On This Day

25 February 1911

Death of Henry Hartley Fowler, 1st Viscount Wolverhampton, Liberal MP and cabinet minister

Fowler served four Prime Ministers in a variety of posts, including President of the Local Government Board under Gladstone and Secretary of State for India under Rosebery. He sat as Liberal MP for Wolverhampton 1880-85 and Wolverhampton East 1885-1908. In the 1890s Fowler, along with Asquith, Grey and Haldane, was one of Lord Rosebery’s key supporters and in 1902 he was a founder of the Liberal League. Fowler again held cabinet office from 1905-10 but age and ill health prevented him from playing a major role.