Anthony Chamier (6 October 1725 – 12 October 1780) was an English official, financier and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

from 1778 to 1780. He was known also as friend of

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

Sir Joshua Reynolds - Anthony Chamier - Google Art Project

Life

From a

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

background, Chamier was born on 6 October 1725, and baptised in the Walloon chapel,

Threadneedle Street Threadneedle Street is a street in the City of London, England, between Bishopsgate at its northeast end and Bank junction in the southwest. It is one of nine streets that converge at Bank. It lies in the ward of Cornhill. History Threadne ...

, London, on 19 October, his parents being Daniel Chamier and Susanne de la Mejanelle. Early in life he was a broker on the

Stock Exchange A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for ...

, as his enemies in later years did not allow him to forget. Through his wife's connection Chamier obtained a place in the public service; and in January 1772 was promoted by

Lord Barrington Viscount Barrington, of Ardglass in the County of Down, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1720 for the lawyer, theologian and politician John Barrington. He was made Baron Barrington, of Newcastle in the County of Limer ...

to the post of deputy secretary at war. Philip Francis brutally criticised the appointment. Chamier was created under-secretary of state for the southern department in 1775, and on 10 June 1778 was elected Member of Parliament for Tamworth. On 11 September 1780, a month and a day before his death, he was re-elected there. He died in

Savile Row Savile Row (pronounced ) is a street in Mayfair, central London. Known principally for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men, the street has had a varied history that has included accommodating the headquarters of the Royal Geographical ...

, London, on 12 October 1780, and was buried at St James's, Piccadilly.

Associations

Chamier was an original member in 1764 of the Literary Club, and Samuel Johnson, when drawing up his scheme of a university at St Andrews, assigned to him the chair of "commercial politics". His country house was at

Streatham Streatham ( ) is a district in south London, England. Centred south of Charing Cross, it lies mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, with some parts extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. Streatham was in Surrey ...

; Johnson used to visit there, for example on his seventieth birthday, and asked Chamier for favours on behalf of acquaintances. Chamier was elected a fellow of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

in 1767. He sat for

Sir Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

three times (December 1762, January 1767, and November 1777), and two houses which Reynolds particularly liked were those of the Hornecks and Chamier.

Family

Chamier married Dorothy, daughter and coheiress of Robert Wilson, merchant of

St Mary Axe St Mary Axe was a medieval parish in the City of London whose name survives as that of the street which formerly occupied it. The Church of St Mary Axe was demolished in 1561 and its parish united with that of St Andrew Undershaft, which is s ...

, London. Her sister married Thomas Bradshaw, who became private secretary to the

Duke of Grafton Duke of Grafton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1675 by Charles II of England for Henry FitzRoy, his second illegitimate son by the Duchess of Cleveland. The most notable duke of Grafton was Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke o ...

, and joint secretary of the treasury in the Chatham and Grafton administrations. Chamier left no issue, and his property passed by will to his nephew, John Deschamps, with a testamentary injunction to take the name and arms of the Chamier family.

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Chamier, Anthony 1725 births 1780 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies English people of French descent Fellows of the Royal Society People from the City of London British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784