George Lee (English politician)
| Sir George Lee PC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament (MP) for Brackley | |
|
In office 1733–1742 | |
| Member of Parliament (MP) for Devizes | |
|
In office 1742–1747 | |
| Member of Parliament (MP) for Liskeard | |
|
In office 1747–1754 | |
| Member of Parliament (MP) for Launceston | |
|
In office 1754–1758 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1700 |
| Died | 18 December 1758 |
Sir George Lee, PC (c. 1700 – 18 December 1758) was a politician in the Parliament of Great Britain.
Life
He was fifth son of Sir Thomas Lee, 2nd Baronet, who married Alice, daughter and coheiress of Thomas Hopkins, of London; Sir William Lee, the judge, was his elder brother. He entered Clare College, Cambridge, but migrated to Christ Church, Oxford, where he matriculated on 4 April 1720, and took the degrees of B.C.L. in 1724 and D.C.L. in 1729. On 23 October 1729 he was admitted advocate at Doctors' Commons, and soon obtained a practice.[1]
Lee was Member of Parliament (MP) for Brackley 1733–1742,[2] for Devizes 1742–1747,[3] for Liskeard 1747–1754,[4] and for Launceston 1754–1758.[5]
From 1742 to 1744, Lee was a Lord of the Admiralty, and he was knighted and sworn as a Privy Councilor in 1752.[6] From 1751 to 1757, he was treasurer to Augusta, Princess of Wales.
In 1757, Lee resigned his place of treasurer to the princess dowager, in consequence of the rise into favour of Lord Bute, but his defection attracted little notice, as the princess's adherents had for some time slackened in their opposition to the ministry. When the Duke of Newcastle proposed in to form an administration, with the exclusion of Pitt from office, Lee reluctantly agreed to be chancellor of the exchequer but the duke, almost at once and without the least notice to those who had agreed to join him, abandoned his scheme. On 18 December, Lee died suddenly at his house in St. James's Square, London, and was buried on 28 December in the family vault underneath the east end of Hartwell Church, Buckinghamshire.[1]
Family
He married, on 5 June 1742, Judith, second daughter of Humphry Morice of Werrington, near Launceston, Cornwall, by his wife, a daughter of Thomas Sandys of London. She died on 19 July 1743, aged 33, and was buried on 1 August in the vault of the Lee family in Hartwell Church. Sir George died without issue, and left all his fortune to his nephew, Sir William Lee, 4th baronet.[1]
References
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Courtney, William Prideaux (1892). "Lee, George (1700–1758)". In Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography. 32. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
External links
- "Lee, George (1700–1758)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
- The Sir George Lee Papers are available for research use at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Egerton Sir Paul Methuen |
Member of Parliament for Brackley with Sir Paul Methuen 1733–1742 |
Succeeded by Sewallis Shirley Sir Paul Methuen |
| Preceded by Francis Eyles John Garth |
Member of Parliament for Devizes with John Garth 1742–1747 |
Succeeded by William Willy John Garth |
| Preceded by Richard Eliot Charles Trelawny |
Member of Parliament for Liskeard with Charles Trelawny 1747–1754 |
Succeeded by Edmund Nugent Philip Stanhope |
| Preceded by Humphry Morice Sir John St Aubyn |
Member of Parliament for Launceston with Humphry Morice 1754–1758 |
Succeeded by Humphry Morice Sir John St Aubyn |