John Morton
Memorial for John Morton in St Nicholas Church, Tackley
Bornc. 1716
Oxfordshire
Died1780

John Morton (c. 1716 – 25 July 1780) was an English lawyer and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1747 and 1780.

Early life

He was the son of John Morton of Tackley, Oxfordshire and was educated at John Roysse's Free School in Abingdon (now Abingdon School) and Trinity College, Oxford.[1]

Personal life

Medmenham Abbey today

Morton bought the ruins of Medmenham Abbey in 1778.[2] He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Paul Jodrell of Duffield, Derbyshire. He was a Steward of the OA Club in 1749.[3]

Career

He entered the Inner Temple in 1732, was called to the bar in 1740 and made a bencher in 1758.[4] He was appointed Recorder of Woodstock in 1743, made King's Counsel in 1758, Chief Justice of Chester from 1762 to his death[4][5] and deputy high steward of Oxford University from 1770 to his death.

Morton was returned as Member of Parliament for Abingdon at the 1747 general election and one of the main pillars of support was the headmaster of his alma mater.[6] As a Tory he attracted opposition, and there was a concerted but unsuccessful Whig attempt to unseat him in 1754.[7] In 1765, a Bill of Regency came before Parliament, to make provisions should George III die unexpectedly. The terms of the Bill and the choice of regents rapidly became the subject of debate between Whigs and Tories, particularly the question of whether the King's mother, the Dowager Princess of Wales, should be capable to serve as Regent. (Her connection with Lord Bute had made her the target of Whig attacks.) George Grenville, who opposed her appointment, represented to the King that a Regency Bill inclusive of her could not pass the House of Commons. The King reluctantly consented, not wishing to re-open the accusations against his mother, and the Bill passed the House of Lords excluding the Princess. However, the Chancellor, Lord Northington, discovering the circumstances, he gave Morton secret instructions. Morton, in what Lord Temple called "a dull speech", proposed to amend the Bill and add the Princess to it; he was seconded by Edward Kynaston and thirded by Samuel Martin, the Princess' treasurer, and the amendment unexpectedly passed. The Whigs were largely unwilling to divide and go on the record opposing the amendment, and the amended bill passed both Commons and Lords, notwithstanding Grenville's prediction. The King was outraged, and dismissed Grenville soon after.[8][9]

Morton was re-elected for Abingdon in 1768, defeating Nathaniel Bayly by the narrow margin of two votes. However, the election was overturned on petition and Bayly declared the victor in 1770. Morton was able to obtain a seat from Sir Edward Dering, 6th Baronet, at New Romney, which he represented until the close of that Parliament in 1774.[10] In the election of 1775, he was elected MP for Wigan, replacing Sir Beaumont Hotham, who had been appointed a Baron of the Exchequer.[11]

Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byJohn Wright Member of Parliament for Abingdon 1747–1770 Succeeded byNathaniel Bayly Preceded bySir Edward Dering, BtRichard Jackson Member of Parliament for New Romney 1770–1774 With: Richard Jackson Succeeded byRichard JacksonSir Edward Dering, Bt Preceded byGeorge ByngSir Beaumont Hotham Member of Parliament for Wigan 1775–1780 With: George Byng Succeeded byGeorge ByngHenry Simpson Bridgeman Legal offices Preceded byWilliam Noel Chief Justice of Chester 1762–1780 Succeeded byLloyd Kenyon

See also

References

  1. ^ Preston, Arthur Edwin (1929). St.Nicholas Abingdon and Other Papers, pre isbn. Oxford University Press. p. 354.
  2. ^ Cooke, William Bernard; Samuel Owen (1811). The Thames v. 1. Vernor, Hood & Sharpe and W.B. Cooke. p. 22.
  3. ^ "Object 13: Stewards of the OA Club". Abingdon School. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b Lea, R. S. (1970). "MORTON, John (?1714-80), of Tackley, nr. Woodstock, Oxon. and Danesfield, Medmenham, Bucks.". In Sedgwick, Romney (ed.). The House of Commons 1715-1754. The History of Parliament Trust.
  5. ^ Namier, Lewis Bernstein (1968). The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III. St. Martin's Press. p. 44.
  6. ^ Lea, R. S. (1970). "Abingdon". In Sedgwick, Romney (ed.). The House of Commons 1715-1754. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  7. ^ Namier, Sir Lewis (1964). "Abingdon". In Namier, Sir Lewis; Brooke, John (eds.). The House of Commons 1754-1790. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  8. ^ Walpole, Horace (1842). The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford v. 3. Lea and Blanchard. pp. 391–397. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
  9. ^ Nicholls, John (1822). Recollections and Reflections, Personal and Political. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown. p. 18. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
  10. ^ Brooke, John (1964). "New Romney". In Namier, Sir Lewis; Brooke, John (eds.). The House of Commons 1754-1790. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  11. ^ Namier, Sir Lewis; Brooke, John, eds. (1964). "Wigan". The House of Commons 1754-1790. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
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