o ▁un success fully ▁cont ested ▁Big g les w ade ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁but ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁Conserv ative ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁Oxford ▁University ▁at ▁a ▁by - e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁holding ▁the ▁seat ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁He ▁held ▁office ▁under ▁David ▁Lloyd ▁George ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Agricult ure , ▁with ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁cabinet , ▁between ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁in ▁which ▁role ▁he ▁introduced ▁a ▁guaranteed ▁price ▁for ▁whe at . ▁He ▁was ▁sw orn ▁of ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁he ▁was ▁raised ▁to ▁the ▁peer age ▁as ▁Baron ▁Ern le , ▁of ▁Ch else a ▁in ▁the ▁County ▁of ▁London , ▁a ▁title ▁chosen ▁in ▁reflection ▁of ▁his ▁pride ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁mat ril ine al ▁descent ▁from ▁the ▁Ern le ▁family , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁land ed ▁families ▁of ▁Sus sex ▁and ▁W ilt shire . ▁ ▁Cr icket ▁career ▁Pro ther o ▁played ▁six ▁first - class ▁cr icket ▁matches ▁between ▁ 1 8 7 2 – 1 8 8 3 . ▁Tw ice ▁for ▁a ▁Gent le man ▁of ▁England ▁team ▁against ▁Oxford ▁University ▁and ▁in ▁four ▁matches ▁for ▁Ham pshire . ▁Pro ther o ▁played ▁for ▁Ham pshire ▁between ▁ 1 8 7 5 – 1 8 8 3 ▁before ▁ret iring ▁from ▁first