LONG, Samuel (1746-1807), of Carshalton Park, Surr.

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

Constituency

Dates

1790 - 1796

Family and Education

b.5 Aug. 1746,1 1st s. of Beeston Long, W.I. merchant, of Carshalton Park, and bro. of Charles Long*. m. 22 Dec. 1787, Lady Jane Maitland, da. of James, 7th Earl of Lauderdale [S], 2s. 1da. suc. fa. 1785.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Surr. 1790-1.

Biography

Long’s father, one of the Longs of Jamaica,2 was a partner in the prosperous West Indian firm of Long, Drake and Dawkins of 17 Bishopsgate Within, which continued to flourish throughout Samuel’s lifetime, though he appears not to have been active in business himself after inheriting a fortune from his father. He married a peer’s daughter, settled in the country and provided himself with a seat in Parliament in 1790. Together with the banker John Harcourt he headed the poll at 11-chester. Unlike his brother Charles, who was already in the House, he voted with the Whigs. In this he was probably influenced by his brother-in-law James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale, who sponsored his membership of Brooks’s Club, 14 Mar. 1791, and like whom he became a Friend of the People. After joining opposition on the Oczakov divisions, 12 Apr. 1791 and 1 Mar. 1792, as well as being listed a supporter of repeal of the Test Act in Scotland in 1791, he was not counted among them again until 10 and 18 Feb. 1794, when he opposed the landing of allied tropps in England and supported better convoy protection for the merchant navy. No speech is known, but from 30 May 1794 until the dissolution he steadily opposed the war against France, also voting for the repeal of the suspension of habeas corpus, 5 Jan. 1795, and for inquiry into the national finances, 10 Mar. 1796. The Treasury listed him as an opponent. He was left without a seat in 1796 and did not seek re-election. On 7 June 1797 he and his brother Beeston were among the City merchants who condemned the navaly mutiny.3 He died 19 Oct. 1807.4

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes

  • 1. Gent. Mag. (1747), 342.
  • 2. The Longs of Jamaica and Hampton Lodge, i. 79; Gent. Mag. (1785), 79.
  • 3. Oracle, 8 June 1797.
  • 4. The Times, 22 Oct. 1807.