Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley
Encyclopedia
Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley PC (23 June 1716 – 1 January 1789) was an English
politician
.
He was the eldest son of Thomas Norton of Grantley, Yorkshire. He became a barrister in 1739, and, after a period of inactivity, built up a profitable practice, becoming a King's Counsel in 1754, and later attorney-general for the county palatine of Lancaster. In 1756 he was elected member of parliament for Appleby
; he represented Wigan
from 1761 to 1768, and was appointed solicitor-general for England and knighted in 1762. He took part in the proceedings against John Wilkes
, and, having become Attorney General for England and Wales
in 1763, prosecuted William Byron, 5th Baron Byron
for the murder of William Chaworth. However, he lost his office when the Marquess of Rockingham
came to power in July 1765.
In 1769, as MP for Guildford
, Norton became a privy councillor and chief Justice in Eyre
of the forests south of the Trent, and in 1770 was elected Speaker of the House of Commons
. In 1777, when presenting the bill for the increase of the civil list to the king, he told George III
that "parliament has not only granted to your majesty a large present supply, but also a very great additional revenue; great beyond example; great beyond your majesty's highest expense." This speech aroused general attention and caused some irritation; but the Speaker was supported by Charles James Fox
and by the city of London, and received the thanks of the House of Commons.
The king did not forget these plain words, and after the general election of 1780, the prime minister, Lord North, and his followers declined to support the re-election of the retiring Speaker, alleging that his health was not equal to the duties of the office, and he was defeated when the voting took place. In 1782 he was made a peer as Baron Grantley
of Markenfield
.
He was succeeded as Baron Grantley by his eldest son William (1742–1822). Nathaniel William Wraxall
describes Norton as a bold, able and eloquent, but not a popular pleader, and as Speaker he was aggressive and indiscreet. Derided by satirists as "Sir Bullface Doublefee," and described by Horace Walpole as one who rose from obscure infamy to that infamous fame which will long stick to him, his character was also assailed by "Junius
".
See H Walpole, Memoirs of the Reign of George III., edited by GFR Barker (1894); Sir NW Wraxall, Historical and Posthumous Memoirs, edited by HB Wheatley (1884); and JA Manning, Lives of the Speakers (1850).
By his wife Grace, daughter of Sir William Chapple, he had five children:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
He was the eldest son of Thomas Norton of Grantley, Yorkshire. He became a barrister in 1739, and, after a period of inactivity, built up a profitable practice, becoming a King's Counsel in 1754, and later attorney-general for the county palatine of Lancaster. In 1756 he was elected member of parliament for Appleby
Appleby (UK Parliament constituency)
Appleby was a parliamentary constituency in the former county of Westmorland in England. It existed for two separate periods: from 1295 to 1832, and from 1885 to 1918....
; he represented Wigan
Wigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
from 1761 to 1768, and was appointed solicitor-general for England and knighted in 1762. He took part in the proceedings against John Wilkes
John Wilkes
John Wilkes was an English radical, journalist and politician.He was first elected Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlesex election dispute, he fought for the right of voters—rather than the House of Commons—to determine their representatives...
, and, having become Attorney General for England and Wales
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
in 1763, prosecuted William Byron, 5th Baron Byron
William Byron, 5th Baron Byron
William Byron, 5th Baron Byron , also known as "the Wicked Lord" and "the Devil Byron", was the poet George Gordon Byron's great uncle. He was the son of William Byron, 4th Baron Byron and his wife Hon...
for the murder of William Chaworth. However, he lost his office when the Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...
came to power in July 1765.
In 1769, as MP for Guildford
Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
, Norton became a privy councillor and chief Justice in Eyre
Justice in Eyre
In English law, the Justices in Eyre were the highest magistrates in forest law, and presided over the court of justice-seat, a triennial court held to punish offenders against the forest law and enquire into the state of the forest and its officers...
of the forests south of the Trent, and in 1770 was elected Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
. In 1777, when presenting the bill for the increase of the civil list to the king, he told George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
that "parliament has not only granted to your majesty a large present supply, but also a very great additional revenue; great beyond example; great beyond your majesty's highest expense." This speech aroused general attention and caused some irritation; but the Speaker was supported by Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
and by the city of London, and received the thanks of the House of Commons.
The king did not forget these plain words, and after the general election of 1780, the prime minister, Lord North, and his followers declined to support the re-election of the retiring Speaker, alleging that his health was not equal to the duties of the office, and he was defeated when the voting took place. In 1782 he was made a peer as Baron Grantley
Baron Grantley
Lord Grantley, Baron of Markenfield, in the County of York, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1782 for Sir Fletcher Norton, Attorney General from 1763 to 1765 and Speaker of the House of Commons from 1770 to 1780. His son, the second Baron, was also a politician and...
of Markenfield
Markenfield Hall
Markenfield Hall, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, is one of the finest surviving early fourteenth-century English country houses; it was built by John de Markenfield, an associate of Piers Gaveston and a servant of Edward II. A license to crenellate was issued for Markenfield in 1310, the same year...
.
He was succeeded as Baron Grantley by his eldest son William (1742–1822). Nathaniel William Wraxall
Nathaniel William Wraxall
Sir Nathaniel William Wraxall, 1st Baronet was an English author-Life:He was born in Queen Square, Bristol, the son of a Bristol merchant, Nathaniel Wraxall, and his wife Anne, great niece of Sir James Thornhill the painter...
describes Norton as a bold, able and eloquent, but not a popular pleader, and as Speaker he was aggressive and indiscreet. Derided by satirists as "Sir Bullface Doublefee," and described by Horace Walpole as one who rose from obscure infamy to that infamous fame which will long stick to him, his character was also assailed by "Junius
Junius
Junius was the pseudonym of a writer who contributed a series of letters to the Public Advertiser, from 21 January 1769 to 21 January 1772. The signature had been already used, apparently by him, in a letter of 21 November 1768...
".
See H Walpole, Memoirs of the Reign of George III., edited by GFR Barker (1894); Sir NW Wraxall, Historical and Posthumous Memoirs, edited by HB Wheatley (1884); and JA Manning, Lives of the Speakers (1850).
By his wife Grace, daughter of Sir William Chapple, he had five children:
- William Norton, 2nd Baron GrantleyWilliam Norton, 2nd Baron GrantleyWilliam Norton was a British MP and peer. His father Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley was created a peer on 9 April 1782, from which time William Norton was styled 'the Honourable'...
(1742–1822) - Hon. Fletcher Norton (1744–1820)
- Hon. Chapple NortonChapple NortonGeneral John Chapple Norton was a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and who later became a Member of Parliament for Guildford....
(1746–1818) - Hon. Edward Norton (1750–1786)
- Hon. Grace Norton (1752–1813), married John Wallop, 3rd Earl of PortsmouthJohn Wallop, 3rd Earl of PortsmouthJohn Charles Wallop, 3rd Earl of Portsmouth , styled Viscount Lymington until 1797, was a British nobleman and lunatic....