Thomas Milner Gibson

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Thomas Milner Gibson (3 September 1806 – 25 February 1884), English politician, who came of a Suffolk family, was born in Trinidad, where his father, an officer in the army, was serving.

He went to Trinity College, Cambridge, and in 1837 was elected to parliament as Conservative member for Ipswich, but resigned two years later, having adopted Liberal views, and became ardent supporter of the free-trade movement.

As one of Cobden's chief allies, he was elected to the British House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Manchester in 1841, and from 1846 to 1848 he was vice-president of the Board of Trade in Lord John Russell's ministry. Though defeated in Manchester in 1857, he found another seat for Ashton-under-Lyne; and sat in the cabinets from 1850 to 1866 as President of the Board of Trade.

He was the leading spirit in the movement for the repeal of taxes on knowledge, and his successful efforts on behalf of journalism and advertising were recognized by a public testimonial in 1862.

He retired from political life in 1868, but and his wife, whose salon was a great Liberal centre, were for many years very influential in society. Milner Gibson was a sportsman and a typical man of the world, who enjoyed life and behaved liberally to those connected with him.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by: James Morrison Rigby Wason	Member of Parliament for Ipswich 2-seat constituency (with Henry Tufnell, 1837–1838 Fitzroy Kelly, 1838–1839) 1837–1839	Succeeded by: Fitzroy Kelly Sir Thomas John Cochrane
Preceded by: Mark Philips Robert Hyde Gregg	Member of Parliament for Manchester 2-seat constituency (with Thomas Milner Gibson) 1841–1857	Succeeded by: Sir John Potter James Aspinall Turner
Preceded by: Charles Hindley	Member of Parliament for Ashton-under-Lyne 1868–1880	Succeeded by: Thomas Mellor
Political offices
Preceded by: Sir George Clerk, Bt	Vice-President of the Board of Trade 1846–1848	Succeeded by: The Earl Granville
Preceded by: The Earl of Donoughmore	President of the Board of Trade 1859–1866	Succeeded by: Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt