John Spencer (British politician)

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For other persons named John Spencer, see John Spencer (disambiguation).

John Spencer (13 May 1708 – 20 June 1746) was a British politician and an ancestor of the Earls Spencer.

Born Hon. John Spencer, he was the youngest son of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland and his wife, Anne. In 1732, he succeeded his cousin, William Godolphin, Marquess of Blandford as Member of Parliament (MP) for Woodstock, a seat he held until 1746.

In mid-January 1733, Spencer inherited his father's family's estates in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire (including Althorp) and Warwickshire and his grandmother, the Duchess of Marlborough's property, including Wimbledon Park. He was married a month later on 14 February to Georgina Carolina Carteret (the third daughter and coheir of Viscount Carteret, later Earl Granville) and their only child was John, who was later created Earl Spencer in 1765. Spencer died in 1746 and his wife was remarried four years later to the 2nd Earl Cowper. The Althorp estate remains the seat of the earls, but the Wimbledon estate was later sold by the 4th Earl in 1846.

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by: Samuel Trotman and Marquess of Blandford	Member of Parliament for Woodstock 2-seat constituency with Samuel Trotman 1732–1734, James Dawkins 1734–1746 1732–1746	Succeeded by: James Dawkins and Hon. John Trevor