Sir John Shelley, 5th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir John Shelley, 5th Baronet (1730 – 11 September 1783), of Michelgrove in Sussex
, was an English Member of Parliament
.
He was the eldest son of Sir John Shelley, 4th Baronet and Margaret Pelham, two of whose brothers (Henry Pelham
and The Duke of Newcastle
) served as British Prime Minister
. He entered Parliament at a by-election in 1751, probably at the first opportunity once he was legally old enough to do so, as member for East Retford
, a pocket borough owned by his uncle Newcastle; the vacancy arose from the appointment of the sitting MP as a Commissioner of the Excise, quite possibly with the specific intention of freeing the seat for Shelley. He represented this constituency until 1768 when, having fallen out with Newcastle, he moved to represent nearby Newark
(which had once also been under Newcastle's control but now belonged to another of Newcastle's nephews, the Earl of Lincoln
, who had also quarrelled with his uncle). He was later also MP for New Shoreham
.
In 1755, on the recommendation of Newcastle (who had become Prime Minister on his brother's death the previous year), Shelley was appointed to the desirable sinecure-for-life of Keeper of the Records of the Tower of London
, worth £420 a year. In 1757 he acquired another lucrative post, Clerk of the Pipe, and in 1766 he became Treasurer of His Majesty's Household
and was appointed to the Privy Council.
Shelley succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's death on 5 September 1771. He married Wilhelmina Newnham (died 1772), daughter of John Newnham of Maresfield Park, by whom he had a son, John
, who succeeded him. After the death of his first wife he married again, to Elizabeth Woodcock, and they had three daughters.
He retired from Parliament in 1780, and died in 1783.
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, was an English 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,...
.
He was the eldest son of Sir John Shelley, 4th Baronet and Margaret Pelham, two of whose brothers (Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham was a British Whig statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 27 August 1743 until his death in 1754...
and The Duke of Newcastle
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman, whose official life extended throughout the Whig supremacy of the 18th century. He is commonly known as the Duke of Newcastle.A protégé of Sir Robert Walpole, he served...
) served as British Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. He entered Parliament at a by-election in 1751, probably at the first opportunity once he was legally old enough to do so, as member for East Retford
East Retford (UK Parliament constituency)
East Retford was a parliamentary constituency in Nottinghamshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons for the first time in 1316, and continuously from 1571 until 1885, when the constituency was abolished...
, a pocket borough owned by his uncle Newcastle; the vacancy arose from the appointment of the sitting MP as a Commissioner of the Excise, quite possibly with the specific intention of freeing the seat for Shelley. He represented this constituency until 1768 when, having fallen out with Newcastle, he moved to represent nearby Newark
Newark (UK Parliament constituency)
Newark is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885, it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
(which had once also been under Newcastle's control but now belonged to another of Newcastle's nephews, the Earl of Lincoln
Henry Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne
thumb|right|"The Return From Shooting" by [[Francis Wheatley |Sir Francis Wheatley]] depicting The Duke of Newcastle, his friend Colonel Litchfield and the Duke's gamekeeper, Mansell along with four Clumber Spaniels....
, who had also quarrelled with his uncle). He was later also MP for New Shoreham
New Shoreham (UK Parliament constituency)
New Shoreham, sometimes simply called Shoreham, was a parliamentary borough centred on the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in what is now West Sussex...
.
In 1755, on the recommendation of Newcastle (who had become Prime Minister on his brother's death the previous year), Shelley was appointed to the desirable sinecure-for-life of Keeper of the Records of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, worth £420 a year. In 1757 he acquired another lucrative post, Clerk of the Pipe, and in 1766 he became Treasurer of His Majesty's Household
Treasurer of the Household
The position of Treasurer of the Household is theoretically held by a household official of the British monarch, under control of the Lord Steward's Department, but is, in fact, a political office held by one of the government's Deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons...
and was appointed to the Privy Council.
Shelley succeeded to the baronetcy on his father's death on 5 September 1771. He married Wilhelmina Newnham (died 1772), daughter of John Newnham of Maresfield Park, by whom he had a son, John
Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet
Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet was an English amateur cricketer who made 10 known appearances in major cricket matches from 1792 to 1795....
, who succeeded him. After the death of his first wife he married again, to Elizabeth Woodcock, and they had three daughters.
He retired from Parliament in 1780, and died in 1783.