William Hardres facts for kids
Sir William Hardres, 4th Baronet (born July 25, 1686 – died July 7, 1736), lived at Hardres Court in Upper Hardres, Kent. He was an important British landowner and a politician from the Tory party. He served in the House of Commons, which is like today's Parliament, during two different times between 1711 and 1735.
Sir William inherited his title, a "baronetcy," when his father, Sir Thomas Hardres, 3rd Baronet, passed away in 1688. A baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family. People thought Sir William was very smart and had a lot of potential. He also came from a wealthy family.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Sir William Hardres first became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kent in 1711. He won without anyone running against him in a special election called a "by-election."
In 1712, he helped create a new law, called a "bill," to finish building a chapel in a town called Deal. Chapels are small churches.
Later, in the 1713 general election, he was chosen to be the MP for Dover instead. He gave advice on issues important to Dover and the nearby Cinque Ports. These were special towns with rights to protect the coast.
In 1714, he and another MP wrote a letter to Dover. They wanted to ask Parliament to pass a law to protect the fishing areas near the port. Sir William decided not to run for Parliament again in the 1715 election.
Life Outside Parliament and Return
Even when he wasn't in Parliament, Sir William stayed active. He worked as a Justice of the Peace, which meant he helped keep law and order in his local area.
In the 1722 general election, he tried to become an MP again for Canterbury, but he didn't win that time.
However, he was successful in the 1727 general election and became the MP for Canterbury. In 1730, he voted against the government on a topic called "the Hessians." This was his only vote that was officially recorded.
He was elected again in the 1734 general election. But a formal complaint, called a "petition," was made against him. He decided to leave Parliament on April 11, 1735. He might have also retired because he was suffering from a health problem called gout.
Family Life and Legacy
Sir William Hardres married Eliza Disher in 1712. She was a widow and the daughter of Richard Thomas.
He passed away at Hardres Court when he was 49 years old. Doctors at the time said he died from "gout in the stomach." He was buried in the church at Upper Hardres.
Sir William and Eliza had two sons and two daughters. However, only one son and one daughter were still alive when he died. His son, also named William, took over the baronetcy after him.
