Name Sir Miles, Role Politician | Died June 5, 1888 | |
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Arms Azure a chevron paly of six ermine and or between three lozenges argent each charged with a fleur-de-lis sable, in chief upon an inescutcheon argent a sinister hand appaume coupled at the wrist gules Crest Upon a helm barry affronte with visor open a dexter arm embowed in armour proper garnished or supporting with the hand an anchor also proper Motto Labora sicut bonus miles Parents Sir Charles Tennant, 1st Baronet Education Trinity College, Cambridge Similar People Margot Asquith - Countess, Katharine Elliot - Baroness, Alfred Lyttelton, Harold Tennant, Thomas Lister - 4th Baron Ri | ||
Sir Philip John William Miles, 2nd Baronet (2 September 1825 – 5 June 1888) was an English politician. Educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, he then served in the 17th Lancers. He was a sheriff of Bristol in 1853 and partner in the family's bank, Miles & Co from 1852 to 1854. He sat as Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for East Somerset from 1878 to 1885 and was a member of the Carlton Club and the Army and Navy Club.
In 1878, he inherited the baronetcy of Leigh Court, Somerset, from his father William, who had previously been Conservative MP for East Somerset along with estates in Somerset and had his own estate in County Kerry, Ireland. He was cousin of Philip Napier Miles, Frank Miles and Katharine Tennant.
He supported an amendment to the Representation of the People Act 1884 and the Franchise Bill debated earlier that year, that would have allowed votes for women who were householders on equal terms with men. The vote was defeated and women finally received the vote in the UK in 1918.
In 1848, he married Frances Roche (1827–1908), daughter of Sir David Roche, Bt, Roche baronets MP for Limerick, a renowned society beauty nicknamed the "Venus of Miles" in reference to the classical sculpture the Venus de Milo. She attracted a number of admirers including Charles Manners, 6th Duke of Rutland who scandalised society by leaving his 120foot yacht, Lufra, to her in his will. They had the following children:
He died of acute laryngitis at his London house, 75 Cornwall Gardens, Kensington, SW and was succeeded by his son, Cecil, in 1888. His widow subsequently remarried an American from St Louis, Missouri, Dr John Nicholls, in 1904 and they lived at Maidenhead, Berkshire and she died in 1908.