James Frederick Stuart-Wortley JP (16 January 1833 – 27 November 1870^[1][2]) was a politician in New Zealand and the UK. He was New Zealand's inaugural Baby of the House and remains the youngest member of parliament in the country's history; in fact he was too young (at 20 years and 7 months) to even be legally elected.

Stuart-Wortley was born in York^{[citation needed]}, United Kingdom, on 16 January 1833^[3] and was the third son of the 2nd Lord Wharncliffe and his wife, Lady Georgiana Elizabeth Ryder.^[4] He was the younger brother of the 1st Earl of Wharncliffe (1827–1899).^[5] Charles James Stuart-Wortley and James Stuart-Wortley were his uncles.^{[citation needed]} Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby was his maternal grandfather.

In 1850, he travelled to New Zealand as a colonist on the Charlotte Jane, one of the First Four Ships sent by the Canterbury Association.^[6] In his first year, he lived with other bachelors in Lyttelton—Charles Bowen, Thomas Hanmer, and Charles Maunsell—in a place dubbed "Singleton House" by Charlotte Godley.^[7]

He bought 500 acres (200 ha) of land at Tai Tapu near Halswell.^[4] In October 1852, he purchased Run 53, located between Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora and the Selwyn River. He on-sold the land in June 1853 and it became part of the Harman and Davie's Station.^[8] Stuart-Wortley then started Hawkeswood Station in partnership with others. This station was located north of the Waiau Uwha River.^[8]

On 27 August 1853, Stuart-Wortley was elected to the 1st New Zealand Parliament as a representative of the Christchurch Country electorate,^[9] which consisted of rural Canterbury and much of Westland. Henry Sewell, who kept a "secret" journal,^[a] recorded the following about the young man's candidacy:^[11]

There is doubt whether he is actually of age. The Peerage says no, but he says yes, and upon the best authority, namely that of his family lawyers.

Stuart-Wortley was 20 years and 7 months when elected; so was not yet 21, the minimum age to qualify as an elector.^[3][12]

After the first session of Parliament finished in August 1854, Stuart-Wortley travelled with Frederick Weld from Auckland (where Parliament met in those years) to Tauranga, Maketu, and Rotorua.^[13] He resigned his seat on 18 July 1855^[9] and returned to the United Kingdom.^[14] His seat stayed vacant until the next election, which was held on 20 December 1855 in the Christchurch Country electorate.^[15]

He was appointed a justice of the peace in early 1858.^[16] He returned to England later in 1858.^[4]

In the UK, he stood for election to the House of Commons at the 1865 general election, when he was an unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate for Sheffield.^[17]

Stuart-Wortley died in England in November 1870, aged 37.^[1][2] His elder brother Edward built St Mary and St John's Church, Hardraw as a memorial to him.^[5]

• Acland, L. G. D. (1946). The Early Canterbury Runs: Containing the First, Second and Third (new) Series. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs Limited.
• Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
• "Christchurch City And Suburban – Ex-Members of the House of Representatives". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand – Canterbury Provincial District. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia Company Limited. 1903.
• Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
• Sewell, Henry (1980). W. David McIntyre (ed.). The Journal of Henry Sewell 1853–7 : Volume I. Christchurch: Whitcoulls Publishers. ISBN 0-7233-0624-9.