John Hunter (British politician)
Encyclopedia
John Hunter was a British
'nabob' who became wealthy as a result of trading with India, and subsequently went into politics as deputy chairman of the East India Company
and as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Leominster
.
in Hertfordshire
and served in 1780-1 as a Sheriff of the county. At Gubbins, Hunter became interested in farming and in fattening Oxen for sale, at which he is reported to have succeeded in turning a profit.
At the 1780 general election
, Hunter came forward as an Opposition candidate for the borough of Milborne Port
in Somerset. He and his running mate, Temple Luttrell, were defeated by the Northite
candidates with Hunter finishing bottom of the poll. In the same year his wife, Anne, died; she was a relative of William Hornby, the Governor of Bombay. It is said that Hunter married again to a "mulatto
".
. The Company's rule was that directors served for four years but were not eligible for re-election until the year after their previous term ended, but Hunter was re-elected in 1786, 1791, 1796 and 1801 so he was still on the Board at his death more than 20 years later. His role as a Director made him more influential in politics and in 1783 he was reckoned to be, as one of the Directors influenced by the India traders in the City of London, a supporter of Francis Baring and politically close to Richard Atkinson who was then aligned with William Pitt the Younger
in politics.
, Hunter's name was put by George Rose
on a list of men for whom seats were to be found; the list specified that Hunter was willing to pay £2,000 and possibly £3,000 for a seat. A seat was indeed found for him at Leominster
where he ran in conjunction with Hon. Penn Curzon as supporters of William Pitt the Younger
. This time Hunter finished at the top of the poll with 312 votes, followed by Curzon with 308, both well ahead of the Foxite
Sir Gilbert Elliott on 171.
Hunter was a supporter of Pitt, including on reform of Parliament in April 1785, but he is only known to have spoken once in debate. This occasion was in March 1793 when he defended the resolutions of the East Indian Committee. In April 1794 he was elected as the Deputy Chairman of the East India Company for the ensuing year. When Pitt's ally Henry Dundas
attempted to increase his influence on the East India Company, Hunter was generally supportive of Dundas; and also supported Dundas' nominee as Chairman of the Company, David Scott, from 1796.
and 1796
, topping the poll each time, but the 1796 election cost him more than £2,000 as he paid £5 to each of 402 voters who came to the poll. There were a further 142 voters whom he did not pay, of whom 60 supported him; they were either in debt to him, independently wealthy, or Quakers. Hunter decided to retire a year later, giving up his seat
through appointment as Steward of the Manor of East Hendred on 14 June 1797.
On his death in Bath in December 1802, Hunter's estate passed to his granddaughter; her husband then took the surname Hunter, although he sold the estate. Hunter was buried in a family vault in the churchyard at North Mymms
.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
'nabob' who became wealthy as a result of trading with India, and subsequently went into politics as deputy chairman of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Leominster
Leominster (UK Parliament constituency)
Leominster was, until 2010, a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.From 1295 to 1868, it was a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election. Under the Reform Act 1867 its...
.
Foundations of business career
Although he had only £100 to his name when he left England, Hunter was said to have enjoyed "long success in trade as a free merchant in the East Indies" which gave him assets of over £100,000. In July 1777 he bought the Gobions or Gubbins Estate, near Potters BarPotters Bar
Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located north of Central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and served in 1780-1 as a Sheriff of the county. At Gubbins, Hunter became interested in farming and in fattening Oxen for sale, at which he is reported to have succeeded in turning a profit.
At the 1780 general election
British general election, 1780
The British general election, 1780 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 15th Parliament of Great Britain to be held after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707...
, Hunter came forward as an Opposition candidate for the borough of Milborne Port
Milborne Port (UK Parliament constituency)
Milborne Port is a former parliamentary borough located in Somerset. It elected two members to the unreformed House of Commons between 1298 and 1307 and again from 1628, but was disenfranchised in the Reform Act 1832 as a rotten borough.- MPs 1640–1832 :...
in Somerset. He and his running mate, Temple Luttrell, were defeated by the Northite
Frederick North, Lord North
Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, KG, PC , more often known by his courtesy title, Lord North, which he used from 1752 until 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the American War of Independence...
candidates with Hunter finishing bottom of the poll. In the same year his wife, Anne, died; she was a relative of William Hornby, the Governor of Bombay. It is said that Hunter married again to a "mulatto
Mulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
".
East India Company
In 1781 Hunter first took up the role of Director of the East India CompanyEast India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. The Company's rule was that directors served for four years but were not eligible for re-election until the year after their previous term ended, but Hunter was re-elected in 1786, 1791, 1796 and 1801 so he was still on the Board at his death more than 20 years later. His role as a Director made him more influential in politics and in 1783 he was reckoned to be, as one of the Directors influenced by the India traders in the City of London, a supporter of Francis Baring and politically close to Richard Atkinson who was then aligned with William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
in politics.
MP for Leominster
When the Government was preparing for the 1784 general electionBritish general election, 1784
The British general election of 1784 resulted in William Pitt the Younger securing an overall majority of about 120 in the House of Commons of Great Britain, having previously had to survive in a House which was dominated by his opponents.-Background:...
, Hunter's name was put by George Rose
George Rose
The Right Honourable George Rose was a British politician.Born at Woodside near Brechin, Scotland, Rose was the son of the Reverend David Rose of Lethnot, by Margaret, daughter of Donald Rose of Wester Clune...
on a list of men for whom seats were to be found; the list specified that Hunter was willing to pay £2,000 and possibly £3,000 for a seat. A seat was indeed found for him at Leominster
Leominster (UK Parliament constituency)
Leominster was, until 2010, a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.From 1295 to 1868, it was a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election. Under the Reform Act 1867 its...
where he ran in conjunction with Hon. Penn Curzon as supporters of William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
. This time Hunter finished at the top of the poll with 312 votes, followed by Curzon with 308, both well ahead of the Foxite
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...
Sir Gilbert Elliott on 171.
Hunter was a supporter of Pitt, including on reform of Parliament in April 1785, but he is only known to have spoken once in debate. This occasion was in March 1793 when he defended the resolutions of the East Indian Committee. In April 1794 he was elected as the Deputy Chairman of the East India Company for the ensuing year. When Pitt's ally Henry Dundas
Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville PC and Baron Dunira was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He was the first Secretary of State for War and the last person to be impeached in the United Kingdom....
attempted to increase his influence on the East India Company, Hunter was generally supportive of Dundas; and also supported Dundas' nominee as Chairman of the Company, David Scott, from 1796.
Retirement
He faced contested re-election campaigns in both 1790British general election, 1790
The British general election, 1790 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.-Political Situation:...
and 1796
British general election, 1796
The British general election, 1796 returned members to serve in the 18th and last House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain to be held before the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801...
, topping the poll each time, but the 1796 election cost him more than £2,000 as he paid £5 to each of 402 voters who came to the poll. There were a further 142 voters whom he did not pay, of whom 60 supported him; they were either in debt to him, independently wealthy, or Quakers. Hunter decided to retire a year later, giving up his seat
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
through appointment as Steward of the Manor of East Hendred on 14 June 1797.
On his death in Bath in December 1802, Hunter's estate passed to his granddaughter; her husband then took the surname Hunter, although he sold the estate. Hunter was buried in a family vault in the churchyard at North Mymms
North Mymms
North Mymms is a civil parish in the English county of Hertfordshire.The village itself has suffered from enclosure. North Mimms Park and Brookmans Park enclose large areas of the parish. Even the parish church stands in the park of North Mimms; in it is a chapel, the burialplace of the Coningsbys...
.
External links
- History of Gobions by Peter Kingsford (from the Brookmans Park Newsletter)