Paul Burrard facts for kids

Paul Burrard (born May 29, 1678 – died 1735) was an important British politician. He was a member of the Whig Party and served in the House of Commons, which is a bit like a country's main law-making group, for many years between 1705 and 1735. He lived in a place called Walhampton, in Hampshire, England.

Early Life and Family

Paul Burrard was the oldest son of another man also named Paul Burrard, who also lived in Walhampton. His mother was Anne Button.

In 1699, Paul became a "freeman" of Lymington, which meant he had certain rights and privileges in that town. He got married to Lucy Dutton on October 17, 1704. Her father, Sir William Dutton Colt, was a special envoy (a kind of diplomat) to several important places like Hanover and Dresden. In 1706, Paul Burrard took over the family estate in Walhampton after his father passed away.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Paul Burrard first became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1705. He was elected to represent the town of Lymington. His family had a strong connection to this area, and they shared influence with the Dukes of Bolton.

In Parliament, he usually supported the "Court" (which meant the government at the time). For example, in 1705, he voted for the person the government wanted to be the Speaker (the person who leads the debates). He also supported the government's plans for a "regency bill" in 1706.

Other Important Roles

Besides being an MP, Paul Burrard held other jobs:

• From 1706 to 1707, he worked as a sub-commissioner of prizes in Portsmouth. This job involved dealing with goods captured during wartime.
• He was the Mayor of Lymington for a year, from 1708 to 1709.

His Time in Parliament

Paul Burrard was re-elected as an MP for Lymington in 1708. During this time, he supported some important ideas:

• In 1709, he supported the naturalization of the Palatines. This meant allowing people from the Palatinate region of Germany to become British citizens.
• In 1710, he voted to impeach Dr. Sacheverell. Impeachment is a process where a public official is accused of wrongdoing.

He was elected again in 1710. In 1711, he voted for "No Peace Without Spain," which was a political idea about how to end a war Britain was involved in. He served as Mayor of Lymington again from 1711 to 1712. He did not run for Parliament in the 1713 election.

In 1714, he was given new roles:

• He became the receiver of the land tax for Hampshire.
• He was made a commissioner for leather duty and a commissioner for taxes in Hampshire, earning a good salary.

Later Political Career

Paul Burrard continued to be active in public life. He was Mayor of Lymington again from 1716 to 1717. He stopped being a commissioner for leather duty in 1718 but stayed a commissioner for taxes until 1722.

He was also appointed to other important positions:

• In 1721, he became a deputy-lieutenant for Hampshire.
• In 1722, he was made the Ranger of the New Forest, a large area of woodland and heathland.

He was re-elected to Parliament in 1722 and again in 1727. He served as Mayor of Lymington several more times:

• 1726 to 1727
• 1729 to 1730
• 1733 to 1734

He was elected to Parliament one last time in 1734. Throughout his career, he generally voted with the government, except when it came to the Excise Bill, which was a proposed tax law that he opposed.

Death

Paul Burrard passed away on May 30, 1735. He and his wife had four sons and one daughter. Three of his sons were still alive when he died.