Family and Education

bap. 30 Sept. 1716, 1st surv. s. of Sir Edward Filmer, 3rd Bt., by Anne, da. of John Wallis of Soundness Oxon. educ. Univ. Coll. Oxf. 1734; G. Inn 1735; M. Temple 1738, called 1741. m. Apr. 1757, Dorothy, da. of Rev. Julius Lourdes of Great Mongeham, Kent, prebendary of Canterbury, s.p. suc. fa. 10 Feb. 1755. His sis. was 2nd w. of Sir John Honywood, 3rd Bt.

Offices Held

Biography

Filmer was returned for Steyning on the interest of his brother-in-law, Sir John Honywood. He was classed by Rockingham, November 1766, as ‘Tory, Bute’; voted with Opposition on the land tax, 27 Feb. 1767; and was classed by Newcastle, 2 Mar. 1767, as ‘Tory’. He voted with Administration on Wilkes, 3 Feb. and 15 Apr. 1769; was classed as ‘doubtful, present’ by Robinson in his first survey on the royal marriage bill, March 1772; as ‘pro, present’ in the second, 8 Mar. 1772; and he voted with Administration on the Middlesex election, 26 Apr. 1773. He voted with Opposition on Grenville’s Election Act, 25 Feb. 1774, but appears in the King’s list as normally a government supporter. Robinson, September 1774, classed him as ‘doubtful’. There is no record of his having spoken in the House. Filmer did not stand again in 1774.

He died 22 Feb. 1797.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Mary M. Drummond

Notes