Gabriel Hanger, 1st Baron Coleraine

Gabriel Hanger, 1st Baron Coleraine (9 January 1697 – 24 January 1773) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1753 and 1768. He was honoured with a Peerage of Ireland.

Hanger was the son of Sir George Hanger and his wife Ann Beale daughter of Sir John Beale of Farningham in Kent.[1] His father was of Driffield, Gloucestershire and was knighted by William III "for his steady attachment to religion and the law.[2]

Hanger inherited the estates at Driffield and also inherited via his brother his mother's estate at Farningham.[1] In 1750 he was responsible for converting the church at Driffield into the Italianate style.[2]

Hanger sat as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Maidstone between 1753 and 1761. On 26 February 1762 he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Coleraine.[3] As this was an Irish peerage he was able to continue to sit in the house of commons and was MP for Bridgwater between 1763 and 1768.[4] He was described by his son as "one of those respectable, independent old English characters in the House of Commons called County Gentlemen".[2]

Lord Coleraine died at Bray, Berkshire at the age of 73 and was buried at Driffield.[2]

Hanger married Elizabeth Bond, daughter and heir of Richard Bond, of Hereford[1] at Driffield in 1753.[5] There were seven children which included three surviving sons John, William and George. George wrote a piece of doggerel

Three pretty boys did Gabriel get,
The youngest George by name, Sir
A funny dog, not favoured much
By fortune or by fame, Sir.

References

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
William Horsemonden-Turner
Hon. Robert Fairfax
Member of Parliament for Maidstone
with Hon. Robert Fairfax 1753-1754
Lord Guernsey 1754-1757
Savile Finch 1757-1761

1753-1761
Succeeded by
Rose Fuller
William Northey
Preceded by
Viscount Perceval
Edward Southwell
Member of Parliament for Bridgwater
with Viscount Perceval

1763-1768
Succeeded by
Viscount Perceval
Benjamin Allen
Peerage of Ireland
New creation Baron Coleraine
1762–1763
Succeeded by
John Hanger