MILNER, Sir William, 1st Bt. (c.1696-1745), of Nun Appleton, Yorks.

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

Constituency

Dates

1722 - 1734

Family and Education

b. c.1696, 1st s. of William Milner of Nun Appleton, alderman and mayor of Leeds, by Mary, da. of Joshua Ibbetson, also mayor of Leeds. educ.Eton; Jesus, Camb. 1713; M. Temple 1713. m. 5 Dec. 1716, Elizabeth, da. of Sir William Dawes, 3rd Bt., abp. of York 1714-24, 1s. 1da. cr. Bt. 26 Feb. 1717. suc. fa. 1740.

Offices Held

Biography

The son of a Leeds clothing merchant, Milner was returned in 1722 for York as a Tory on the interest of his father-in-law, the archbishop, who was said to aim at making it ‘a church borough’.1 In 1725 he was one of the Tories who voted against the restoration of Bolingbroke’s estates.2 In the next Parliament he went over to the Government, voting with them on the Hessians 1730, the army 1732, and the repeal of the Septennial Act 1734, but against them on the civil list arrears 1729, and the excise bill 1733. His only recorded speech was made, 19 Feb. 1732, on a complaint of breach of privilege by a clergyman who had accused him publicly of having a pension of £500 a year. He denied the charge, adding that while serving in Parliament he would never accept a place or pension, from this or any other ministry, to keep his opinion unbiased. He stood again in 1734 but withdrew before the poll. Defeated in 1741, he died 23 Nov. 1745.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

  • 1. T. Jenkins to Sunderland, undated, Sunderland (Blenheim) mss.
  • 2. Knatchbull Diary, 20 Apr. 1725.