John Aldridge

Lieutenant-Colonel John Aldridge (4 January 1832 – 23 February 1888) was a British soldier, Conservative Party politician, and landowner in Sussex. Family Aldridge was the son of Robert Aldridge and Caroline Anne, daughter of Charles George Beauclerk. He was married in 1863 to Mary Alethea, daughter of Samuel Matthews, and together they had five children: Emily Marian (1864–1897) Robert Beauclerk (1865–1892) Charles Powlett (1866–1941) Herbert Henry (1869–1922) John Barttelot (1871–1909) Military career Aldridge served in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, rising to the rank of Captain in the regiment on 29 December 1854 and Brevet Major in the army on 6 June 1856. After his brief political career he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the part-time Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia (later the 3rd and 4th battalions of Royal Sussex Regiment) on 27 October 1875. Political career He was elected MP for Horsham in 1868 alongside Robert Henry Hurst. This was unusual as the seat was only eligible to send one member. Although both candidates were declared elected, petitions were lodged against them both, and on 3 May 1869 Aldridge withdrew his claim to entitlement to the seat, leaving Hurst as the sole MP.