Sir Henry Goring, 4th Baronet facts for kids
Sir Henry Goring (born in 1679 – died in 1731) was an English politician. He held the title of the 4th Baronet of Highden, a special noble rank. Sir Henry Goring was involved in a historical event called the Atterbury Plot in 1721. This plot was linked to the Jacobite movement, which supported the return of the old royal family, the Stuarts, to the throne.
Early Life and Family
Henry Goring was born in 1679. He was the fourth son of Captain Henry Goring, who lived in Wappingthorne, Sussex. His mother was Mary, the daughter of Sir John Covert.
In 1714, Henry Goring married Elizabeth Matthew. They had many children together, including nine sons and two daughters. In the same year, he inherited his family's noble title, the baronetcy, and the Wappingthorn estate from his half-brother, Charles.
Military and Political Roles
Henry Goring began his military career in 1705. He became a Captain in a regiment of soldiers. In 1707, he moved to a different army group led by Samuel Masham. Masham was a close friend of Queen Anne, who was the monarch at the time.
By 1711, Goring became a Colonel, leading the 31st Regiment of Foot. However, he left active service in 1713. He was known to support the Jacobites, a group that wanted the Stuart family to be kings again. Because of his Jacobite beliefs, he was one of several army officers who had to sell their positions during the Jacobite Rising of 1715. This was a time when the Jacobites tried to take power.
Sir Henry Goring was also a Member (MP). This meant he was elected to represent people in the Parliament of Great Britain. He represented the area of Steyning from 1709 to 1715. He also represented Horsham from 1707 to 1708, and again briefly in 1715. After a short time in 1715, he lost his seat in Parliament because another candidate challenged the election results.
The Atterbury Plot
Sir Henry Goring was involved in a plan known as the Atterbury Plot. In 1721, he wrote a letter to James Francis Edward Stuart, who was known as the "Pretender." The Pretender was the person the Jacobites wanted to be king. In his letter, Goring suggested a plan to bring the Stuart royal family back to power. This plan involved help from soldiers from other countries, led by the Duke of Ormonde from Spain and Lieutenant-General Dillon from France.
The plot started to fall apart in England in 1722. The French government, led by the Duke of Orleans, told the British government about the Jacobites' plans. The Jacobites had asked France to send 3,000 soldiers to help them take control in England. However, France refused to let the Duke of Ormonde's soldiers cross their country. They also moved their own Irish soldiers away from the coast, making it harder for the plot to succeed.
In England, the Jacobites had not gathered enough money to buy weapons for their plan. The Earl of Mar, a Jacobite leader, said that Goring, even though he was a brave man, wasn't very good at organizing such big plans.
The British government, led by Robert Walpole, began looking for proof against the main Jacobite supporters. Even though they found little evidence, Walpole ordered the arrest of several people, including Sir Henry Goring and Bishop Atterbury. Bishop Atterbury was sent to the Tower of London.
Sir Henry Goring managed to escape arrest. He fled England on August 23, 1722, and went to France. He stayed in France until he died in 1731. During a trial in England, where he was seen as one of the main people behind the plot, it was said that Goring had tried to get people to help with the planned invasion.
After he went into exile in France in 1722, Sir Henry Goring was given new noble titles by the Jacobite movement: Viscount Goring and Baron Bullinghel. He died in 1731, still in France, at the age of 52.
