Sir Christopher Sykes, 2nd Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Christopher Sykes, 2nd Baronet D.C.L. (23 May 1749 – 17 September 1801) was an English Tory politician and a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Beverley
from 1784 to 1790.
He was the only son of Reverend Sir Mark Sykes, 1st Baronet
who had created the Sykes Baronets
shortly before his death in 1783. He was a minister of Roos
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
. Christopher Sykes married Elizabeth, daughter of William Tatton, Esq., of Withenshaw, Cheshire
, and was father of Sir Mark Sykes, 3rd Baronet and Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet.In the 1790s he greatly expanded the Sledmere House
estate, the home of the Sykes family. He and his wife bought and enclosed huge areas of land for cultivation, built two new wings to the house, and landscaped the grounds, planting 10 square kilometres of trees. Sir Christopher left a vast estate of nearly 120 square kilometres and a large mansion set in its own 0.8 square kilometres of parkland, which survives in the family to the present day. Sir Christopher also employed Joseph Rose, the most celebrated plasterer of his day, to decorate Sledmere.
He was elected at the 1784 general election
as one of the two MPs for the borough of Beverley
, but did not stand again at the 1790 election
.
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 Beverley
Beverley (UK Parliament constituency)
Beverley has been the name of a parliamentary constituency in the East Riding of Yorkshire for three separate periods. From medieval times until 1869, it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the market town of Beverley, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons...
from 1784 to 1790.
He was the only son of Reverend Sir Mark Sykes, 1st Baronet
Sir Mark Sykes, 1st Baronet
Sir Mark Sykes, 1st Baronet was an English reverend and rector of Roos in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Sykes was created a baronet in 1783, shortly before his death; the baronetcy was originally designed for his son Christopher, who insisted it be conferred upon his father.He married Decima...
who had created the Sykes Baronets
Sykes Baronets
There have been created four Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Sykes, two in the Baronetage of Great Britain and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
shortly before his death in 1783. He was a minister of Roos
Roos
Roos is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated east of Kingston upon Hull city centre and north west of Withernsea on the B1242 road.The Prime Meridian crosses the coast to the east of Roos....
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
. Christopher Sykes married Elizabeth, daughter of William Tatton, Esq., of Withenshaw, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, and was father of Sir Mark Sykes, 3rd Baronet and Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet.In the 1790s he greatly expanded the Sledmere House
Sledmere House
Sledmere House is a Grade I listed Georgian country house, containing Chippendale, Sheraton and French furnishings and many fine pictures, set within a park designed by Capability Brown. It is located in the village of Sledmere, between Driffield and Malton, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England...
estate, the home of the Sykes family. He and his wife bought and enclosed huge areas of land for cultivation, built two new wings to the house, and landscaped the grounds, planting 10 square kilometres of trees. Sir Christopher left a vast estate of nearly 120 square kilometres and a large mansion set in its own 0.8 square kilometres of parkland, which survives in the family to the present day. Sir Christopher also employed Joseph Rose, the most celebrated plasterer of his day, to decorate Sledmere.
He was elected at the 1784 general election
British 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:...
as one of the two MPs for the borough of Beverley
Beverley (UK Parliament constituency)
Beverley has been the name of a parliamentary constituency in the East Riding of Yorkshire for three separate periods. From medieval times until 1869, it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the market town of Beverley, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons...
, but did not stand again at the 1790 election
British 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:...
.