Background
Middleton was the son of Alexander Middleton and Elizabeth Middleton (née Neave).
Middleton was the son of Alexander Middleton and Elizabeth Middleton (née Neave).
He entered the Royal Navy in 1860, being promoted to navigating lieutenant in 1873. In 1882 he was appointed honorary secretary of a Conservative club, the Point House Club in Blackheath. The year after he became Conservative agent for the constituency of West Kent.
The Corrupt Practices Acting 1883, Reform Acting 1884 and the Redistribution of Seats Acting 1885 had greatly affected the electoral make-up of the country and Middleton"s success in mastering them ensured that he was appointed the Conservatives" principal agent and command of Conservative Central Office, succeeding George Trout Bartley.
Middleton openly admitted the political benefits for the Conservatives when the Liberals adopted unpopular policies. He said he was "grateful" when Gladstone adopted Irish Home Rule.
Grateful again when Gladstone adopted the Newcastle Programme in 1891 and "deeply grateful" when the Liberals attacked the House of Lords and adopted the local veto on liquor licences. The historian Richard Shannon assessed Middleton"s contribution to the Conservatives:.