Arthur Moore

Arthur William Moore, CVO, SHK, JP, MA (6 February 1853 – 12 November 1909) was a Manx antiquarian, historian, linguist, folklorist, and former Speaker of the House of Keys in the Isle of Man. He published under the sobriquet A. W. Moore.

Life

Arthur William Moore was born in Cronkborne, Braddan. He was the son of William Fine Moore MHK and a descendant of Illiam Dhone. He was educated at Rugby School and at Trinity College, Cambridge. Thereafter he assisted his father in the management of the sailcloth manufactory, and on his father's death in the eighties, he succeeded to the business. He was also a great sportsman, being a blue whilst at Cambridge, an active rower, and a founding member of Cronkbourne Cricket Club. He also bore the entire cost of the forming and furnishing of this club and of laying the ground.

On 22 February 1887 he married Louisa Elizabeth Wynn Hughes-Games (1866-1937). They had four children: Helena (b. 1888), Margery (b. 1889), William (b. 1890, d. 1891 aged 3 months) and Arthur (b. 1895).

Moore died on 12 November 1909 and was buried at Kirk Braddan. After his death his widow married George Frederick Clucas (1870-1937).

Political career

In 1881 there was a general election of the House of Keys and Arthur Moore stood for election. He was successful along with Richard Penketh and William Dalrymple in being elected as MHKs for Middle. He was subsequently returned in this position for every further General Election he stood at. Arthur Moore was a man of common sense who researched thoroughly his duties and parliamentary responsibility, and thus when Sir John Goldie-Taubman died in 1898 he was elected Speaker of the House of Keys narrowly beating John Allen Mylrea to the post. Politically speaking he was a moderate liberal. In his years as Speaker he welcomed King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra to the island during their visit in August 1902, an occasion on which he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) by King Edward. In 1905 he was appointed Deputy Receiver General and took a particular interest in constitutional reform and was thus one of the deputation who petitioned the Home Secretary Herbert Gladstone to urge the reform.