John Baker (c. 1754 - 20 January 1831) was an English Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain and of the United Kingdom in 1796 and 1797 and from 1802 to 1818.
Baker was the son of George Baker, a surgeon and medical practitioner of Canterbury. The family had long lived in Canterbury. His father left him a considerable fortune which he enlarged by marriage. He lived at Hawkhurst Lodge, in the Weald of Kent, and became one of the largest hop-planters in the district. Later he established the Union Bank at Canterbury and moved to St Stephen's, near there. [1] He became active in local politics and was Sheriff of Canterbury for 1786–87.
In 1796, Baker was elected Member of Parliament for Canterbury on what was called the independent interest. He headed the poll with 774 votes but the election was declared void on petition under the provisions of the Treating Act. At the second election in March 1797 he again had a majority of votes, "although not one public-house had been opened in their interest, nor a single cockade distributed". However a protest was entered against the eligibility of the two elected MPs and the sitting members were re-instated. [1]
In 1802 Baker was elected MP for Canterbury without opposition. He was returned again at the general elections of 1806, 1807, and 1812, and retired at that of 1818. [2] In politics he was always a consistent Whig. He was also appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Canterbury volunteers in 1803.
Baker died at Canterbury, aged 76. He was considered one of the best gentlemen billiard players in the county and excelled even more at whist. [1]
Baker married Jane Tattershall, eldest daughter of the Rev. James Tattersall, Rector of St Paul's, Covent Garden. He had two sons and two daughters. His son George was a barrister and Recorder of Canterbury. [1]
Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough,, was an English judge. After serving as a member of parliament and Attorney General, he became Lord Chief Justice.
Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury, was a British Tory politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1817 to 1835.
Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood DL, known as Viscount Lascelles from 1814 to 1820, was a British peer, slave plantation and other land owner, chiefly inheritee art collector, and Member of Parliament.
Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet was an English reformist politician, the son of Francis Burdett and his wife Eleanor, daughter of William Jones of Ramsbury Manor, Wiltshire, and grandson of Sir Robert Burdett, Bart. From 1820 until his death he lived at 25 St James's Place.
George Tierney PC was an Anglo-Irish Whig politician.
Dysart Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP).
John (II) La Touche was an Irish Whig politician.
John Wodehouse, 2nd Baron Wodehouse, styled The Honourable John Wodehouse from 1797 to 1834, was a British peer and Member of Parliament.
Dudley Long North was an English Whig politician.
Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon KP, PC (Ire), styled Viscount Boyle from 1764 until 1807, was among the last surviving Members of the Parliament of Ireland. He represented Cork County in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1807. He then briefly served as Member of Parliament for Bandon in 1807, succeeding as Earl of Shannon later in the same year. He served as Custos rotulorum for County Cork from 1807 to his death. He was the first Lord Lieutenant of Cork from 1831 to his death.
Sir George Bowyer, 6th and 2nd Baronet, KStJ, GCSG, KCPO, was a British politician. He sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1807 and 1818, first as a Tory and then as a Whig.
Charles Shaw Lefevre, born Charles Shaw, was a British Whig politician.
George Gipps was an English apothecary, hop merchant, banker and politician who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain between 1780 and 1796.
Sir William Geary, 2nd Baronet was an English Tory politician from West Peckham in Kent. He sat in the House of Commons from 1796 to 1806 and from 1812 to 1818.
General Duncan Campbell of Lochnell was a Scottish soldier and Whig politician from Argyll. An officer in the Duke of Argyll's regiment of the British Army, he sat in the House of Commons for nine years in the interest of George Campbell, 6th Duke of Argyll.
James Fox-Lane, known as James Fox until 1773, was an English landed gentleman, who represented Horsham in Parliament for six years.
Lewis Thomas Watson, 2nd Baron Sondes, was a British Whig politician and peer.
Lord Robert Spencer (1747–1831) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons several times between 1768 and 1818.
Sir Jacob Henry Astley, 5th Baronet was an English landowner and Member of Parliament.
George Fludyer (1761–1837) was an English politician, the MP for Chippenham from 1782 to 1802, and for Appleby from 1818 to 1819.
Parliament of Great Britain | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by George Gipps Sir John Honywood, Bt | Member of Parliament for Canterbury 1796–March 1797 With: Samuel Elias Sawbridge | Succeeded by Election declared void 2 Mar 1797 |
Preceded by Election declared void 2 Mar 1797 | Member of Parliament for Canterbury March–May 1797 With: Samuel Elias Sawbridge | Succeeded by Sir John Honywood, Bt George Gipps |
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
Preceded by Sir John Honywood, Bt George Watson | Member of Parliament for Canterbury 1802–1818 With: George Watson 1802–1806 James Simmons 1806-Feb 1807 Samuel Elias Sawbridge Feb-May 1807 Edward Taylor 1807–1812 Stephen Rumbold Lushington 1812–1818 | Succeeded by Lord Clifton Stephen Rumbold Lushington |