Harry McCalmont

Colonel Harry Leslie Blundell McCalmont, CB (30 May 1861 – 8 December 1902) was a British army officer, race-horse owner, yachtsman and Conservative party politician.

Life

He was the son of Hugh Barklie Blundell McCalmont, and was educated at Eton College before gaining a commission in the 6th Regiment of Foot in 1881. He subsequently transferred to the Scots Guards four years later. There he established a successful stable of racehorses. Among his horses were Timothy, a winner of the Ascot Gold Cup and Alexandra Plate and Isinglass winner of The Derby, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Gold Cup. He was a keen yachtsman and member of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

He also commissioned SY Banshee and the 1265 ton SY Geralda (1894, one of the first steam yachts to exceed 1000 tons) built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company.

In 1895 a general election was called, and McCalmont was selected as Conservative candidate for the Newmarket constituency, then held by the Liberals. He was successful, unseating the sitting Member of Parliament, Sir George Newnes. A general election was held in 1900, and McCalmont, who was still in South Africa, was re-elected with an increased majority. His opponent in the election was C. D. Rose, owner of the racehorse Ravensbury which had been a rival to Isinglass.

He died suddenly at his London home from heart failure in December 1902. motto = Nil Desperandum