Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow
The Right Honourable The Lord Onslow PC | |
---|---|
Speaker of the British House of Commons | |
In office 1708–1710 | |
Preceded by | John Smith |
Succeeded by | William Bromley |
Chancellor of the Exchequer | |
In office 13 October 1714 – 12 October 1715 | |
Preceded by | William Wyndham |
Succeeded by | Robert Walpole |
Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty | |
In office 5 June 1690 – 15 April 1693 | |
Lord Lieutenant of Surrey | |
In office 1716–1717 | |
Preceded by | John Campbell |
Succeeded by | Thomas Onslow |
Personal details | |
Born |
Surrey, England | 23 June 1654
Died |
5 December 1717 63) Great Britain | (aged
Political party | British Whig Party |
Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow PC (23 June 1654 – 5 December 1717) was a British Whig Member of Parliament, known as Sir Richard Onslow, 2nd Baronet from 1688 until 1716. He served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1708 until 1710 and as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1714 until 1715. Onslow was a very unpopular figure amongst members of both political parties, particularly during his time as Speaker. He was extremely pedantic and showed an absolute devotion to principle, as a result he was given the nickname "Stiff Dick".[1]
Onslow's father, Arthur, was a politician, as was his maternal grandfather Thomas Foote, who had served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1649. He was born in Surrey and attended St Edmund Hall, Oxford before being called to the Inner Temple, but entered Parliament as the Member for Guildford in 1679 before he could be called to the bar. One of Onslow's first actions as a member of Parliament was to support the Exclusion Bill, which aimed, unsuccessfully, to deny the Catholic James II of England the British throne. He was re-elected in 1685. He also served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1690 to 1693.[2]
Onslow was an active back-bencher during his early years in Parliament, and his increasing notoriety as a moderate Whig led to him being nominated for the position of Speaker in 1700 when the member for Surrey. He was unsuccessful in this bid, losing out to the Tory candidate, Robert Harley. However, Onslow managed to attain the position of Speaker seven years later, in 1708. He proved to be a poor Speaker as he made no effort whatsoever to show any kind of neutrality, a fact which upset all but the most fervent Whigs. Onslow's pedantry as Speaker also enhanced his unpopularity. The most famous incident during his Speakership came during the trial of the preacher Dr. Henry Sacheverell, in which Onslow played a large part. When Onslow took the Commons to the House of Lords to hear their judgment on the case he challenged Black Rod on a trifling point of privilege, delaying the proceedings somewhat, which infuriated almost everyone in attendance. Onslow's unpopularity by this point was such that he failed to retain his seat in the 1710 election. In order to remain in the Commons he was forced to sit instead for the rotten borough of St Mawes.
Onslow regained much of his political favour four years later, now restored as the member for Surrey. Upon the death of Queen Anne in 1714 Onslow was a vocal advocate of a Protestant successor, in return for his support Onslow was rewarded by being named as Chancellor of the Exchequer, a position he held for around a year before resigning. He became Father of the House in 1713, and was created Baron Onslow on 19 July 1716.
He served as Lord Lieutenant of Surrey from 1716 until his death the following year. He had married Elizabeth, the daughter and heiress of Sir Henry Tulse, Lord Mayor of London, with whom he had two sons and two daughters. He was succeeded by his son Thomas.
References
- ↑ Dasent, Arthur Irwin (1911). The Speakers of the House of Commons from the earliest times to the present day. London: John Lane. p. 241. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
- ↑ "ONSLOW, Sir Richard, 3rd Bt. (1654-1717), of Clandon, Surr". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Richard Onslow, 1st Baron Onslow. |
Parliament of England | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Arthur Onslow Thomas Dalmahoy |
Member of Parliament for Guildford 1679–1689 With: Thomas Dalmahoy 1679 Morgan Randyll 1679–1685 Heneage Finch 1685–1689 |
Succeeded by Foot Onslow John Weston |
Preceded by Sir Adam Browne, Bt Sir Edward Evelyn, Bt |
Member of Parliament for Surrey 1689–1707 With: George Evelyn 1689–1690 Sir Francis Vincent, Bt 1690–1695 Denzil Onslow 1695–1689 John Weston 1698–1702 Leonard Wessell 1701–1705 Sir William Scawen 1705–1707 |
Succeeded by Parliament of Great Britain |
Parliament of Great Britain | ||
Preceded by Parliament of England |
Member of Parliament for Surrey 1707–1710 With: Sir William Scawen |
Succeeded by Lord Guernsey Sir Francis Vincent, Bt |
Preceded by John Smith |
Speaker of the House of Commons of Great Britain 1708–1710 |
Succeeded by William Bromley |
Preceded by Francis Godfrey John Tredenham |
Member of Parliament for St Mawes 1710–1713 With: John Tredenham 1710–1711 John Anstis 1711–1713 |
Succeeded by Edward Rolt Francis Scobell |
Preceded by Denzil Onslow Morgan Randyll |
Member of Parliament for Guildford 1713–1714 With: Morgan Randyll |
Succeeded by Morgan Randyll Denzil Onslow |
Preceded by Lord Guernsey Sir Francis Vincent, Bt |
Member of Parliament for Surrey 1713–1715 With: Lord Guernsey |
Succeeded by Lord Guernsey Thomas Onslow |
Preceded by Thomas Strangways |
Father of the House 1713–1715 |
Succeeded by Thomas Erle |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by William Wyndham |
Chancellor of the Exchequer of Great Britain 1714–1715 |
Succeeded by Robert Walpole |
Preceded by The Lord De La Warr |
Teller of the Exchequer 1715–1717 |
Succeeded by The Lord Torrington |
Honorary titles | ||
Preceded by The Duke of Argyll |
Lord Lieutenant of Surrey 1716–1717 |
Succeeded by The Lord Onslow |
Peerage of Great Britain | ||
New creation | Baron Onslow 1716–1717 |
Succeeded by Thomas Onslow |
Baronetage of England | ||
Preceded by Arthur Onslow |
Baronet (of West Clandon, Surrey) 1688–1717 |
Succeeded by Thomas Onslow |