Sir George Beaumont, 4th Baronet

Sir George Beaumont, 4th Baronet (c. 1664 – 9 April 1737) of Stoughton Grange, Leicestershire was a British Tory politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons for 35 years from 1702 to 1737.

Beaumont was a younger son of Sir Henry Beaumont, 2nd Baronet and his wife Elizabeth Farmer, daughter of George Farmer. He matriculated at New College, Oxford on 9 February 1683, aged 18, and graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Law in 1690 then became a fellow.[1] In the same year he succeeded his older brother Thomas as baronet.[2] In 1713, he was awarded the degree of a Doctor of Civil Law by the University of Oxford.[1]

Beaumont was initially reluctant to enter parliament. However at the first general election of 1701 he allowed himself to be put forward for Oxford University by a group of younger dons. He withdrew before the poll, but when a vacancy arrived shortly afterwards in March he was re-adopted and stood at the by-election. Although defeated, he succeeded in attracting a respectable following. At the second 1701 election he campaigned with a fellow Tory, John Verney, for Leicestershire but stood down before the poll. At the 1702 English general election, he was selected to stand for Leicester and was returned as Member of Parliament in a contest. He was re-elected at the 1705 English general election, and was returned unopposed in 1708 and 1710. In 1712, he was appointed a Commissioner of the Privy Seal. He was returned unopposed for Leicester at the 1713 general election and in 1714 was appointed a Lord of the Admiralty, a post he held only for six months.[3] He was returned again as MP for Leicester in 1715, 1722, 1727 and 1734.[4]

Beaumont died unmarried and childless. He was buried at Stoughton, Leicestershire and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his younger brother Lewis.[2] His memorial was sculpted by Peter Scheemakers.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Foster, Joseph (1891). Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714. University of Oxford. pp. 79–105. Retrieved 2 January 2019 – via British History Online.
  2. ^ a b Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1903), Complete Baronetage volume 3 (1649-1664), Exeter: William Pollard and Co, p. 165
  3. ^ Hanham, Andrew A. (2002). "Beaumont, Sir George, 4th Bt. (c.1664-1737), of Stoughton Grange, nr. Leicester". In Hayton, David; Cruickshanks, Eveline; Handley, Stuart (eds.). The House of Commons 1690–1715. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  4. ^ Cruickshanks, Eveline (1970). "Beaumont, Sir George, 4th Bt. (?1664-1737), of Stoughton Grange, nr. Leicester.". In Sedgwick, Romney (ed.). The House of Commons 1715–1754. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  5. ^ Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis
Parliament of England
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Leicester
1702 – 1707
With: James Winstanley 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Parliament of England
 Member of Parliament for Leicester
1707 – 1737
With: James Winstanley 1707–1719
Thomas Noble 1719–1722
Sir Lawrence Carter 1722–1727
Thomas Boothby-Skrymsher 1727
George Wrighte 1727–1737 		Succeeded by
Baronetage of England
Preceded by
Thomas Beaumont
 Baronet
(of Stoughton Grange)
1690 – 1737 		Succeeded by
Lewis Beaumont