John Hiley Addington (August 1759 – 11 June 1818) was a British Tory party politician. He served as a Member of Parliament for various constituencies between 1787 and 1818.

Background and education

Addington was the second son of Anthony Addington and his wife Mary, daughter of Haviland John Hiley. His older brother was Henry Addington, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and under whose lifelong influence and patronisation he was. He was educated at Cheam School and then at Winchester College. Addington studied in Ealing until 1776 and afterwards at Brasenose College, Oxford.

Political career

Addington entered the British House of Commons in 1787, having been elected for Truro. He represented the constituency until 1790 and after a break of four years was returned to Parliament for Winchelsea until 1796. In the following general election Addington stood successfully for Wendover. He held that seat until the Act of Union 1801 and then became a member of the newly established Parliament of the United Kingdom. In 1802 Addington won the election for Bossiney, however he resigned his seat the following year. Instead he ran for Harwich in a by-election, which had been triggered by the death of his predecessor. Addington sat for the constituency for the rest of his life.

During his time as Member of Parliament, he was appointed a Lord of the Treasury in December 1800, by the then Prime Minister William Pitt. In March of the following year he became a Secretary to the Treasury until 1802, when on his own request he returned to his former office. Addington was made Paymaster of the Forces in 1803 and on this occasion was sworn of the Privy Council. When in the next year his brother Henry's government failed, he was replaced as Paymaster. In 1806, Addington joined the Board of Control as a commissioner, however left it after a year. He accepted an appointment as Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs in 1812, retiring after a collapse in 1818.

In 1803 Addington was nominated High Steward of Harwich and lieutenant-colonel of the Mendip Volunteers.

Family and death

In 1785, Addington married Mary, daughter of Henry Unwin. The couple had two sons and a daughter. Addington died at Longford Court in 1818 from complications after an operation on his stomach. He was survived by his wife until 1833. His younger son Henry was a diplomat and civil servant.

The writer Hannah More was a close friend of Addington and his family.

Notes

  • Thorne, R. G. (1986). The House of Commons, 1790–1820. Vol. I. London: Secker & Warburg. ISBN 0-436-52101-6.
  • Lodge, Edmund (1859). The Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire (28th ed.). London: Hurst and Blackett.
  • The Annual Biography and Obituary for the Year 1819. Vol. III. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown. 1819.
  • Sylvanus, Urban (1818). The Gentleman's Magazine. Vol. part I. London: Nichols, Son and Bentley.
  • Sylvanus, Urban (1833). The Gentleman's Magazine. Vol. part II. London: John Bowyer Nichols and Son.

External links

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded byWilliam Macarmick William Augustus Spencer BoscawenMember of Parliament for Truro 1787–1790 With: William Augustus Spencer BoscawenSucceeded byJames Gordon William Augustus Spencer Boscawen
Preceded bySir Frederick Fletcher-Vane, Bt Richard BarwellMember of Parliament for Winchelsea 1794–1796 With: Richard BarwellSucceeded byWilliam Currie Richard Barwell
Preceded byJohn Barker Church Lord Hugh SeymourMember of Parliament for Wendover 1796–1800 With: George CanningSucceeded byParliament of Great Britain
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byParliament of the United KingdomMember of Parliament for Wendover 1801–1802 With: George CanningSucceeded byCharles Long John Smith
Preceded byHon. James Stuart-Wortley John LubbockMember of Parliament for Bossiney 1802–1803 With: Hon. James Stuart-WortleySucceeded byHon. James Stuart-Wortley George Peter Holford
Preceded byThomas Myers John RobinsonMember of Parliament for Harwich 1803–1818 With: Thomas Myers January–April 1803 James Adams 1803–1806, March–May 1807 William Henry Fremantle 1806–1807 William Huskisson 1807–1812 Nicholas Vansittart 1812–1818Succeeded byNicholas Vansittart Charles Bathurst
Political offices
Preceded byGeorge Rose Charles LongSecretary to the Treasury 1801–1802 With: Nicholas VansittartSucceeded byNicholas Vansittart John Sargent
Preceded byThomas Steele The Lord GlenberviePaymaster of the Forces 1803–1804 With: Thomas SteeleSucceeded byGeorge Rose Lord Charles Somerset
Preceded byHenry GoulburnUnder-Secretary of State for Home Affairs 1812–1818Succeeded byHenry Clive