Temple of British Worthies Sir John Barnard

Sir John Barnard (''c.'' 1685 – 28 August 1764) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

Whig politician and

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional pow ...

Early life

Barnard was the son of a Quaker merchant from

Reading, Berkshire Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...

, also named John Barnard and his wife, Sarah, daughter of Robert Payne of Play Hatch in Oxfordshire part of

Sonning Sonning is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England, on the River Thames, east of Reading. The village was described by Jerome K. Jerome in his book '' Three Men in a Boat'' as "the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river". Geo ...

. He abandoned the Quakers early in his life, and is said to have been

baptised Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...

into the Anglican faith by Henry Compton,

Bishop of London A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

. The younger John Barnard initially worked alongside his father as a London City merchant. He was elected at the 1722 general election as one of the four members of parliament (MPs) for the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

Political career

Barnard was a vigorous campaigner for the commercial interests that were his principal City of London constituency. In 1734 he successfully promoted an

Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...

"to prevent the infamous practice of Stock-Jobbing". This Act, which was renewed in 1737, later became known as "Sir John Barnard's Act" in recognition of his efforts. He was selected one of the two Sheriffs of London for 1736–37. His campaign for City interests continued in the Parliament of 1737, with proposed legislation to reduce interest payments on the national debt, thereby lowering commercial taxation. A further clause would have introduced a Playhouse Act to regulate operation of theatres in the City of London, the disorderly operation of which posed risks of local theft or property damage. Both measures were defeated by the Parliamentary majority headed by Sir Robert Walpole. Nonetheless, Barnard's advocacy was rewarded via election as

later in the year. The defeat of Barnard's bills cemented his political opposition to Walpole's administration. From 1738 he joined a faction headed by Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke which rejected Walpole's entire legislative programme. He did not take part in his faction's proclaimed secession from parliament in 1738, but did continue to speak against the government as opportunities arose, including on the proposed resolution of European disputes ahead of what would become the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's ...

. On this subject in March 1738, Barnard offered a philosophy of foreign relations opposed to Walpole's attempts to reach a negotiated settlement:

A dishonourable peace is worse than a destructive war...All nations are apt to play the bully with respect to one another; and if the government or administration of a nation has taken but one insult tamely, their neighbours will from thence judge of the character of that nation...and will accordingly treat them as bullies do noted poltroons; they will kick and cuff them upon every occasion.

Walpole resigned as Prime Minister in February 1742. Barnard was subsequently a supporter of the proposal for an enquiry to investigate Walpole's actions over the preceding ten years with a view to making charges of corruption. He was one of the 21 members named to the enquiry, but little progress was made as most of those called as witnesses refused to testify. The only substantive allegation – that of bribing electors in the districts of

Wendover Wendover is a market town and civil parish at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated at the point where the main road across the Chilterns between London and Aylesbury intersects with the once important road a ...

and Orford – failed when it became clear the evidence was essentially hearsay. Barnard supported a subsequent motion to introduce a Bill of Indemnity pardoning witnesses from any crimes if they testified against Walpole or his Ministers, but the legislation was defeated in the House of Lords.

Death

Barnard left Parliament at the 1761 general election, and died in 1764. He is commemorated in an ornate bust displayed in the Temple of British Worthies at Lord Cobham's country house at

Stowe Stowe may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Stowe, Buckinghamshire, a civil parish and former village **Stowe House **Stowe School * Stowe, Cornwall, in Kilkhampton parish * Stowe, Herefordshire, in the List of places in Herefordshire * Stowe, Linc ...

, alongside similar statues of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...

and Sir Francis Drake.Simms, p. 259.

References

;Notes ;Sources * London Stock Exchange (1986). ''Sir John Barnard's Act 1734. Reproduced from the original Crown Printers' Copies''. Welwyn Garden City: Bournehill Press. {{DEFAULTSORT:Barnard, John 1680s births 1764 deaths Year of birth uncertain Sheriffs of the City of London 18th-century lord mayors of London Whig (British political party) MPs for English constituencies Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1754–1761 Knights Bachelor Politicians awarded knighthoods People from Reading, Berkshire