Frederick Banbury, 1st Baron Banbury of Southam

Frederick George Banbury, 1st Baron Banbury of Southam (2 December 1850 – 13 August 1936), known as Sir Frederick Banbury, 1st Baronet from 1903 to 1924, was a British businessman, Conservative Member of Parliament and animal welfare activist, serving as chairman of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was educated at Winchester College. and admitted to the Privy Council in 1916.

During World War I, Banbury headed the Unionist War Committee with Ronald McNeill. This was an organisation that campaigned for "vigorous prosecution of the war."

In May 1916, the British government announced it was introducing daylight saving time in the country. Banbury spoke out against the planned change in Parliament. Banbury called the proposed law "grandmotherly legislation". Banbury pointed out that daylight saving time had initially been adopted by the German Empire. Banbury then stated: "If the Germans have done it, it is a very good reason why we should not do it." Despite Banbury's opposition, the new law was passed in Parliament.

In March 1922, Banbury was one of several Conservative politicians who signed the "Diehard Manifesto" circulated by the journalist H. A. Gwynne and later published in The Times.

Railways He was the last chairman of the Great Northern Railway (GNR), which lost its identity when, under the Railways Act 1921, it was grouped with several other railways on 1 January 1923 to become a constituent of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER). Sir Frederick was a strong opponent of the railway grouping, and had voted against the bill during its passage through Parliament; he wanted no part of the future LNER, and decided to retire from his railway positions at the end of 1922. In late September 1922, the GNR honoured Sir Frederick by naming its newest express passenger locomotive no. 1471 Sir Frederick Banbury. This locomotive belonged to GNR Class A1, was built in July 1922 and remained in service until November 1961.

Personal life Banbury married Elizabeth Rosa, daughter of Thomas Barbot Beale, of Brettenham, Suffolk in 1873. She died in 1930. Banbury survived her by six years and died in August 1936 at his home, Warneford Place, Sevenhampton, near Highworth in Wiltshire, aged 85. He was buried at Sevenhampton parish church. He was succeeded in the barony by his grandson Charles, his only son Captain Charles William Banbury having been killed in the First World War.

Banbury was an animal lover, and for many years was on the council of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and served as its chairman.