Jacob Henry Tillett (1 November 1818 – 30 January 1892 ) was an English

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

politician who sat in the

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variously between 1870 and 1885. Tillet was born in Norwich, the son of Jacob Tillett and his wife Elizabeth Towler. He became a solicitor in 1839Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1881
/ref> and was the political leader of non-conformity and liberalism in Norwich. He was a lay preacher and trustee of New Catton Sunday School. In 1845 he was one of the founders of Norfolk News with Jeremiah Colman, John Copeman, Thomas Jarrold and Joseph Massingham. He became guardian of Massingham's son

Henry William Massingham Henry William Massingham (25 May 1860 – 27 August 1924) was an English journalist, editor of ''The Nation and Athenaeum, The Nation'' from 1907 to 1923. In his time it was considered the leading British Radical weekly. Life He j ...

. Tillett was acquainted with leading liberals including

Richard Cobden Richard Cobden (3 June 1804 – 2 April 1865) was an English Radicals (UK), Radical and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician, manufacturing, manufacturer, and a campaigner for free trade and peace. He was associated with the Anti–Corn Law L ...

, Bright and John Morley. Tillet was clerk to the Commissioners of Income Tax and an alderman of Norwich. He campaigned against corruption, setting up a vigilance committee. As mayor in 1859 he exposed attempts to bribe a councillor to elect

aldermen An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking membe ...

. A Conservative councillor noted for that for the first time an election was held in Norwich without drunkenness corruption and bribery. However Tillett himself was embarrassed by electoral difficulties when he stood for parliament. In July 1870, Tillett was elected at a by-election as a Member of Parliament (MP) for

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...

, but his election was declared void on

petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to an officia ...

and a new election was held. He contested the seat unsuccessfully at the 1874 general election, but won the seat again at a by-election March 1875, and again his election was declared void. This time it was found that party agents had given jobs to voters to secure their votes. The writ for the constituency was suspended and a Royal Commission was appointed to investigate allegations of corruption. He was Mayor of Norwich again in 1875 and was chairman of the Norwich School Board from 1877 to 1880. He was elected successfully for Norwich at the 1880 general election, and held the seat until the 1885 general election, which he did not contest. He stood again in

1886 Events January * January 1 – Upper Burma is formally annexed to British rule in Burma, British Burma, following its conquest in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of November 1885. * January 5–January 9, 9 – Robert Louis Stevenson ...

, but was not elected. Tillett lived at Carrow Abbey, and died at the age of 73.

References

External links

*
Norwich Museum and Gallery - Portrait of Jacob Henry Tillett
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tillett, Jacob Henry 1818 births 1892 deaths Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1868–1874 UK MPs 1874–1880 UK MPs 1880–1885 Mayors of Norwich Politicians from Norwich English solicitors