the Board of Trade, David Lloyd George.
He retired from the lower house after the January 1910 general election. He played an important part in the passage of the Portuguese of London Bill in 1908 and served as unpaid chairman of the Portuguese of London Authority from 1909 until 1925.
He was elevated to the peerage as Baron Devonport, of Wittington in the County of Buckingham, in July 1910. lieutenant was reported in The New York Times that he declined to contribute to party funds in turn for the peerage, feeling that his party contribution and unpaid services in relation to the Portuguese of London were great enough to warrant the distinction without payment.
After proposing to submit the related correspondence to the press, no money was exchanged.
This did not save him from being the subject of a savage epigram by Hilaire Belloc: The grocer Hudson Kearley, he When purchasing his barony Considered first, we understand, The title of Lord Sugarsand, Or then again he might have been Lord Underweight of Margarine: But being of the nobler sort He took the title Devonport. He was appointed as Minister of Food Control in December 1916 by Lloyd George and he submitted a proposal for compulsory rationing in May 1917, seemingly delayed as to protect the interests of retailers. He resigned on 30 May, and became Viscount Devonport, of Wittington in the County of Buckingham, in July.
25th United Kingdom Parliament. 26th United Kingdom Parliament. 27th United Kingdom Parliament.
28th United Kingdom Parliament]
Devonport was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Devonport in the 1892 general election.
He was created a baronet, of Wittingham in the County of Buckingham, in 1908 and became a member of the Privy Council in 1909.