Family and Education

bap. 31 July 1702,1 3rd but 1st surv.s. of Sir John Norris and bro. of Matthew Norris. m. 13 Jan. 1729, Judith da. and coh. of Robert Western, 1s. 1da. suc. fa. 1749.

Offices Held

Usher of the customs house in the port of London 1732-d.

Biography

At George II’s accession Norris was returned for Rye on his father’s interest. Voting regularly with the Opposition, he spoke against the Government on the Address, 21 Jan. 1729, the Hessians, 4 Feb. 1730, and Dunkirk, 27 Feb. 1730. On 21 Apr. 1730 he initiated a four hours’ debate by moving for an address to lay before the House any secret articles to the treaty of Seville, which took the ministry by surprise. His last reported speech was made against the Government on the payment of a debt to Denmark, 31 Mar. 1732.2 Six months later he vacated his seat on succeeding, under a reversionary grant,3 presumably obtained for him by his father, to a customs post which disqualified its holder from sitting in Parliament. He died 12 Nov. 1767.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

• 1. Reg. St. Paul’s, Covent Gdn. (Harl. Soc.), i. 120.
• 2. HMC Egmont Diary, i. 73, 95, 250; iii. 330-1.
• 3. Gent. Mag. 1732, p. 980.