St Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of Bletso facts for kids

St Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of Bletso (born August 22, 1759 – died October 15, 1817) was an important English politician. He served in the British House of Commons, which is like the main parliament in the United Kingdom, from 1780 until 1806. He then became a Lord, inheriting a special title called a peerage.

Early Life and Education

St Andrew St John was born in Woodford, Northamptonshire. His father was John St John, 12th Baron St John of Bletso, and his mother was Susanna Louisa Simond.

He received his education from Rev. John Skynner. Later, he studied at St John's College, Cambridge, starting in 1776. He earned his Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1779. He also studied law and became a lawyer in 1782.

Political Career

In 1780, St Andrew St John was chosen as a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire. This meant he represented the people of Bedfordshire in the House of Commons.

He was a close friend of Charles James Fox, another well-known politician. Fox supported St Andrew throughout his time in politics.

For a short period in 1783, St Andrew worked as the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. This was a role helping the government with international matters. However, for most of his career, he was part of the opposition, meaning he often disagreed with the government in power.

In 1787, he played a role in the Impeachment of Warren Hastings. This was a major legal process where a high-ranking official was put on trial by Parliament. St Andrew was one of the managers of this important case. He also served as a Captain in the Bedford Volunteers, a local military group, in 1803.

Later Life and Titles

In 1805, St Andrew's brother Henry passed away. This meant St Andrew inherited the title of the 14th Lord St John of Bletsoe. Because he became a Lord, he had to leave his seat in the House of Commons.

As a Lord, he was given a special position called a Privy Councillorship in 1806. This meant he became a trusted advisor to the King or Queen.

Also in 1806, he became the Captain of the Gentlemen Pensioners, another important role, which he held until 1807. He was also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Bedford Volunteers until 1808.

In 1808, St Andrew St John became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very respected group of scientists and thinkers. He also became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a group dedicated to studying history and old things.

Family Life

St Andrew St John married Louisa Boughton on July 16, 1807. She was the daughter of Sir Charles William Rouse-Boughton, 9th Baronet. They lived at Melchbourne Park in Bedfordshire.

They had two children:

• A son named St Andrew, who later became the 15th Baron.
• A daughter named Louisa Barbara, who was born after her father passed away. She later married Norman Macleod.

Lord St John passed away at the age of 58 in 1817. His wife Louisa was left a widow with young children. She later married again in 1828 to Mr Serjeant Vaughan. They had a son, Rev. Charles Lyndhurst Vaughan, and a daughter, Emily.