The 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, generally known as H. H. Asquith, was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916. He was the last Liberal prime minister to command a majority government.
The son of a Yorkshire clothing manufacturer, he was educated at City of London School and Balliol College, Oxford. He came to Maresfield Gardens as a newly elected MP having only just embarked upon his legal career, let alone his parliamentary one.
At almost the same time as moving in, Asquith made his maiden speech. A year later at the age of 37 he was made a QC. In 1891 his first wife Helen contracted typhoid whilst holidaying in the Isle of Arran and died. Asquith returned there after a few weeks – a widower, with a family of 5 children, the eldest nearly 13, the youngest 18 months.
In 1892 he was re-elected for East Fife, by the end of August and with only a few months left in Maresfield Gardens Asquith was Home Secretary, a Privy Counsellor and a member of Gladstone’s Cabinet.
This plaque was erected in October 1983 by David Steel, the leader of the Liberal Party.
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