Sir John Heathcote, 2nd Baronet facts for kids

Sir John Heathcote, 2nd Baronet (born 1689, died 1759) was an important person in British history. He was a merchant and a politician. He served in the British Parliament, called the House of Commons, for many years. His family lived at Normanton Park in Rutland, England.

Normanton Park in 1818. This was Sir John Heathcote's family home.

John Heathcote was the oldest son of Sir Gilbert Heathcote. His father was a very famous Lord Mayor of London. His mother was Hester Rayner. In 1720, John married Bridget White.

Becoming a Politician

Sir John Heathcote started his political journey in 1715. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Grantham. He belonged to the Whig political party.

He also worked in important business roles. From 1716 to 1724, he was a Director of the East India Company. This company was very powerful and traded goods from far-off countries. Later, he also became a Director of the Bank of England. He held this role several times between 1725 and 1735. He returned to the East India Company as a Director from 1728 to 1731.

Taking Over the Family Estate

In 1733, Sir John's father passed away. John then became the 2nd Baronet. He also inherited Normanton Park, the family's large estate.

After his father's death, he was elected as an MP again. This time, he represented Bodmin. He won without anyone running against him in 1733. He was re-elected for Bodmin in 1734. He usually supported the government's decisions in Parliament.

Normanton Hall and Later Life

Between 1735 and 1740, Sir John Heathcote rebuilt Normanton Hall. This was the main house at Normanton Park. He hired an architect named Henry Joynes to design the new building.

In 1741, he lost his election for Parliament. After that, he spent most of his time as a country gentleman. He lived at Normanton Park for about seven months each year. He tried to get back into Parliament in 1754 but was not successful.

Sir John was also involved in important public work. He was a trustee for the British Museum. He was also the president of the Foundling Hospital. This hospital helped care for abandoned children.

Family Life

Sir John Heathcote passed away on September 5, 1759, when he was 70 years old. His oldest son, Gilbert, became the 3rd Baronet. His wife, Bridget, died later in 1772.

Sir John and Bridget had six children, two sons and four daughters:

• Gilbert Heathcote (died 1785)
• John Heathcote (died 1795)
• Bridget Heathcote (died 1805), who married James Douglas, the 14th Earl of Morton.
• Ann Heathcote, who married Sir Robert Hamilton.