GODDARD, John (1682-1736), of Pall Mall, London, and Falmouth, Cornw.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1727 - 5 July 1736

Family and Education

b. 5 Dec. 1682, 4th s. of Thomas Goddard, director of Bank of England 1694-1700, of Nun’s Court, Coleman St., London by Elizabeth, da. of Humphrey Shallcross of Digswell, Herts. m. Anne, sis. of Joseph Gulston, wid. of one Simondi, Swedish consul at Lisbon, s.p.

Offices Held

Commissary for settling merchants’ losses with Spain 1730-d.; assistant, R. African Co. 1734-d.

Biography

Goddard, a Portugal merchant, was returned for Tregony as a Whig in 1727, voting with the Administration on the arrears of the civil list in 1729 and on the Hessians in 1730. During the second reading, 24 Feb. 1730, of a government bill to prevent loans to foreign powers without a licence, he supported Walpole’s statement that ‘there was a loan from hence for [the Emperor] going on of £400,000’, saying that

he had enquired from the Jews and that there was £40,000 subscribed, and averred it to be true, that the Emperor on this occasion had but 2 shops to go to, the Dutch and us ... if the powers were too great to the Crown, make the Act yourselves without power of proclamation and make it temporary ... there were many precedents of it as in the South Sea directors’ case.1

He left England for Seville on a government mission in June 1731, receiving an allowance of £1,825 p.a. during his negotiations with the Spanish commissioners.2 In November 1732 he applied for leave to come home to support his interest at Tregony, which Lord Falmouth had been undermining during his absence.3 Returning to England, he voted with the Administration in March 1734 against the repeal of the Septennial Act. Re-elected unopposed, with his son-in-law, Henry Penton, he died 5 July 1736, leaving £20,000 to his wife.4

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Eveline Cruickshanks

Notes

  • 1. Knatchbull Diary.
  • 2. Cal. Treas. Bks. and Pprs. 1731-4, p. 214 et passim.
  • 3. John Goddard to Sir Chas. Wager, 28 Nov. 1732, Cholmondeley (Houghton) mss.
  • 4. PCC 152 Derby.