Thomas Winnington
Encyclopedia
Thomas Winnington of Stanford Court, was an English politician.
Winnington was the son of Salwey Winnington
of Stanford Court, Member of Parliament
for Bewdley
, and grandson of Sir Francis Winnington
, who had been Solicitor General
in the 1670s. He was educated at Westminster School
and Christ Church, Oxford
, and was admitted to Middle Temple
in 1714.
He entered Parliament in 1726 as Whig
member for Droitwich
, and was re-elected there at every general election for the rest of his life; however in 1741 he was also elected for Worcester
(a more prestigious constituency), and he chose to represent that city in what turned out to be his last Parliament.
A supporter of the Prime Minister Robert Walpole
, Winnington was made a Lord of the Admiralty in 1730, and served as a Lord of the Treasury
from 1736 to 1742; in 1741 he was made a Privy Counsellor and became Cofferer of the Household
. When Henry Pelham
became Prime Minister in 1743, he appointed Winnington Paymaster General of the Forces
, the post he himself had held in the previous administration (although unlike Pelham, Winnington was not accorded a seat in the Cabinet
); he held this post for the remaining two-and-a-half years of his life.
In 1719, Winnington married Love Reade, daughter of Sir James Reade, Bt. of Brocket Hall
, Hertfordshire
. They had no children. The Stanford Court estate subsequently passed to his cousin who became Sir Edward Winnington, 1st Baronet
.
Winnington was the son of Salwey Winnington
Salwey Winnington
Salwey Winnington , of Stanford Court, Worcestershire, was an English landowner and Member of Parliament ....
of Stanford Court, 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,...
for Bewdley
Bewdley (UK Parliament constituency)
Bewdley was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1605 until 1950. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough in Worcestershire, represented by one Member of Parliament; the name was then transferred to a county constituency from 1885 until...
, and grandson of Sir Francis Winnington
Francis Winnington
Francis Winnington may refer to*Francis Winnington , English lawyer and Solicitor-General to King Charles II*Francis Winnington , English politician and barrister...
, who had been Solicitor General
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
in the 1670s. He was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, and was admitted to Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1714.
He entered Parliament in 1726 as Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
member for Droitwich
Droitwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Droitwich was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of England in 1295, and again from 1554, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
, and was re-elected there at every general election for the rest of his life; however in 1741 he was also elected for Worcester
Worcester (UK Parliament constituency)
Worcester is a borough 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; from 1295 to 1885 it elected two MPs....
(a more prestigious constituency), and he chose to represent that city in what turned out to be his last Parliament.
A supporter of the Prime Minister Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, Winnington was made a Lord of the Admiralty in 1730, and served as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
from 1736 to 1742; in 1741 he was made a Privy Counsellor and became Cofferer of the Household
Cofferer of the Household
The Cofferer of the Household was formerly an office in the English and British Royal Household.The holder had special charge over other officers of the household and was an officer of state and a member of the Privy Council and the Board of Green Cloth....
. When 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...
became Prime Minister in 1743, he appointed Winnington Paymaster General of the Forces
Paymaster of the Forces
The Paymaster of the Forces was a position in the British government. The office, which was established 1661 after the Restoration, was responsible for part of the financing of the British Army. The first to hold the office was Sir Stephen Fox. Before his time it had been the custom to appoint...
, the post he himself had held in the previous administration (although unlike Pelham, Winnington was not accorded a seat in the Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
); he held this post for the remaining two-and-a-half years of his life.
In 1719, Winnington married Love Reade, daughter of Sir James Reade, Bt. of Brocket Hall
Brocket Hall
Brocket Hall is a country house in Hertfordshire, England, from London by road. It was built for Sir Matthew Lamb, 1st Baronet, in around 1760 to designs by the architect James Paine. It stands on the site of two predecessors, the first of which was built in 1239 and the second in about 1430. It...
, 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...
. They had no children. The Stanford Court estate subsequently passed to his cousin who became Sir Edward Winnington, 1st Baronet
Sir Edward Winnington, 1st Baronet
Sir Edward Winnington, 1st Baronet was the son of Edward Winnington of Broadway, son of Francis Winnington of Broadway, son of Sir Francis Winnington and younger brother of Francis Winnington....
.