Josiah Diston facts for kids

Josiah Diston (born 1667, died 1737) was an important person in England. He lived in London and later in Epsom, Surrey. Josiah Diston was a successful businessman who dealt with cloth and also worked as a banker. He was also a Whig politician, which means he belonged to a political party. He served as a member of the House of Commons, which is a part of the British government, from 1705 to 1722.

Josiah Diston was the second son of Josiah Diston and his wife Mary. His family had different religious beliefs from the main church at the time. For many years, he was a leading figure in the cloth trade at Blackwell Hall, a big cloth market in London. This business made him very wealthy. He also became closely connected with the town of Devizes in Wiltshire.

Early Career and Entering Politics

In 1701, Josiah Diston became a Director of the Bank of England. This was a very important position. He decided to try and become a Member of Parliament (MP) for Devizes in the 1705 election, but he didn't win that time.

However, he got another chance! He was elected as the MP for Devizes in a special election (called a by-election) on 11 December 1706.

Building Political Influence

Once he became an MP, Josiah Diston worked hard to keep his political position in Devizes. He used his wealth to gain support, reportedly spending a lot of money (about £3,000 by 1708) to prepare for the next election. He was also involved in strong political arguments within the local government of Devizes.

Because of his efforts, he won the most votes in Devizes in the 1708 general election. In Parliament, he helped create a new law to support wool and iron businesses. He also voted to allow people from a region called Palatine to become British citizens in 1709. He helped plan a law for registering important documents like deeds and wills in Wiltshire. In 1710, he voted to remove a person named Dr. Sacheverell from office.

However, in the 1710 election, there was a problem with the votes in Devizes, and he lost his seat. He also lost the election in Devizes in 1713.

Life in Epsom and Later Political Years

Around 1713, Josiah Diston started buying land in Epsom. He built a house there called Mount Diston, which is now known as Woodcote Grove. He lived in this house for about 15 years.

Return to Parliament and Financial Troubles

Josiah Diston was elected as a Whig MP for Devizes again in the 1715 general election. While in Parliament, he voted for important laws like the Septennial Bill, which changed how often elections were held. He also voted to cancel laws that were unfair to people with different religious beliefs. In 1719, he voted against the Peerage Bill, which would have limited the number of noble titles.

In 1721, he became the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England for three years. He also became responsible for collecting taxes in Westminster and Middlesex.

However, his political career ended in 1722 when he lost his seat in Devizes, getting only two votes. He didn't try to become an MP again after that. He also started selling his property in Epsom.

Josiah Diston faced serious financial problems. By 1726, he owed a large amount of money, £23,446, because he failed in his role as tax collector. His friends who had promised to cover his debts had only paid £17,574 by 1730. He spent the rest of his life in debt and received money from the King to help him until he died.

Josiah Diston passed away in Hampstead on 7 November 1737.