Anthony Hammond facts for kids

Anthony Hammond (born 1668, died 1738) was an English official and politician from the Tory party. He was a member of the English and British Parliament between 1695 and 1708. He was also known for writing poems and pamphlets.

Early Life and Education

Anthony Hammond was born on September 1, 1668. He was the oldest son of Anthony Hammond of Somersham Place, Somersham, Huntingdonshire. His mother was Amy Browne.

He was taught at home and then at schools in Willingham, Cambridgeshire and St Paul's School. When his father passed away in 1680, Anthony inherited his family's property.

In 1684, he joined Gray's Inn, which is a place where lawyers are trained. In 1685, he went to St John's College, Cambridge. It was said that he once helped an actress and writer named Susanna Centlivre enter his college by disguising her as a male cousin. She reportedly stayed hidden there for several months to study.

Anthony Hammond made many friends with important people in politics and literature. He became friends with Walter Moyle, who was a radical Whig thinker. Through Moyle, he likely joined a group of thinkers from both the Tory and Whig parties who met at the Grecian Coffee House in London.

When he turned 21 in 1689, Hammond was given important roles in Huntingdonshire. He became a colonel in the local army (militia) and was probably made a justice of the peace. He also joined the Board of the Bedford Level Corporation, which managed the Fens (a marshy area). He became a Bailiff for this company in 1693. He continued as a Conservator until 1712, when his work in Spain made it impossible for him to continue.

In 1690, he traveled to the Low Countries (modern-day Belgium and Netherlands). From February to September 1694, he was a captain in a military regiment. On August 14, 1694, he married Jane Clarges in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Her family was very involved in politics, and many of them were leading members of the Tory party.

Time in Parliament

In the 1695 English general election, Anthony Hammond was elected as a Tory Member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire. This was a very competitive election. In March 1696, he voted against setting the price of guineas (a type of coin) at 22 shillings. He also refused to sign a special agreement, which caused him to lose his position as a justice of the peace. He actively opposed the punishment of Sir John Fenwick.

After an argument during a debate about an election in Cambridgeshire, he had a duel with Lord William Powlett on January 27, 1698. He was wounded in the leg during this fight. In Parliament, he mainly spoke about money matters.

In the 1698 English general election, Hammond was elected as an MP for the University of Cambridge. He also received a Master of Arts degree from St John's College. Soon after, he published a paper without his name on it, called Considerations upon the choice of a Speaker of the House of Commons. In this paper, he quietly suggested that Robert Harley should be the Speaker of the House, instead of Sir Edward Seymour or Sir Thomas Littleton. Littleton was eventually chosen as Speaker. This paper was printed many times.

Hammond became a Fellow of the Royal Society on November 30, 1698, and officially joined on October 30, 1700. However, he left the society by 1718. He was elected again as an MP for Cambridge University in the first general election of 1701. In September of that year, he was having dinner with Tory friends when the French chargé d'affaires (a diplomat) unexpectedly joined them. This incident was used by his political opponents, the Whigs, to cause trouble for him. In the November 1701 election, he lost to Isaac Newton, even though an important lord had written to the university to support him. After this defeat, he wrote a paper called Considerations upon Corrupt Elections of Members to serve in Parliament in 1701.

On June 17, 1701, he was appointed a commissioner to check public accounts. In May 1702, under the government of Godolphin, he became a Commissioner of the Navy. He then re-entered Parliament as an MP for Huntingdon in the 1702 English general election. In the 1708 British general election, he was elected for New Shoreham, Sussex. However, on December 7, the House of Commons decided that because he was a Commissioner of the Navy and worked in the ports, he could not be an MP or vote in the House. So, a new election was ordered the next day.

From Paymaster to Debt

In 1711, Hammond left England to become the deputy-paymaster (or treasurer) for the British forces in Spain. The commander, the Duke of Argyll, complained about his work. However, the chief paymaster, Hon. James Brydges, defended Hammond in a report in 1712, saying that the payments he made to Portuguese troops were correct.

After he was arrested for debt in 1714, his financial situation became very difficult. He was often in debtors' prison later in his life. While in prison, he spent his time on writing and literary projects. By staying in the Fleet Prison, he was able to protect some of his remaining property for his oldest son.

Later Writings

In 1720, Hammond edited a book called A New Miscellany of Original Poems, Translations, and Imitations. In the introduction, he claimed some poems as his own that had been thought to be written by others.

In 1721, he allowed his book Solitudinis Munus: or, Hints for Thinking to be published. He also wrote a thoughtful look back at the South Sea Bubble year, called A Modest Apology. The South Sea Bubble was a huge financial crisis. He noted that he had listed 107 "bubbles" (companies that failed) that had a total value of £93,600,000, leading to a loss of £14,040,000.

Hammond wrote a memory (signed 'A.H.') for Walter Moyle's Works (1727). They had been close friends since 1690. Hammond also wrote a description of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford for a publication in 1730. He also wrote another financial paper called The National Debt as it stood at Michaelmas 1730, stated and explained.

His personal notes and diary, covering the years 1660 to 1730, are kept in the Bodleian Library. Many of Hammond's handwritten papers are also found in other important collections.

Death and Family

Anthony Hammond died in the Fleet Prison in 1738. His estate (his property and money) was not managed until April 8, 1749. His wife died in 1749. They had two sons who survived:

• Thomas Hammond, who died without children around 1758. His father's property was given to Thomas in 1725. Thomas and his mother Amy bought several estates linked to Somersham. He received ownership of the manor of Somersham in 1741 and sold it in 1743 to Robert, Duke of Manchester.
• James Hammond (1710–1742), who was a poet and politician.

They also had three daughters who survived, including:

• Amy Hammond, who first married William Dowdeswell in 1719. She then married Noel Broxholme in 1730. Amy Broxholme died in 1754 and left money to her sons William Dowdeswell and George Dowdeswell.

Anthony Hammond wrote a short description of himself, which was published in 1809.