Family and Education

b. 27 Oct. 1720, 2nd s. of Joseph Damer, M.P., of Winterbourne Came, and bro. of Joseph, 1st Lord Milton. m. 15 Apr. 1745, Martha, da. of Samuel Rush of Benhall, Suff., s.p.

Offices Held

Biography

John Damer followed his brother in politics. He appears in Henry Fox’s list of Members favourable to the peace preliminaries, and at first supported Grenville but turned against him over general warrants. He was classed by Rockingham in July 1765 as ‘doubtful’, yet did not vote against the repeal of the Stamp Act. He was omitted by oversight from Rockingham’s list of November 1766, was classed by Townshend, January 1767, as ‘doubtful’ and by Newcastle, March 1767, ‘doubtful and absent’. He did not vote on the land tax, 27 Feb. 1767, or the nullum tempus bill, 17 Feb. 1768. Henceforth he supported Opposition, and attended the Opposition dinners at the Thatched House Tavern in 1769 and 1770. He was probably the ‘Mr. Damer’ who spoke for the Opposition on 19 Mar. 1770 and 5 Mar. 1771:1 if so, these are his only recorded speeches. He voted for Wilkes’s motion on the Middlesex election, 22 Feb. 1775, but no other vote is recorded.

John Robinson wrote about Dorchester in his survey for the general election of 1780:

Whether Mr. John Damer may again come in is uncertain. He never attends. When he did attend formerly he was constantly against. Since Mr. G. Damer’s attachment Mr. J. Damer has never voted against.

John Damer withdrew in 1780 in favour of his nephew.

He died 26 Dec. 1783.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

• 1. Cavendish’s ‘Debates’, Egerton 221, ff. 187-8, 225, 249.