Sir John Walter, 3rd Baronet facts for kids
Sir John Walter, 3rd Baronet (born around 1674, died 1722), was an important British politician from Sarsden House, Oxfordshire. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the English House of Commons from 1694 to 1707 and then in the British House of Commons from 1708 until his death in 1722.
Biography of Sir John Walter
Sir John Walter was the oldest son of Sir William Walter, 2nd Baronet, and his first wife, Mary Tufton. He went to Queen's College, Oxford, in 1691. In 1694, he inherited his father's lands and the title of Baronet. Around 1700, he married Elizabeth Vernon, whose father, Sir Thomas Vernon, was a merchant and also an MP.
Sir John Walter's Political Career
Sir John Walter first became a Member of Parliament for Appleby in 1694. He was helped by his uncle, Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet. He served for Appleby again from 1697 to 1701. After that, he tried to become an MP for Woodstock in 1705 but was not elected.
He then became an MP for Oxford in 1706 and was re-elected without opposition in 1708. He was part of a group of politicians known as Tories. These Tories were strong supporters of the Church of England. Sir John Walter voted against the impeachment of Dr. Sacheverell in 1710, showing his support for High Church views.
He was re-elected for Oxford in 1710 and was seen as a "worthy patriot" for helping to show problems with the previous government. In 1711, he became the Clerk of the Green Cloth, a position he held until 1714. He was re-elected for Oxford without opposition in 1713, 1715, and 1722. He consistently voted against the government's plans during his time in Parliament.
Sir John Walter's Private Life
Sir John Walter was known for enjoying social events, smart fashion, and horse racing. He was a popular person in society. However, his spending habits led to him having debts. To pay these debts, he had to sell some of his properties.
For example, he sold Godstow to the Earl of Abingdon in 1702. He also sold most of Cutteslowe in 1703 and the rest of Cutteslowe and Wolvercote to the Duke of Marlborough in 1710.
Sir John Walter passed away on June 11, 1722, and was buried in Sarsden. He did not have any children with his wife. After his death, his half-brother, Robert, became the next Baronet. Sir John left his Sarsden estate to his wife, with the understanding that it would go to Robert after her death. He also left money to his friend, Lord Harcourt. In 1724, Lord Harcourt married Sir John Walter's widow.
The baronetcy title ended in 1731 when Sir Robert died without children. After that, the Sarsden estate became involved in a long legal case.
