Family and Education

b. 19 Mar. 1707, 1st s. of James Butler. educ. St. John’s, Camb. m. (1) Catherine (d. Oct. 1746) da. of John Morgan of Tredegar, 2s.; (2) 14 Nov. 1749, Mary, da. of John Browne of Steyning, 1s. 2da. suc. fa. 1741.

Offices Held

Biography

On the death of Butler’s father, Member for Sussex, Newcastle and Henry Pelham arranged that the Duke of Dorset’s son, Lord Middlesex, who had been returned for East Grinstead, should be brought in for the vacant seat, on the understanding that Newcastle should be allowed to nominate Middlesex’s successor at East Grinstead. Notifying Newcastle, 19 May 1741, that this had been settled, Pelham suggested that they should now consider ‘the man that is to come in for East Grinstead’.

If Jack Butler is the man, you have one attached to yourself, and no one else. You will by that means put him upon a foot in the county that will make him respected, and if he takes a right turn afterwards he must be the most considerable commoner in the west, and in reality you will then choose another man for the county.1

Returned for East Grinstead, Butler replaced Middlesex as knight of the shire for Sussex at the next general election.

He died 29 Dec. 1766.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

• 1. Add. 32697, f. 13.