He was a member of parliament for a total of 20 years, representing Chester for three, Whitby for twelve and East Worcestershire for five.

He wrote on musical topics, and one of the views he expressed was that choral church services were to be deplored because "the choirs often discourage the congregations from singing".

He was one of two sitting members of parliament to play for Scotland in this match, the other being John Wingfield Malcolm, MP for Boston.

[5] He died in London on 4 July 1891; his son William Glynne Charles Gladstone inherited Hawarden.

[6] His funeral at Hawarden was extremely well attended, and the poor of the parish were said to have "unmistakeably felt that they had lost a most kind and generous benefactor".