1172 Henry Anstruther

Constituency : St  Andrews  Burghs  1886-1903  ( Liberal  Unionist )

Henry  took  over  from  his  father  Sir  Robert  at  St  Andrews  Burghs  defeating  Thomas  Brassey who'd  moved  up  from  Hastings  for  the  Gladstonians.

Henry  was  educated  at  Eton  and  Edinburgh  University. He  became  a  Scottish  advocate.

Henry  joined  the  government  as  a  whip  in  1895  and  held  the  position  until  he  stood  down  in  1903  to  represent  the  government  in  the  Suez  Canal  Company.  His  departure  weakened  the  Free  Trade  faction in  the  Liberal  Unionist  party  opposed  to  Chamberlain's  Tariff  Reform.   He  was  known  for  his  discretion  and  liked  on  both  sides  of  the  House  where  he  had  the  nickname  "Pincher ".He  was  an  alderman  on  London County  Council from  1905  to  1910. He  was  on  the  organising  Council  of  the  Liberal  Unionist  Association.

Henry  married  Lord  Sudeley's  daughter  but  from  1912  onwards  they  began  to  lead  several  times.

He  died  in  1926  aged  65  when  his  carriage  toppled  over  because  his  horse  had  been  frightened  by  a  motorbus..  His  daughter  was  the  writer  Jan  Struther.  She  wrote  that  he  would  have  been  happier  being  a  carpenter.