BURTON, Francis (?1744-1832), of Edworth, Beds.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

4 Dec. 1780 - 1784
1784 - 1790
1790 - 1812

Family and Education

b. ?1744, s. of Col. Francis Burton of Westminster. educ. Westminster; Ch. Ch. Oxf. 9 Dec. 1760, aged 16; L. Inn 1761. called 1768. m. Jan. 1788, a da. of Nicholas Halhead of New Woodstock.

Offices Held

K.C. 1778; bencher, L. Inn 1778; recorder, New Woodstock 1780-1802; second justice of Chester 1788-1817; treasurer, L. Inn 1792; recorder, Oxford 1797-1801.

Biography

Burton was connected with the Duke of Marlborough, on whose interest he was returned at Heytesbury, Woodstock, and Oxford. His only recorded speech before 1790 was on 10 May 1781, when ‘in sound, manly language’ he defended the reports of North’s commissioners on public accounts.1 Marlborough supported North’s Administration, but Burton’s voting 1780-2 was erratic. On 12 Dec. 1781, on Lowther’s motion against continuing the war, he voted with the court. But in the divisions of 20 and 22 Feb. 1782 he voted with Opposition; on 27 Feb. with the court (the division was on Conway’s motion against the war—a repetition of that of 22 Feb.); and on 8 and 15 Mar. did not vote.

Burton voted for Shelburne’s peace preliminaries, 18 Feb. 1783, and against Fox’s East India bill, 27 Nov. 1783; and Robinson in January 1784 expected him to support Pitt. In Stockdale’s list of March 1784 he is marked as absent. He accepted from Pitt judicial office tenable with a seat in the House, and voted with him on the Regency.

Burton died 28 Nov. 1832.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

  • 1. Debrett, iii. 393.