HOOKER, William (1647-1718), of Trelisick, nr. Truro, Cornw.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1702 - 1705

Family and Education

bap. 31 Oct. 1647, 1st s. of Sir William Hooker of St. Dionis Backchurch, London, alderman of London 1664–89, ld. mayor 1673–4, by 1st w. Lettice, da. of Francis Coppinger.  m. lic. 14 June 1671, Elizabeth, da. of John Turnor of the Middle Temple, London, recorder of York, 4da.  suc. fa. 1697.1

Offices Held

Member, Grocers’ Co. by 1692, warden 1692, 1702.2

Deputy receiver-gen. duchy of Cornw. by 1682–?1697, 1704–?7, jt. receiver-gen. 1709–d.3

Biography

Hooker’s father was a wealthy London merchant who served as an alderman for over two decades, being one of the few aldermen who continued in office until the Revolution. Hooker followed his father to become a member of the Grocers’ Company, but little is known of his early life until 1680, when he became executor to his brother-in-law John Tregagle†. Tregagle had left significant debts from his service as receiver-general of the duchy of Cornwall, and much of Hooker’s time was spent in ascertaining and satisfying the demands on Tregagle’s estate, and in acting as deputy to Tregagle’s son John*, who succeeded to his father’s place in 1680 when aged only six. After the Revolution Hooker, who in February 1690 lent the government £5,000 on the additional aid, unsuccessfully petitioned for the reversion of the post of havenor of the duchy of Cornwall, but despite this disappointment continued to act as deputy receiver-general until at least 1697. He appears to have found difficulty in clearing his accounts, as in May 1697 the pensions, drawn upon duchy funds, of Lord Chancellor Somers (Sir John*) and a Dutch favourite of the King were still unpaid. When called before the Treasury lords to explain this failure, Hooker pointed out that he was only ‘a trustee for an infant who is now come of age’, John Tregagle jnr. having assumed his post of receiver-general of the duchy at some point in the mid- to late 1690s. Following his father’s death in July 1697 Hooker inherited an estate variously estimated at £2,000 and £3,000 p.a., but shortly afterwards he calculated that Tregagle owed him over £1,000 upon a mortgage taken out in order to settle the debts of Tregagle’s father. The following year the Treasury ordered an investigation into duchy revenues still in the hands of Hooker or Tregagle, and in 1700 it was reported that over £6,600 was unaccounted for and that Tregagle was responsible. Consequently in August 1701 Tregagle assigned his office to Hooker and Robert Corker† and granted them a 500-year mortgage on his estates, in return for their indemnifying him in respect of all his debts to the crown.4

Hooker entered the Commons in 1702 for Bossiney, presumably utilizing the Tregagle interest in the borough, but was an inactive Member. On 30 Oct. 1704 he was forecast as a likely opponent the Tack, and on 28 Nov. did not vote for it. In 1705 he was included on a list of placemen. Hooker did not stand at the 1705 or any subsequent election, and his energies appear to have been focused on private concerns. In 1704 he and Robert Corker had had Tregagle’s estates valued against his debts, and they began to act as joint deputy-receivers of the duchy. In May 1705 Hooker and Corker petitioned for the post of receiver-general, for the term of their lives, but were denied because of the debt still owing on Tregagle’s accounts, and because the place could not be granted for life. Hooker’s pursuit of this office nevertheless continued, and appears to have become entangled with his attempts to obtain a grant of Tintagel Castle, near Bossiney. He had first petitioned for such a grant, in competition with the Earl of Radnor (Charles Bodvile Robartes†), in October 1702 and two years later had gained a caveat to prevent any grant of Tintagel. Though the reason for Hooker’s initial application is unclear, it seems that he came to some arrangement with Samuel Travers*, the surveyor-general of crown lands who had in 1702 been ordered to report upon Tintagel. In the 1708 election, Hooker transferred his electoral interest to Travers, and the following year attained the office (with Corker) of joint receiver of the duchy (see BOSSINEY, Cornw.). The 1708 Act to enable the crown to make leases of duchy land had, according to Hooker and Corker, included a clause allowing the grant of this office for life, but the office does not appear to have brought much benefit to Hooker. In 1712 he had to sub-mortgage the rectory of St. Kew to Corker for £2,000 and was unable to repay either the sum or the interest by the time of his death. Politically, Hooker remained a Tory, voting for the party ticket in the London poll of 1710, and three years later polling for three of the four candidates on the Tory slate. He died intestate in 1718.5

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Author: Eveline Cruickshanks

Notes

  • 1. IGI, London; J. R. Woodhead, Rulers of London (London and Mdx. Arch. Soc.), 92; Fam. Min. Gent. (Harl. Soc. xxxix), 924; London Mar. Lic. 1660–1700 (Brit. Rec. Soc. lxvi), 21; Gilbert, Hist. Surv. Cornw. ii. 279.
  • 2. Info. from Prof. H. G. Horwitz.
  • 3. Cal. Treas. Bks. vii. 462; xii. 14; xxiii. 247; B. Spooner, John Tregagle of Trevorder, 26.
  • 4. Spooner, 22–25; Cal. Treas. Bks. vii. 406, 413, 1446, 2002; ix. 36, 42, 672–3; x. 303; xii. 13, 14; xiii. 53; Luttrell, Brief Relation, iv. 250.
  • 5. Spooner, 26–29; Cal. Treas. Bks. xvii. 370; xix. 55, 189, 311; xx. 114, 277; xxii. 264; xxiii. 247; HMC Portland, iv. 489; London Poll 1710 (IHR), 72; London Rec. Soc. xvii. 94.