James Edward Harris, 5th Earl of Malmesbury DL (18 December 1872 – 12 June 1950), styled Viscount FitzHarris from 1889 to 1899, was a British peer and

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician. Malmesbury was the eldest son of

Edward Harris, 4th Earl of Malmesbury Edward James Harris, 4th Earl of Malmesbury DL (12 April 1842 – 19 May 1899), was a British peer, the son of Admiral the Honourable Sir Edward Harris and the grandson of James Harris, 2nd Earl of Malmesbury. His maternal grandparents wer ...

, and succeeded in the earldom in 1899. Through his grandmother Emma Wylly Chambers he was a descendant of David Mathews, the Loyalist Mayor of New York City during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

and a descendant of the American Dutch Schuyler family. He was Assistant Private Secretary (unpaid) to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, the

Earl of Onslow Earl of Onslow, of Onslow in the County of Shropshire and of Clandon Park in the County of Surrey is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for George Onslow, 4th Baron Onslow. History The Onslow family descends ...

, in 1901, and a member of the London County Council from 1904 to 1905. Between 1922 and 1924 he served as a Lord-in-waiting (government whip in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

) under Bonar Law and then Stanley Baldwin. He then returned to local politics and was Chairman of the

Hampshire County Council Hampshire County Council (HCC) is an English council that governs eleven of the thirteen districts geographically located within the ceremonial county of Hampshire. As one of twenty-four county councils in England, it acts as the upper tier of ...

from 1927 to 1937. He held a commission as a

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

officer in the 3rd battalion, Royal Hampshire Regiment, where he received the rank of captain on 3 May 1899. Her resigned this commission in December 1902. Lord Malmesbury married Dorothy Gough-Calthorpe, daughter of Augustus Gough-Calthorpe, 6th Baron Calthorpe, on 27 April 1905. They had two children: *Lady Elizabeth Harris (b. 8 January 1906), married John Fremantle, 4th Baron Cottesloe and had issue. * William James Harris, 6th Earl of Malmesbury (1907–2000) Lord Malmesbury died in June 1950, aged 77, and was succeeded in the earldom by his only son William.

References

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James Edward Harris, 5th Earl of Malmesbury
thePeerage.com 1872 births 1950 deaths British people of Dutch descent Conservative Party (UK) Baronesses- and Lords-in-Waiting Deputy Lieutenants of Hampshire 5 Members of London County Council Schuyler family {{GB-earl-stub