ANSON, Thomas (?1695-1773), of Shugborough Hall, Staffs.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1747 - Jan. 1770

Family and Education

b. ?1695, 1st s. of William Anson of Shugborough by Isabella, da. and coh. of Charles Carrier of Wirksworth, Derbys., and bro. of Adm. Lord Anson. educ. St. John’s, Oxf. 2 June 1711, aged 15; I. Temple, called 1719. unm. suc. fa. 1720.

Offices Held

Bencher, I. Temple 1746.

Biography

Sir John Eardley Wilmot, the judge, wrote about Thomas Anson on the day of his death:1 ‘In the former part of his life [he] had lived many years abroad; was a very ingenious, polite, well bred man, and dignified ... his accomplishments by his universal benevolence.’ He entered Parliament late, and made no mark.

Under the Pelhams he was always classed as a Whig. He does not appear in Fox’s list of Members secured for the peace preliminaries, early December 1762; voted for the motion to postpone their consideration, 1 Dec. 1762; but not against the preliminaries themselves. He seems to have joined the Opposition in February 1764: he did not vote with them in the division of 15 Nov. 1763, and was included by James Harris in a list, dated 18 Feb. 1764, of ‘desertions this session’. He voted against general warrants in the divisions of 15 and 18 Feb. 1764, and was classed by Newcastle (10 May) as a ‘sure friend’. He supported the Rockingham Administration, and opposed that of Chatham. His last recorded vote was for the nullum tempus bill, 17 Feb. 1768. His only recorded speech, 29 Mar. 1765, was on an enclosure bill which concerned the dean and chapter of Lichfield cathedral. In January 1770 he vacated his seat in favour of his nephew and heir, George Adams.

Anson died 30 Mar. 1773.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

  • 1. J. Wilmot, Life of Sir J. E. Wilmot, 199.