Family and Education

b. 13 May 1797, 1st s. of Philip John Miles^†, Bristol merchant, of Abbots Leigh by 1st w. Maria, da. of Very Rev. Arthur Whetham, dean of Lismore. educ. Eton 1811; Christ Church, Oxf. 1815; L. Inn 1818. m. 12 Catherine, da. of John Gordon of Clifton, Glos., 5s. 7da. suc. fa. 1845; cr. Bt. 19 Apr. 1859.

Offices Held

Lt.-col. N. Som. yeoman cav. 1839, col. 1843.

Biography

Miles, the son of a Bristol merchant and banker trading to the West Indies, preceded his father into Parliament. In 1818, when scarcely of age, he was invited to contest Chippenham as an independent candidate and was returned head of the poll. In 1820 he declined a contest and did not return to the House until 1830. In his first Parliament he silently supported government. After leaves of absence for illness in March and April 1819, he voted against Tierney’s censure motion, 18 May, and for the foreign enlistment bill, 10 June. His only known minority vote was on the seditious meetings prevention bill, 6 Dec. 1819, which he voted to be limited to three years’ duration. He died 17 June 1878.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes