Board Member – Octavius Duncombe

The Honorable Octavius Duncombe, M.P., J.P.

1817 – 1879

Relationship with the Hatfield and St Albans Railway Company:

• The Minute Book records that he was one of the seven who attended the second Board meeting, on Friday 17^th April 1863, the first time all seven sat together. He was one of the two Great Northern Railway Directors to sit on the H&SAR Board.
• His last Board meeting was that of 12^th June 1868, although he remained a Board member for some while after that.

Life Highlights:

• Born on 8^th April 1817, of Charles Duncombe, 1^st Baron Feversham, and Lady Charlotte.
• Became a Conservative Member of Parliament for the North Riding of Yorkshire in September 1841.
• Married Lady Emily Caroline Campbell on 31^st March 1842.
• Became Deputy-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire in October 1853.
• Left Parliament in 1859.
• Became a Conservative Member of Parliament for the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1867.
• Left Parliament in 1874.
• Died on 3^rd December 1879 at 84 Eaton Square, Middlesex.
• Will proved on 13^th February 1880: effects under £160,000.
• (Wife died on 22^nd May 1911, at Waresley Park: Probate 15^th July 1911: effects £2,564.13.10.)
• Among his Directorships were:
• The London and York Railway (1844).
• The York and Lancaster Railway (1845)
• The Rugby and Huntingdon Railway (c1845).
• The Sheffield, Nottingham and London Direct Railway (1845).
• The Great Northern Railway (Chairman) (c1878).

Homes included:

• Arlington Court, St George, Westminster.
• Waresley Park, St Neots, Huntingdonshire.
• Tetworth, St Neots, Huntingdonshire.
• Westerdale, Yorkshire.
• 84 Eaton Square, Westminster.

He, his parents, 1 sister, 1 brother and others are at Arlington Court, St George, Westminster, in the 1841 census: Independent. He, his wife, 3 daughters, 2 sons and many others are at Waresley House, Waresley, St Neots, Huntingdonshire, in the 1851 census: Son of Peer, Member of Parliament, and Magistrate. He, his wife, 3 daughters, 2 sons and many others are at Mansion House, Waresley, St Neots, Huntingdonshire, in the 1861 census: Honourable, Army retired Colonel of Militia and Magistrate. He, his wife, 2 daughters and others are at 84 Eaton Square, Westminster, in the 1871 census: M.P., Colonel of Militia, Magistrate and Landowner.

Information gathered from:

• The Hatfield & St Albans Railway Company Minute Book.
• British censuses.
• Wills Index.
• The Times Digital Archive.
• Wikipedia.