Family and Education

b. 23 Aug. 1684, 1st and o. surv. s. of Hon. Sir Dudley North† of Camden Place, Maiden Lane, London by Anne, da. of Sir Robert Cann, 1st Bt.†, of Compton Greenfield, Glos.  educ. privately (Kensington, ‘Mr Agier’); St. John’s, Camb. 1701.  m. bef. 1708 (with £20,000), Katherine (d. 1715), da. and in her issue coh. of Elihu Yale of Plas Grono, nr. Wrexham, Denb., 2s. (1 d.v.p.) 3da. (1 d.v.p.).  suc. fa. 1691.1

Offices Held

Freeman, Chester 1707, Orford 1709, Dunwich 1709; common councilman, Dunwich 1710, alderman 1712, bailiff 1713–14.2

Biography

‘Amply provided for’ by his father, who had purchased the Glemham estate shortly before his death, North was described in 1705 as an agreeable young man, ‘for goodness and ingenuity beloved by everybody’, but in later life he came to be dismissed as a ‘cipher’ and a pompous snob (‘so great a clown of a fine gentleman’ that he would not visit his poorer relations). Defeated at Thetford in 1708, where he stood with his kinsman (Sir) Thomas Hanmer II* (4th Bt.), he was returned unopposed in 1710. He was marked as a Tory in the ‘Hanover list’ and classified as one of the ‘worthy patriots’ who in the first session of this Parliament brought to light the mismanagements of the previous ministry. He may have been the ‘Mr North’ given leave of absence for one month on 26 Mar. 1711. In July of the following year he was reported as absent through ill-health, though without official leave. On 3 Mar. he was appointed to the drafting committee for a private bill on Great Yarmouth harbour, and six days later was nominated to draft a bill to curb wool smuggling. There is nothing to indicate that North had followed Hanmer into ‘whimsical’ opposition in this Parliament: he was classed simply as a Tory in the Worsley list and in two other lists of the Members re-elected in 1715. He had nevertheless retained his seat with Hanmer’s support. North died on 4 Feb. 1730.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Author: D. W. Hayton

Notes

• 1. Add. 19101, ff. 24, 28; R. Grassby, Eng. Gentlemen in Trade, app. F2.
• 2. Chester RO, Chester bor. recs. A/B/3, f. 152; W. Suss. RO, Shillinglee mss Ac.454/1083, John Hooke to Sir Edward Turnor*, 28 Sept. 1709; Suff. RO (Ipswich), Dunwich bor. recs. EE6/1144/14, 26.
• 3. Lives of the North Fam. ed. Jessop, ii. 252; iii. 294–5; Add. 32501, ff. 28, 96; Bodl. Ballard 4, f. 90; Shillinglee mss Ac.454/1246, John Bence* to Turnor, 2 July 1712.