Edward Colston (MP for Wells) facts for kids
Edward Colston (born after 1672 – died April 5, 1719) was an English politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a parliament, from 1708 to 1713. He belonged to the Tory political party.
Edward Colston was the only son of Robert Colston and Ann Waters from Bristol. In 1704, he married Mary De Bert. His uncle, also named Edward Colston, was a very rich merchant. This uncle treated young Edward as his main heir and gave him a lot of valuable land. Edward Colston also worked in business in London. By 1708, he was in charge of the City of London workhouse, which helped people who needed support.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1705, Edward Colston's uncle tried to help him get elected to Parliament for Bristol. At that time, the Whig party was very strong in Bristol, and the Tories wanted to change that. However, Edward Colston did not win that election.
In 1708, he became an honorary member of the Society of Merchant Venturers in Bristol. This was a group of important merchants. Later that year, in the 1708 British general election, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Wells. He ran unopposed, meaning no one else ran against him.
His Time in Parliament
As an MP, Edward Colston was not very active. However, he did vote on some important issues. For example, in 1710, he voted against the impeachment of Henry Sacheverell. Impeachment is when a public official is accused of wrongdoing.
He was re-elected as an MP for Wells in the 1710 British general election. People saw him as a "Tory patriot" because he supported peace. He was also called a "worthy patriot" for pointing out problems in the government before his time. In 1713, he voted for a bill about trade with France. He decided not to run for re-election in 1713.
Later Life and Legacy
Edward Colston passed away on April 5, 1719. He was buried in his family's vault at All Saints' Church, Bristol. His only child, Sarah, was supposed to inherit a lot of money from his uncle. However, Sarah died before the uncle in 1721. Because of this, most of the uncle's wealth went to Edward Colston's niece, Mary, who was married to Thomas Edwards. Edward Colston's wife, Mary, died in 1733.
