Claudius Amyand (MP) facts for kids
Claudius Amyand (born August 10, 1718 – died April 1, 1774) was an English politician and government official. He was a member of the Whig political group, which was one of the main political parties in Britain during his time.
Claudius Amyand was the oldest son of a famous surgeon, also named Claudius Amyand. His father was a Huguenot, which means he was a French Protestant who had to leave France because of religious persecution.
Early Life and Education
Claudius Amyand was born on August 10, 1718. He went to school at Westminster, a well-known school in London. After that, he studied at Christ Church, Oxford, which is a college at the famous University of Oxford.
He also studied law at Lincoln's Inn, one of the places where future lawyers trained in London. In 1742, he officially became a lawyer, which is called being "called to the bar."
Start of His Career
In 1745, Claudius Amyand was given an important job: he became the Keeper of the King's Library. This meant he was in charge of the King's collection of books.
Soon after, in 1747, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Tregony. An MP is someone elected by the public to represent them in the British Parliament, where laws are made.
Working in Government
Claudius Amyand continued to rise in government. In 1750, he became a junior under-secretary to the Duke of Newcastle. An under-secretary is a high-ranking official who helps a government minister. The next year, he became a senior under-secretary, working for the Earl of Holderness.
In 1754, he was offered another chance to become an MP for Bossiney. However, he didn't have enough money to pay for the election campaign, so he turned it down. Instead, he was elected as an MP for Sandwich.
He kept his government roles under other important figures like Thomas Robinson and Henry Fox. But in 1756, a powerful politician named William Pitt moved him to a different job at the Board of Customs. The Board of Customs was responsible for collecting taxes on goods coming into or leaving the country.
He worked at the Board of Customs until 1765. After that, he became the Receiver of the Land Tax for Middlesex and London. This meant he was in charge of collecting a specific type of tax on land in those areas. He held this job until he passed away.
Family Life
On November 26, 1761, Claudius Amyand married Frances. She was the widow of George Compton, 6th Earl of Northampton. Claudius's brother described Frances as a "very amiable woman" who had a good income from her previous marriage. Claudius and Frances did not have any children together.
Claudius Amyand died in London on April 1, 1774.
