John Grubham Howe facts for kids
John Grubham Howe (1657–1722), also known as Jack Howe, was an English politician. He was elected many times as a Member of Parliament, which is like being a representative in the government. He started his political life as a Whig but later became a Tory.
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Early Life and Beginnings
John Grubham Howe was the second son of John Grobham Howe, who was also a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. His mother was Annabella, the youngest daughter of Emanuel Scrope, the first Earl of Sunderland. When he was young, he was a courtier, meaning he spent time at the royal court. In 1679, he had a disagreement that led to him being asked to leave the court. During this time, he also wrote poems.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
After the Glorious Revolution in England, John Grubham Howe became a Member of Parliament (MP).
- He represented Cirencester from 1689 to 1698.
- Then, he represented Gloucestershire in 1698 and again in 1701.
- In 1701, his opponents, the Whigs, worked hard to remove him from his seat.
- However, in 1702, during Queen Anne's first parliament, he was elected for four different areas! He chose to represent Gloucestershire again.
His Role in Parliament
When King William III first became king, Howe was a strong Whig. He wanted strict actions against politicians who had supported the previous king, James II. In 1689, he was made vice-chamberlain to Queen Mary.
However, in 1692, Queen Mary removed him from his position. After this, he became a very strong supporter of the Tory party.
- He spoke out against the ongoing war at the time.
- He also supported Sir John Fenwick.
- In 1699, he helped create a bill about lands that had been taken in Ireland.
- He also spoke very strongly in parliament about land grants given to King William's Dutch friends.
- Howe strongly criticized a treaty, calling it the 'Felonious Treaty,' which even upset King William.
- He was against foreign people settling in England and against having large standing armies.
- When the army was made smaller in 1699, he successfully helped get half-pay for the soldiers who were let go.
Service Under Queen Anne
When Queen Anne became queen, Howe returned to the royal court.
- In 1702, he suggested that a yearly payment of £100,000 should be given to Queen Anne's husband, Prince George of Denmark.
- He became a privy councillor on April 21, 1702, which meant he was a close advisor to the Queen.
- He was also made Vice-Admiral of Gloucestershire on June 7.
- From 1702 to 1714, he held an important job as the paymaster of the guards and garrisons at home.
Later Life and Retirement
On May 15, 1708, John Grubham Howe became a joint clerk to the privy council of Great Britain. After Queen Anne died, he lost his positions and was no longer a privy councillor. He then retired to Stowell Park in Gloucestershire, an estate he had bought. He passed away there in June 1722 and was buried in the local church on June 14.
His Works and Reputation
John Grubham Howe wrote poems that can be found in a Collection of Poetry by John Nichols. He is also believed to have written a Panegyric on King William, which is a piece of writing praising the king. People like Sir Thomas Lyttelton and Jonathan Swift mentioned him in their writings. Thomas Babington Macaulay described him as tall, thin, and having a tired look.
Family Life
John Grubham Howe's wife was Mary, who was the daughter of Humphry Baskerville. Mary was also the widow of Sir Edward Morgan. Their son and heir, John Howe, later became the first Baron Chedworth.
