Henry Cunningham facts for kids

Henry Cunningham (born around 1678, died 1736) was a Scottish politician. He came from Boquhan, near Stirling. Henry was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a parliament, from 1709 to 1734. He was a member of the Whig political group. Later, he became the Governor of Jamaica, but sadly, he passed away only two months after arriving there. You can find a description of Henry Cunningham in the introduction to the famous book Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott.

Early Life and Family

Henry Cunningham was the only son of William Cunningham of Boquhan. His mother was Margaret Erskine. She was the daughter of David Erskine, 2nd Lord Cardross. In 1701 and 1702, Henry worked as a Commissioner of Justice for the Highlands. By 1708, he married Jean Lennox. She was the daughter of John Lennox of Woodhead.

Henry Cunningham's Political Journey

Henry Cunningham was a member of the Whig political group. He first tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Stirlingshire in 1708. There was a problem with the election, but the Whigs had more power in the House of Commons. So, Henry was officially given the seat on 11 January 1709.

He voted to remove a person named Dr. Sacheverell from office. However, Henry did not make a big impact in Parliament at first. He lost his supporters in Stirlingshire. In the next election in 1710, he lost that seat.

But Henry also ran for a different area, Stirling Burghs, and won that election. He often sided with the Whigs in Parliament. For example, in 1712, he voted against sending Robert Walpole to prison. He also voted against a bill that would have allowed more religious freedom in Scotland.

Henry presented a message about peace from Stirling Burgh. He also voted against a trade deal with France. In 1713, he became a citizen of Edinburgh and was elected again for Stirling Burghs.

Supporting the New Royal Family

Henry supported the new royal family, the Hanoverians, who would become King George I. In 1714, he traveled around Scotland with his uncle, Colonel John Erskine. They encouraged people to support the Hanoverian family. From 1714 to 1716, Henry was again a Commissioner of Justice for the Highlands.

He voted against removing Richard Steele from Parliament. In May, he voted with other Scottish Whigs to include Catholic education in a new law. Henry also signed the announcement that George I was the new King in Edinburgh. He presented a loyal message from Stirlingshire in October 1714. The Duke of Argyll introduced him to the royal court.

Growing Influence and New Roles

In 1715, Henry inherited his mother's property. He was elected again without opposition for Stirling Burghs in the 1715 election. He became very close to the Duke of Argyll.

Henry was given a job as a "muster master" in Scotland. This meant he was in charge of checking soldiers. He gave up this job in 1716 to become a commissioner for "forfeited estates." These were properties taken by the government, often after rebellions. People said he was "the honestest fellow among them."

He usually voted with the government. However, in June 1717, he voted with the Whig minority on an issue about Lord Cadogan. Henry continued to build his political influence in Stirling Burghs. He also started to gain influence in Inverkeithing. He bought properties there and became the leader, or "provost," of Inverkeithing in 1720. Henry was known for his good manners and was considered very skilled at managing elections in towns.

In 1722, he became a citizen of Glasgow. He also inherited Boquhan when his father passed away. In the 1722 election, he was again elected without opposition for Stirling Burghs. When his work as a commissioner for forfeited estates ended in 1725, he went back to being the muster master in Scotland.

Henry continued to build strong political connections in both the county and the towns. In the 1727 election, he was elected for both Stirling Burghs and Stirlingshire. He chose to represent Stirlingshire. By the 1730s, he was a key person in helping Lord Ilay manage elections in Scotland. Lord Ilay was the person in charge of elections for Robert Walpole.

In 1733, Henry was hurt while protecting Robert Walpole from a crowd protesting a new tax bill called the Excise Bill. Henry was having money problems. At the end of 1733, he asked Walpole for a job that would free him from "the trouble of parliaments and elections." He was then appointed Governor of Jamaica. His trip was delayed because he was sent to Stirling to help oppose other candidates in the 1734 election.

Death and Legacy

Henry Cunningham finally arrived in Jamaica on 18 December 1735. Sadly, he died less than two months later, on 12 February 1736, at the age of 59. His wife had passed away before him, and they did not have any children. His properties were later sold to pay off his debts.

Henry Cunningham is mentioned in the introduction to the famous novel Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott. In the story, Henry makes the outlaw Rob Roy run away after Rob Roy tries to start a fight with him. Sir Walter Scott described Henry Cunningham as someone who had a "natural high spirit and daring character" but also acted very delicate and fancy.