Drax has not yet declared the land or its properties in the parliamentary register of members interests. In 2009, Drax faced criticism from political rivals for 'hiding his aristocratic roots' by not using his full quadruple-barrelled name. The accounts reveal in 2014 it had assets of more than 3.1m, and 3.4m in 2019. More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro. According to David Denny, a self-proclaimed Barbadian revolutionary, the Tory politician should donate hundreds of millions towards the building of schools, roads, health centres and other community projects. And so this heinous system, which by the mid-1670s funded British crown coffers with the modern equivalent of 540 billion a year went on . Left his estate, including the plant and stock of the Hall Drax estate, Barbados, and his properties, furniture and other contents to his nephew, Wanley Ellis Sawbridge. Why did this happen? The Drax Hall plantation is not referred to in Richard Draxs Register of Members Interests declaration, and we could not find any family document referring directly to the plantations in the public domain since his great-grandmothers will in 1916, when the Baroness Dunsany bequeathed her estates and plantations in Barbados to her son, Richards grandfather. Richard Drax was gifted the plantation by his father. One document reveals his involvement in the farm, showing that in February he registered the plantation as a business in the Barbados Companies House in his full name, Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax. The mini-series ended with Drax and Cammi back on a prison ship. But the shadow of slavery hangs over the gilded life of Richard Drax", "Election 2010: Sweeping victory for Tory Richard Drax", www.publications.parliament.uk: The House of Commons 2013 Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 201213, "Richard Drax hits out over name change claims", "Tory MP Richard Drax says he made a mistake voting for Theresa May's Brexit deal", "South Dorset MP, Richard Drax, praises Brexit trade deal", "Brexiteers failed to take UK out of EU as single country, Tory MP admits", "Tory candidate left his campaign vehicle across TWO disabled parking spots", "Column: A wave of intolerance has swept this country", "Dorset MP Richard Drax criticises new windfall tax announcement", "MP Richard Drax backs Attorney General Suella Braverman to become Johnson's successor", "Next Tory Leader. [31], Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax, Last edited on 12 February 2023, at 22:40, July 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, "He's the MP with the Downton Abbey lifestyle. [13], In 2009, Drax faced criticism from political rivals for 'hiding his aristocratic roots' by not using his full quadruple-barrelled name. Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (born 29 January 1958), known as Richard Drax, is a British Conservative politician, journalist, landowner and former British Army officer, serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dorset since 2010. Barbados is not a Third World country, he said. By 1839, the estate was 840 acres. A Tory MP has finally admitted to Parliament he owns a former slave plantation where his family made millions. However, a well-placed source tells me he might have been amenable to such a solution, had he not been ambushed at a meeting in early October with the Barbadian prime minister Mia Mottley. Richard Drax registered the details as the Sunday Mirror revealed his ancestors' past - and how he still makes a packet from the business. [30] The Reparations Commission wants Drax Hall to be returned to Barbados, to be made into a museum. Britain outlawed slave trading in 1807, and ownership of slaves was banned in 1833. Produce from Draxs firms all with offices on his Charborough estate in Dorset includes barley for brewers and opium poppies for NHS morphine. The MP for South Dorset, Richard Drax, has inherited the 250-hectare Drax Hall plantation in Barbados from his father, inquiries by the Observer have established. Drax denied the accusations, saying that he used the shortened version of his name only because of the "logistic mouthful", while Cameron's comments were a "throw away joke". As the estate passed down the fractured family line, thousands of slaves were made to cut and grind the Drax sugarcanes, amputating limbs in the rolling machines, being scalded by spills of boiling sugar, dying from insect-borne diseases and exhaustion. Published: 00:53 GMT, 3 December 2022 | Updated: 02:01 GMT, 3 December 2022. According to Parliament's register of interests, Drax was one of 72 Conservative MPs who voted against the amendment who personally derived an income from renting out property. His son, also called Richard Erle Drax Grosvenor (q.v. [24], He endorsed Boris Johnson in the October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election. Catherine Bennett was right to question the special Eton magic (Just what is the special Eton magic that allows it to turn out epic oafs year after year?, Comment). Charborough House, Dorset, Wessex, England, Olantigh, Wye, Kent, South-east England, England, http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2011/01/three-cheers-for-sawbridge-drax/, http://lh.matthewbeckett.com/houses/lh_kent_olantightowers.html, Occupations of enslaved women on Buff Bay Plantation, 1819, http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2246. Nurses leader: we dont have enough staff to keep all our patients safe. He is a privileged person to have this in his gift.Angela SingerCambridge, It is perhaps to be expected, but nevertheless disappointing, that after generations of his family enjoying so much more than their fair share of the fruits of nature and the labour of others, including slaves, Richard Drax seems unable to rise above himself and take some responsibility, as a few more honourable others have done, for the cost to his fellow humans, past and present, of his inherited property, accumulated wealth and self-serving politics. No doubt some will accuse me of flippancy, but I have been heartened to learn, this week, that a good many black Barbadians share my misgivings. The Barbados taxpayer subsidises the price and set it last year at about Bds$150 per tonne. Iniquitously, the government paid the 45,000 Britons still owning slaves at the start of Queen Victorias reign vast sums in compensation for giving them up. But then, as I have learnt while investigating this story very much of-the-moment, in a week when the British royals are mired in another race furore it is a saga rife with dubious reasoning and double standards. Since then, we've grown to have approximately 12,000 offices throughout the United States and . NEW ROMNEY1818 - 8 Feb. 1819Family and Education b. Sugar and Black Death went hand in glove. The barrister told me he would love to prosecute a legal case against him, even though he strongly doubts it would be seen to have validity in the courts. The process has been complicated, which led to this accidental oversight., Get UK politics insight with our free daily email briefing straight to your inbox. But he is responsible for what he does now. Clearly there are some glaring contradictions to all this. [6], Drax was reinstated on the Active List on 10 September 1984, beginning his second and final period of regular service. Christianwas born circa 1341, in Yorkshire, England. See for the whole family, Burke, vol. [11] Drax retained his seat in the 2015 general election with an increased majority and the 2017 general election. A Tory MP whose family made millions through slavery is facing calls for an investigation into his company records. Harvested sugar cane is no longer processed at the plantations but taken to a central processing plant and then refined for export. In St George Parish, where the 620-acre Drax sugar plantation still employs 13 people and indirectly supports many more there are mixed opinions on the reparations claim. Genealogy profile for Richard Erle-Drax-Grosvenor, MP. [29], A 2020 investigation by The Guardian found that Richard Drax still owns and grows sugar on the same Drax Hall Estate in Barbados that made the family's fortune. Mr Thomas believes Britain and other European countries that profited from slavery, such as Spain, France, Portugal and Holland (who for many years dominated the trade), should compensate the Caribbean islands they plundered, but at a governmental level. Drax was promoted lieutenant on 9 December 1980, before being transferred to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers after active service on 9 December 1983, ending his first period of full-time military service. Beckles told us that historically the Drax family has done more harm and violence to the black people of Barbados than any other family. The Erle family had owned Charborough House, Dorset, since the C16th and through the marriage, Drax took possession of it. Voting to increase curbs in 2013, he said:I believe, as do many of my constituents, that this country is full.. The Drax family also owned slave plantations in Jamaica, which they sold in the mid-1800s. About Richard Erle-Drax-Grosvenor, MP. Ukrainian soldier takes out five Russian tanks and three armoured vehicles in ONE DAY using US-supplied Ukraine's first lady condemns Putin for 'mercilessly firing at civilians' as 'deliberate missile strike' on 'Big Brother' AI robot is unveiled as government adviser that will monitor the public's opinions in Romania, Wife is shocked after husband of 15 years asks for permission to have an affair: 'I don't know what to do', My Daily Horoscope: What does March 2nd hold for MY star sign? The shame and despair of being physically attacked by your own child, Do not sell or share my personal information. The Draxes had also cemented a place at the heart of the establishment. This is a part of the nations history, from which we must all learn., The Barbadian historian Beckles, however, told the Observer: It is no answer for Richard Drax to say it has nothing to do with him when he is the owner and the inheritor. . Campaigners demanded Mr Drax, 62, pay reparations for harm caused by his familys slave trade. But who rounded up these slaves and brought them to the African ports where they were purchased? His brother, Thomas Grosvenor (1764-1851); of Grosvenor House, Walthamstow, Essex and Stocking Hall, Leics. Richard Drax is the Conservative MP for South Dorset, and has been an MP continuously since 6 May 2010. Drax Hall is an imposing, grey stone residence built for a 17thcentury entrepreneur who revolutionised the Caribbean sugar industry, and in so doing helped make Britain the wealthiest nation on earth. Born on 29 January 1958 in United Kingdom, Richard Drax started his career as Politician . "Black life mattered only to make millionaires of English enslavers. Richard Rider (Nova). 207-11; Alan J. Miller, 'Three cheers for Sawbridge Drax', Dorset Life, January 2011, http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2011/01/three-cheers-for-sawbridge-drax/ Accessed 18 June 2012; http://lh.matthewbeckett.com/houses/lh_kent_olantightowers.html; Accessed 18 June 2012; London Gazette, 19819 31 January 1840, p. 197; R. J. Richardson, The lower house, or, the peers and aristocracy (London, G. Vickers, 1859), p. 47. Sir Reginald Drax, younger son of the 17th Lord Dunsany thereby being in remainder to the ancient Barony of Dunsany (cr. We are a people company first and a tax company second. Never miss a moment by signing up to our newsletter here. As well as being extremely wealthy, Drax is also an outspoken politician. The penalty can be prison. Such was Sir Jamess wealth that in 1650 he built the plantation house Drax Hall that still stands today and in which he lived, according to an eyewitness, like a prince. [1] The roads are filled with Beijing-built buses. Official documentation shows the MP now controls Drax Hall Plantation. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. After being flogged relentlessly for days, his ears were cut off and roasted, and he was forced to eat them. Drax married his second wife; Eliza, daughter of Commander James Dugdale RN (related to David Cameron). Something went wrong, please try again later. Daily Mirror, 5 May 2010; Dorset Echo, 6 May 2010. During the 2010 United Kingdom general election campaign period, in which he was running for MP for South Dorset, the Daily Mirror reported that Drax's family had earned their fortune through slavery. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Biography. Mr Whitehead pointed to a clearing, shaded by tamarind and sandbox trees, where the slaves slept in wooden huts. Enjoying a few Independence Day drinks outside the Old Brigand pub, some locals suggested their absentee English estate owner (Richard Drax visits his estate only once a year and has never lived there) should be made to help needy families. The Barbadian revolutionary David Denny thinks otherwise. Richard Drax (Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax) was born on 29 January, 1958 in Westminster, London, United Kingdom, is a British politician. Paul Lashmar and Jonathan Smith write, Hes the MP with the Downton Abbey lifestyle. Drax was born on 29 January 1958 in Westminster, London, into a landowner family. [1], The Barbados Government is seeking reparations from Drax for his ancestors' involvement in slavery. It sounds a comparatively modest sum, but by then their 200 years of profits had been invested in English properties and businesses. He'd neglected to mention it on the House of Commons Register of Members' Interests until 29 December 2020, despite the estate being in his family for more than 400 years. That our great reformers led the world in ending it is often overlooked. So, no, Mr Drax is not a man for whom I would readily die in a ditch. (LogOut/ At Olantigh, large picture galleries and collections of art, Venetian Towers and garden ornaments, such as a huge fountain at the entrance, were added. But the shadow of slavery hangs over the gilded life of Richard Drax, Wealthy MP urged to pay up for his familys slave trade past. Until 2008 the plantations covered some 880 acres, but the Draxes have sold more than 200 acres, some for housing development. He served across the world, including Germany, Cyprus, Kenya, Brunei, Hong Kong, the United States, London and three operational tours in Northern Ireland. (LogOut/ We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 29 January. EXCLUSIVE Richard Drax is the wealthiest landowner in the House of Commons and worth as much as 150 million. On Friday, the MP said he does not yet legally own the Barbados holdings as these are still going through the probate process and have not yet transferred to my name. Sir Hilary Beckles, chairman of the 20-state Caribbean Communitys (Caricom) Reparations Commission and vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies, estimates that as many 30,000 slaves died on the Drax plantations in Barbados andJamaicaover 200 years. Drax's response questioned his responsibility for "something that happened 300 or 400 years ago", stating "it's not what I stand for", and cited the desperation of his opponents- "all they can do is pick at bits of my family history". Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. In the centre of the park is the Grade I-listed mansion. This is home to Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax, the Conservative MP for South Dorset, who lives in the palatial Grade I-listed Charborough House, hidden from public view within the 700-acre private grounds. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. His grandson Henry concurred. EXCLUSIVE: Revealed: Prison reform boss who drunkenly beat her husband every day after downing white wine Are you allowing your bank to rip you off? On 5 February 2013, Drax voted in the House of Commons against a Second Reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 that legalised marriage for same-sex couples. Official sources in Bridgetown, Barbados, confirmed the MP now farms Drax Hall. Others countered that, while the deeds of the Drax dynasty could never be condoned, they had already done much to benefit the community. [12][non-primary source needed], In the House of Commons he has sat on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and currently serves on the European Scrutiny Committee. They are only going after him because he is the last colonial owner.. Sir Hilary Beckles, a prominent Barbadian historian of slavery, said Drax must acknowledge the wealth brought to the family by slavery. As author Matthew Parker states in his definitive book The Sugar Barons, by the end of the 17th century virtually every British merchant and investor was implicated in the slave-driven sugar economy. As one wag quipped, with the sugar industry and West Indies Test cricket team in decline, shes the islands most famous export. Just what is the special Eton magic that allows it to turn out epic oafs year after year? [14], Drax campaigned for Brexit during the 2016 referendum. The Kola Nut in the Atlantic World, The Barbara T. Christian Literary Award for CSA 2023, Kathleen Martnez continues the search for Cleopatra's tomb, Art Exhibition: Tania Marmolejos Alter Egos. The MP for the nearby corrupt borough of Wareham, Dorset, he appears to have never said anything in the Commons save for asking the Speaker that a window be opened (though this story may be apocryphal). Conservative MP for South Dorset Richard Drax, Sir Hilary Beckles, chair of the Caribbean Community Reparations Commission. In 1961, when minister of health, he spoke of setting a torch to the funeral pyre of the long-stay mental illness asylums, which he pictured as isolated, majestic and imperious. Mr Drax worth about 150million could also face a parliamentary probe. Drax rarely comments on his ancestors history of slave owning. [1], Drax is the eldest son of Henry Walter Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (19282017)[27] JP DL and The Hon. Eliza, daughter of Commander James Dugdale RN ( related to David Cameron ), shes the islands Famous... 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