Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet facts for kids

Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet (born July 31, 1733 – died January 10, 1802) was an important British politician. He lived at Norwood Park in Nottinghamshire. Sir Richard was a member of the House of Commons, which is part of the British Parliament, for many years, from 1768 to 1796.

Early Life and Education

Richard Sutton was born in 1733. He was the younger son of Sir Robert Sutton, who was also a politician and diplomat. His mother was Judith Tichborne.

Richard went to Westminster School, a famous school in London. After that, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, one of the oldest universities in England. He chose to become a lawyer. He joined the Middle Temple in 1754 and later the Inner Temple. He officially became a lawyer in 1759. In 1763, he was appointed as a judge, known as a Recorder, for the town of St Albans.

Political Career Highlights

Richard Sutton had a long and active career in British politics.

Starting in Government

In July 1766, Richard Sutton began working for the government. He became an Under-Secretary of State in the Southern Department. This role meant he helped the main Secretary of State with important government business. He then moved to the Northern Department in 1768, before returning to the Southern Department in 1770.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In 1768, Richard Sutton was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for St Albans. An MP represents the people of a certain area in the House of Commons. He often spoke in Parliament about his department's work. He also talked about social and economic issues. Sometimes, he even voted against the government, showing he had his own opinions. For example, he voted against the Royal Marriages Act.

New Wealth and a New Title

In October 1772, Richard Sutton left his government job. This was because his older brother passed away, and Richard inherited his family home, Norwood Park, and a large income. To recognize his hard work for the country, he was given the title of Baronet. This meant he became "Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baronet." He also received a yearly payment from the government for the rest of his life.

Supporting the American War

Even after leaving his government role, Sir Richard remained an MP. He strongly supported the government's policies regarding America. At that time, the American War was happening. In 1779, he even donated money to help create a volunteer army to fight in the war.

Later Political Roles

In 1780, the Prime Minister, Lord North, chose Sir Richard to be a Lord of the Treasury. This was another important government position. He was elected as an MP for Sandwich in the 1780 election.

Sir Richard continued to support Lord North, even when Lord North left office in 1782. In the 1784 election, he became an MP for Boroughbridge. He supported the government led by William Pitt. He was re-elected in 1790 but decided to retire from Parliament in 1796.

Sir Richard Sutton passed away in Bath, Somerset, on January 10, 1802. His grandson, Richard, inherited his title as the 2nd Baronet.

Family Life

Sir Richard Sutton was married three times. His first wife, Susanna de Crespigny, died in 1766, just one year after they married. In 1770, he married Anne Williams, and they had seven children together. Anne passed away in 1787. In 1793, he married Anne Porter, who outlived him.

His children were:

• Elizabeth Evelyn
• John
• Richard
• Anne Georgiana
• Isabella Frances
• Robert Nassau
• Henry