TUFTON, Hon. Henry (1775-1849).

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

Constituency

Dates

1796 - 1802
1826 - 20 Apr. 1832

Family and Education

b. 2 Jan. 1775, 4th s. of Sackville, 8th Earl of Thanet, by Mary, da. of Lord John Philip Sackville; bro. of Hon. John Tufton*. educ. Westminster 1786; Angers mil. acad. unm. 1s. suc. bro. Charles as 11th Earl of Thanet 20 Apr. 1832.

Offices Held

Ensign, 26 Ft. 1790; capt. ind. co. Ft. 1793, half-pay 1793-1826.

Hered. sheriff, Westmld. 1832-d., ld. lt. Kent 1841-6.

Biography

While Tufton’s brother John came in for Appleby on the family interest in 1796, he bore witness to their interest in Kent by accepting an opening at Rochester, where he was second on the poll. He shared his brothers’ Whig politics, joining Brooks’s, 5 June 1795, and the Whig Club on 2 May 1797. No speech of his is known but he attended more regularly than his brother John in the first session. After voting for reform, 26 May 1797, he did not secede with other Foxites, returning to oppose the triple tax assessment, the land tax redemption bill, the conduct of the Irish government and Irish union, 1798-9. From 1800 he voted steadily with opposition, his last vote being for an address of thanks for Pitt’s removal from office, 7 May 1802.

Tufton did not seek re-election in 1802 and proceeded to France, where he was one of Buonaparte’s détenus until 1813. He died 12 June 1849.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes