SLOANE, William (1781-1860), of Paultons, Hants.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

27 July 1807 - 1812
1830 - 1831

Family and Education

b. 1781, 1st surv. s. of Hans Sloane* of South Stoneham. educ. Eton 1791. m. 23 June 1806, Lady Gertrude Howard, da. of Frederick, 5th Earl of Carlisle, 2s. 3da. suc. fa. 1827 having taken additional name of Stanley with him 28 Dec. 1821.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Hants 1828-9.

Capt. St. James’s Westminster vols. 1803, S. Hants yeomanry 1803.

Biography

Sloane, heir to a substantial estate, was brought into Parliament by the 2nd Marquess of Hertford on a vacancy at Orford. He made no mark in debate. The Whigs in March 1810 listed him among the following of his patron’s cousin Castlereagh. He voted with ministers for the address, 23 Jan. 1810, and on the Earl of Chatham’s conduct, 5 Mar. His next known vote was against the release of the radical Gale Jones, 16 Apr., and on 21 May he opposed parliamentary reform. In December 1810 and January 1811 he joined opposition on the Regency question, in accordance with his patron’s line. He voted with ministers in favour of McMahon’s sinecure, 24 Feb. 1812, against sinecure reform, 4 May, and against a more efficient administration, 21 May. On 22 June he was one of the diehard opponents of Catholic relief.

Sloane did not show his father’s interest in Parliament and remained out of the House from 1812 until after he came into his inheritance. He died 11 Apr. 1860, a reputed millionaire. A dim view of him was taken by Lady Harriet Cavendish in 1809. Describing him as ‘Lady Gertrude’s better half, or rather her worse quarter’, she added that ‘in size and intellect it is impossible to be more insignificant’ and that he ‘keeps up a continual joke, that is joke in his own acceptation of the term and is really a torment to one’s patience and understanding’.

Gent. Mag. (1860), i. 533; Letters of Lady Harriet Cavendish, 326.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Authors: Winifred Stokes / R. G. Thorne

Notes