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SAVILE, John, 2nd Earl of Mexborough [I] (1761-1830), of Methley Park, nr. Leeds, Yorks.
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Biography Detail
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Constituency
Dates
Family and Education
b. 8 Apr. 1661, 1st s. of John Savile†, 1st Earl of Mexborough [I], by Sarah, da. of Francis Blake Delaval† of Seaton Delaval, Northumb. educ. Westminster 1772; Trinity Coll. Camb. 1779. m. 30 Sept. 1782, Elizabeth, da. and h. of Henry Stephenson of East Burnham, Berks. and Cox Lodge, nr. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumb. 1s. 2da. suc. fa. as 2nd Earl 12 Feb. 1778.
Offices Held
Capt. Pontefract vols. 1798, lt.-col. commdt. 1803-7.
Biography
Lord Mexborough, who had made no previous attempt to get into Parliament, was returned for Lincoln after an expensive contest in January 1808, coming to the rescue of his son-in-law Lord Monson’s interest there. Monson had failed to find another suitable candidate and there is no reason to suppose that his father-in-law relished being in Parliament: he was certainly not prepared to be at such expense again. His son and heir, Viscount Pollington, already had a safe seat for Pontefract and helped his father in his canvass.1
Mexborough’s election speech was somewhat ambiguous; he promised to follow the principles of his Whig predecessor in the seat, but ‘to oppose every chimerical innovation of the rights of the Church and State; to oppose faction in every form; to be a zealous supporter of the prerogatives of the crown as well as the interests of the people’. He is not known to have made any speech and between intervals of absence for illness began to vote with opposition, 21 Feb. 1809, on the convention of Cintra. He voted against the address, 23 Jan. 1810, and for the inquiry into the Scheldt expedition, 26 Jan., 5 and 30 Mar. The Whigs regarded him as one of their present supporters then. On 30 May he voted for Tierney’s motion on the droits of Admiralty, and from November 1810 to January 1811 supported opposition on the Regency proposals. On 24 Feb. 1812 he was unable to comply with a circular to attend the following week because of gout. Although opposed to Catholic relief, 22 June, he had on 21 May supported Stuart Wortley’s motion for a stronger administration. His last known vote was against the leather tax, 26 June 1812. He said nothing of his intended retirement until the last minute, so as to enable the Monsons to find a replacement.2 He died 3 Feb. 1830.
