British statesman and corn-law reformer, a younger brother of George, 4th Earl of Clarendon. He studied at Haileybury and Cambridge, and was called to the bar in 1827. He was an MP (182787), becoming the Father of the House of Commons. He made his first motion in favour of Free Trade in 1838, moving a resolution against the corn laws each year until they were repealed in 1846. He was a member of the Cabinet (185966) as president of the Poor-Law Board.
Charles Pelham Villiers (January 3, 1802 – January 16, 1898) was a British lawyer and politician of the 19th century, and the House of Commons' longest serving Member of Parliament (MP). George Villiers (1759-1827) and Theresa Parker, daughter of John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon. He was grandson of Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon and brother of the George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon.
He was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College and St John's College, Cambridge, becoming a barrister at Lincoln's Inn in 1827.
He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton from 1835 to 1885 and for Wolverhampton South from 1885 until 1898. During his time in Parliament he worked towards free trade and opposed the Corn Laws and home rule for Ireland. He is noted as being the voice in parliament of the free trade movement before the election of Richard Cobden and John Bright.
He was raised to the rank of an Earl's son in 1839 and appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1853.
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