SHERBROOKE, ROBERT LOWE, VISCOUNT (1811— 1892), British statesman, was born on Dec. 4, 1811 at Bingham, Notts, where his father was the rector. He was educated at Win chester and at University College, Oxford. In 1835 he won a fellowship at Magdalen, but vacated it on his marriage in 1836, with Miss Georgina Orred (d. 1884). In 1841 Lowe moved to Lon don, to read for the Bar ("called" 1842) ; but his eyesight began to fail, and, acting on medical advice, he went to Sydney, where he set to work in the law courts. In 1843 he was nominated to a seat in the New South Wales Legislative Council; owing to a difference with Gipps he resigned his seat, but was elected shortly afterwards for Sydney. In 185o he went back to England, and began to write leaders for The Times. In 1852 he was returned to Parliament for Kidderminster in the Liberal interest. Between 1853 and 1858 he was secretary of the Board of Control and vice-president of the Board of Trade. In 1859 he went to the Education Office as vice-president of the Council in Lord Palmers ton's ministry. In 1864 he resigned; in 1868 he became chancellor of the exchequer. In 1873 he was transferred to the Home
Office, but in 1874 the government resigned. When the Lib erals returned to power in 188o he was raised to the peerage as Viscount Sherbrooke, but from 1875 till his death at Warling ham, Surrey, on July 27, 1892, his health was constantly failing, and by degrees he figured less and less in public life.
Bobby Lowe, as he was popularly known, was one of the most remarkable personalities of his day, with his tall, striking figure, albino complexion cnd hair, and faculty for epigram and irony. During the 'seventies the following epitaph was suggested for him by one of the wits of his day :— Here lies poor old Robert Lowe; Where he's gone to I don't know ; If to the realms of peace and love, Farewell to happiness above ; If, haply, to some lower level, We can't congratulate the devil.
His literary talent, though mainly employed in journalism, was also shown in a little volume of verses, Poems of a Life (1884). He married a second time, in 1885, but left no children.
See Life and Letters by A. Patchett Martin (London, 1893).
(H. C.)