The Hon. John William Fortescue (14 July 1819 – 25 September 1859) was a British Whig politician.

Background

Fortescue was the second son of Hugh Fortescue, 2nd Earl Fortescue, and Lady Susan, daughter of Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby

Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby

Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby, PC, FSA was a prominent British politician of the Pittite faction and the Tory party.-Background and education:...

. His paternal grandmother Hester Grenville was the daughter of George Grenville

George Grenville

George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...

. Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl Fortescue

Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl Fortescue

Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl Fortescue , known as Viscount Ebrington from 1841 to 1861, was a British peer and occasional politician.He entered the House of Commons in 1841 as a member for Plymouth...

 and the Hon. Dudley Fortescue

Dudley Fortescue

The Hon. Dudley Francis Fortescue , was a British Liberal politician.-Background:Fortescue was the third son of Hugh Fortescue, 2nd Earl Fortescue, and Lady Susan, daughter of Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby. His paternal grandmother Hester Grenville was the daughter of George Grenville. Hugh...

 were his brothers.

Political career

Fortescue was returned to Parliament as one of two representatives for Barnstaple

Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency)

Barnstaple was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Barnstaple in Devon, in the South West of England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, when its representation was reduced to one member.The constituency...

 in 1847, a seat he held until 1852. He was also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the East Devon Militia.

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