William Harris (British MP)
Encyclopedia
William Harris was an English
landowner who served two terms as a member
of the Parliament of England
and one as a member of the new Parliament of Great Britain
.
family of Harris of Hayne (in Devon
) and Kenegie (in Gulval
, Cornwall
). While nothing is known about his educational background, on 12 May 1682 he and three other men (including John Tredenham) were granted a patent
for a new device to drain water out of mines
, with especial reference to Cornish tin
mines. On 4 October, 1685, he married Jane St. Aubyn of Clowance, Cornwall; they would have three sons, Christopher, John
and William, and one daughter, Jane. In 1686, his father inherited the estate of Hayne from his cousin, Sir Arthur Harris.
in 1690 (he was regarded by Lord Carmarthen
as a probable supporter of the Carmarthen Ministry if it were to come under attack); but did not stand for re-election in 1695. He remained active in local politics, becoming a councilman in the new Plymouth
corporation in 1696. He was again elected to Parliament (this time for Okehampton
, which his cousin Sir Arthur had once represented) in 1699, and was classed as a Country Whig, but by 1701 was regarded as having become more or less a Tory
. He did not stand in 1702, but again remained locally active, serving as a Sheriff
(1703-04) and Deputy Lieutenant
for Devon
(March 1705). In 1705 he was defeated for election to Parliament, but in 1708 was elected, in part because he was seen by the strong Whigs as being a more Whiggish
choice than Tory incumbent Thomas Northmore. He died 17 October 1709 aged 57, and was succeeded in Parliament by his son Christopher, who was also his executor.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
landowner who served two terms as a member
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
and one as a member of the new Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
.
Background
Harris was a member of the landed gentryLanded gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
family of Harris of Hayne (in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
) and Kenegie (in Gulval
Gulval
Gulval is a village in the former Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. Although historically a parish in its own right, Gulval was incorporated into the parishes of Penzance, Madron and Ludgvan in 1934, and like Heamoor, is now considered to be a suburb of Penzance...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
). While nothing is known about his educational background, on 12 May 1682 he and three other men (including John Tredenham) were granted a patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for a new device to drain water out of mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
, with especial reference to Cornish tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
mines. On 4 October, 1685, he married Jane St. Aubyn of Clowance, Cornwall; they would have three sons, Christopher, John
John Harris (courtier)
John Harris was a British courtier and politician.He was a Member of Parliament for Helston from 1727 and then sat for Ashburton from 1741 to 1767. From 1741 he also held the post of Master of the Household to George II and III....
and William, and one daughter, Jane. In 1686, his father inherited the estate of Hayne from his cousin, Sir Arthur Harris.
Politics
He became MP for St. IvesSt Ives (UK Parliament constituency)
St. Ives is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
in 1690 (he was regarded by Lord Carmarthen
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
as a probable supporter of the Carmarthen Ministry if it were to come under attack); but did not stand for re-election in 1695. He remained active in local politics, becoming a councilman in the new Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
corporation in 1696. He was again elected to Parliament (this time for Okehampton
Okehampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Okehampton was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1301 and 1313, then continuously from 1640 to 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
, which his cousin Sir Arthur had once represented) in 1699, and was classed as a Country Whig, but by 1701 was regarded as having become more or less a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
. He did not stand in 1702, but again remained locally active, serving as a Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
(1703-04) and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
(March 1705). In 1705 he was defeated for election to Parliament, but in 1708 was elected, in part because he was seen by the strong Whigs as being a more Whiggish
Whiggism
Whiggism, sometimes spelled Whigism, is a historical political philosophy that grew out of the Parliamentarian faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The whigs' key policy positions were the supremacy of Parliament , toleration for Protestant dissenters, and opposition to a Catholic on the...
choice than Tory incumbent Thomas Northmore. He died 17 October 1709 aged 57, and was succeeded in Parliament by his son Christopher, who was also his executor.