Family and Education

b. ?1761, 2nd illegit. s. of John Durand^† of Woodcote Lodge, Carshalton.1 m. 25 Aug. 1788, Martha Ann Hassell of Beddington, Surr., 3S. 4da. suc. fa. 1788.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Surr. 1793-4.

Biography

Durand’s nabob father had been Member for Seaford on the Treasury interest in the Parliament of 1780. He himself purchased some property there and stood with John Leach* in 1796, but was defeated. He had joined the Whig Club, 7 Feb. 1792. He persevered at Seaford and hoped to come in at a second attempt ‘by the mere dint of money’, selling his Carshalton property in 1800; but found his prospects poor. Accordingly he agreed, 20 Feb. 1802, to sell out to John Leach (acting as a broker for Lord Pelham and Charles Rose Ellis) for 3,500 guineas after the general election, keeping up a pretence of candidature until two days before the election so as to discourage other adventurers. He gave up earlier than agreed and subsequently made difficulties about the sale of his Seaford property, but it was completed in November 1803.2

Durand was returned for Maidstone at the head of the poll in 1802, on the Whig interest. By one account he was picked up in a London coffee house by a deputation from there in quest of a candidate.3 He was a silent and inconspicuous Member, more interested in the Turf and in cockfighting. His first known minority vote against Addington was on Fox’s defence motion of 23 Apr. 1804. He was listed ‘Fox’ by the Treasury in May and ‘Fox and Grenville’ in September, having on 11 June joined the opposition to Pitt’s additional force bill.4 He was in the minority against war with Spain, 12 Feb. 1805, and in the majority for the censure of Melville, 8 Apr. In July he was listed ‘Opposition’. He did not seek re-election in 1806. Durand died 28 Feb. 1830, aged 69.5

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Authors: Brian Murphy / R. G. Thorne

Notes

• 1. PCC 349 Calvert; Durand had 8 illegitimate children by several mothers (Univ. Coll. London, French hosp. coll., Wagner mss, Durand ped.). According to Eton Sch. Lists 1791-1850 , p. 42, J. H. Durand was a captain in the merchant navy.
• 2. Surr. Arch. Coll. vii. 132; Add. 33059, f. 282; 33108, f. 176; 33112, ff. 88, 94; The Times, 3 Feb., 26 May 1802.
• 3. The Times, 7 July 1802; J. Wilson, Biog. Index (1806), 162.
• 4. Morning Chron. 13 June 1804.
• 5. G. B. Brightling, Carshalton, 96.