Sir Horace Mann, 1st Baronet
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Sir Horace Mann, 1st Baronet KB
(c.25 August 1706 - 6 November 1786), diplomat, was a long standing British resident in Florence
.
merchant, and his wife. He was brought up at Chelsea
, and educated at Eton College
and later, briefly, at Clare College, Cambridge
. Suffering from poor health, he travelled on the continent in the 1730s. In February 1737, he was appointed as secretary to Charles Fane
, the British Minister at Florence. He then served as British
diplomatic representative there to the Grand Dukes of Tuscany for the rest of his life. In the course of his long diplomatic career, he was Chargé d'affaires
in 1738-1740; Minister between 1740 and 1765; Envoy Extraordinary
from 1767; and finally Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from 1782 until his death.
As Great Britain had no diplomatic representation at Rome
, Mann's duties included reporting on the activities of the exiled Stuarts, the Old Pretender and the Young Pretender
.
He kept an open house for British visitors at Florence, inviting them for conversazione when there was no performance at the theatre. His generosity and kindness was universally acknowledged, although his close friendship with the painter Thomas Patch
(expelled from Rome after a homosexual incident) reflected on his reputation. He met Horace Walpole (to whom he was distantly related) in 1739, and conducted a now-renowned correspondence with him over many years, though they last met in 1741.
In recognition of his service he was created a baronet
on 3 March 1755. and made a Knight of the Bath
in 1768 (when his nephew Horace stood proxy). In 1775, on the death of his elder brother, Edward Louisa Mann, he inherited the Linton Park
estate which his father had bought at Linton, Kent
. He died unmarried in Florence on 6 November 1786. His nephew Horace inherited his baronetcy by special remainder
and also acted as Chargé d'affaires until the arrival of his replacement.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(c.25 August 1706 - 6 November 1786), diplomat, was a long standing British resident in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
Biography
He was the second son of Robert Mann (1678–1751), a successful LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
merchant, and his wife. He was brought up at Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, and educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and later, briefly, at Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
. Suffering from poor health, he travelled on the continent in the 1730s. In February 1737, he was appointed as secretary to Charles Fane
Charles Fane, 2nd Viscount Fane
Charles Fane, 2nd Viscount Fane was a landowner in Ireland and England, a Whig Member of Parliament and the British Resident in Florence.-Early life:...
, the British Minister at Florence. He then served as British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
diplomatic representative there to the Grand Dukes of Tuscany for the rest of his life. In the course of his long diplomatic career, he was Chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
in 1738-1740; Minister between 1740 and 1765; Envoy Extraordinary
Envoy (title)
In diplomacy, an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary is, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident....
from 1767; and finally Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from 1782 until his death.
As Great Britain had no diplomatic representation at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Mann's duties included reporting on the activities of the exiled Stuarts, the Old Pretender and the Young Pretender
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
.
He kept an open house for British visitors at Florence, inviting them for conversazione when there was no performance at the theatre. His generosity and kindness was universally acknowledged, although his close friendship with the painter Thomas Patch
Thomas Patch
Thomas Patch was an English painter, engraver and caricaturist. He made a living by basing himself in Italy and undertaking commissions from rich young British men on Grand tours. His paintings today are in the Royal Collection and various museums. Patch was thrown out of Rome probably for a...
(expelled from Rome after a homosexual incident) reflected on his reputation. He met Horace Walpole (to whom he was distantly related) in 1739, and conducted a now-renowned correspondence with him over many years, though they last met in 1741.
In recognition of his service he was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
on 3 March 1755. and made a Knight of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1768 (when his nephew Horace stood proxy). In 1775, on the death of his elder brother, Edward Louisa Mann, he inherited the Linton Park
Linton Park
Linton Park, formerly Linton Place or Linton Hall, is a large 18th-century country house in Linton, Kent, England. Built by Robert Mann in 1730 to replace an earlier building, the house and estate passed through the ownership of several members of Mann's family before coming into the Cornwallis...
estate which his father had bought at Linton, Kent
Linton, Kent
Linton is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the southward slope of the Greensand ridge, south of Maidstone on the A229 Hastings road....
. He died unmarried in Florence on 6 November 1786. His nephew Horace inherited his baronetcy by special remainder
Remainder (law)
A remainder in property law is a future interest given to a person that is capable of becoming possessory upon the natural end of a prior estate created by the same instrument...
and also acted as Chargé d'affaires until the arrival of his replacement.