Francis Arkwright (17 March 1846 – 1 March 1915) belonged to the British gentry. His first wife died after giving birth to a daughter, and he remarried. Arkwright represented East Derbyshire in the British House of Commons from 1874 to 1880.
In 1882, the Arkwright family emigrated to New Zealand, where he commissioned a large country house on the Rangitikei River. Arkwright was a leading Freemason. He unsuccessfully stood for the Rangitikei electorate on two occasions; in the and in the . In 1895, he was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council. The family returned to live in England in 1906 and Arkwright died in 1915 at Bournemouth.
Arkwright owned several notable houses in both England and New Zealand. Of these, Overton in Marton is the most notable and is registered as Category I with Heritage New Zealand.
Early life in England
Arkwright was born on 17 March 1846 and baptised on 13 April of that year in Mayfield, Staffordshire, England. His parents were The Reverend Godfrey Harry Arkwright (c. 1815–1866) and Frances Rafela Fitzherbert Arkwright (1823–1849). Richard Arkwright was his great-grandfather, and Sir William Fitzherbert, 1st Baronet was a maternal great-grandfather. His brother William Harry was born one year earlier. A sister Alice was three years younger; his mother died one week after giving birth to her. Arkwright was 16 when his father remarried. Through his stepmother, he had three more siblings; Marian, Godfrey Edward and Walter. His father died young when Francis Arkwright was only 20. William Harry became the vicar of St Mary's Church, Wirksworth in 1893 and held the position until 1902.
Arkwright was educated at Eton College.
On 2 June 1868, he married Louisa Elizabeth Jane Milbank, the daughter of Henry John Milbank and Lady Margaret Henrietta Maria Grey, at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge in London. George Grey, 6th Earl of Stamford was a grandfather of his wife. Arthur Duncombe married Arkwright's mother's sister Katherine Henrietta Venezia Milbank.
The Arkwrights had one daughter, Margaret Louise Arkwright, born on 28 April 1873. His wife died on 6 May 1873, one week after giving birth.
Arkwright owned Overton Hall in Derbyshire in 1873. Previously owned by Joseph Banks, Overton Hall became a Grade II* listed building in 1967. Arkwright purchased Coton House in Churchover, Warwickshire, in 1874 including the manorial rights and patronage. At Arkwright's death, the house passed to his nephew Bertram Arkwright (first son of William Harry Arkwright). Coton House was listed as a Grade II* listed building in 1951. Bertram Arkwright's second son was the cricketer Francis Arkwright (1905–1942).
In 1875, Arkwright married Evelyn Addington Wells; there were no children from this second marriage. In 1876, Arkwright was initiated as a Freemason at Scarsdale Lodge No.681.
Arkwright was Member of Parliament (MP) for East Derbyshire from 1874 to 1880.
New Zealand
In 1882, Arkwright emigrated to New Zealand with his second wife and daughter from the first marriage. On 28 November, they arrived in Nelson on the Taiaroa. Francis Arkwright left for Wanganui on the steamer Wallace the next day, followed by his wife and daughter on 6 December on the steamer Murray. He was looking for new opportunities after he lost his seat in Parliament. Arkwright did not think that he would return to his native Derbyshire.
Overton, New Zealand
Arkwright bought land near Marton and commissioned the architects Frederick de Jersey Clere and Alfred Atkins to design a large country house near the Rangitikei River which he called Overton. The Tudor style building is unusual for its concrete panels between the timber framing; it was a very early application of concrete and de Jersey Clere went on to design many concrete churches. After he had commissioned the house, the family returned to England and came back in 1884 when the house was finished. The contract price was just over £2,500 for the large house. When Arkwright left New Zealand for good, he passed the house on to his nephew Henry Arkwright (third son of William Harry Arkwright). The house passed from the Arkwright family in 1987. In 1990, the building was registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I heritage item, with registration number 187.
Freemasonry
Arkwright was initiated into the Scarsdale Lodge No.681 EC on 21 June 1876, passed to the Fellow Craft Degree on 17 November and made a Master Mason on 6 December.