Charles Schreiber


Charles Schreiber was an English academic, fine arts collector and Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1865 and 1884.

Early life

Schreiber was born at Colchester, the eldest son of Lieutenant-Colonel James Alfred Schreiber of Melton, Suffolk and his wife Mary Ware, daughter of Thomas Ware, of Woodfort, County Cork. He was educated at Cheltenham College and was a scholar at Trinity College Cambridge.

Career

In 1848, he won the Browne medal at Trinity College and the Chancellor's Classical medal in 1850. In 1852, Schreiber became a Fellow of Trinity, where he was tutor to Ivor Guest.
In the 1865 general election, Schreiber was elected Member of Parliament for Cheltenham, but lost the seat in 1868. In the 1880 general election, he was elected MP Poole and held the seat until his death in 1884.

Personal life

In 1855, he married Lady Charlotte Guest, his former pupil's mother. Lady Charlotte was the daughter of Albemarle Bertie, 9th Earl of Lindsey and widow of John Josiah Guest, 1st Baronet, the owner of Dowlais Ironworks in Wales, and a major figure in the history of Welsh literature. She was famous for her collections of china, fans and playing-cards.
Schreiber and his wife lived at Langham House, Portland Place, London. They spent many years travelling in Europe collecting ceramics and other items. Schreiber died at Lisbon at the age of 57.

Legacy

The collection of English ceramic art bearing his name was presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum.