George Speke (c.1686–1753), of White Lackington and Dillington,

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

, was a British landowner 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 ...

between 1722 and 1747. Speke was the only son of

John Speke Captain (armed forces), Captain John Hanning Speke (4 May 1827 – 15 September 1864) was an English explorer and army officer who made three exploratory expeditions to Africa. He is most associated with the search for the source of the N ...

of White Lackington and Dillington, MP, a wealthy and influential Somerset landowner and his second wife Elizabeth Pelham, daughter of Robert Pelham of Compton Valence, Dorset. He married Alicia Brooking, daughter of Nicholas Brooking. Speke stood unsuccessfully for Somerset at the 1715 general election. At the 1722 general election, he was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament for

Milborne Port Milborne Port is a village, Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, electoral ward and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England, east of Sherborne, and in the South Somerset district. It has a population of 2,802. ...

. He was next returned unopposed as MP for

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England. It is a market town and has a Minster (church), minster church. Its population in 2011 was 64,621. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century priory, monastic foundation, owned by the ...

at the 1727 general election. At the 1734 general election, he stood at Wells, where he was defeated at the poll but seated on petition on 25 March 1735. He voted consistently with the Administration and spoke in debates on the army and the national debt. At the 1741 general election he was returned unopposed for Wells and continued to support the Administration. He was defeated at Wells in

1747 Events January–March * January 31 – The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Lock Hospital. * February 11 – King George's War: A combined French and Indian force, commanded by Captain Nicolas Antoine II ...

. Speke married twice after the death of his wife Alicia. He married Jane, the widowed daughter of William Hockmore of Combe-in-Teignhead, Devon in February 1732. Her former husbands were Palmer of Sharpham Park, Somerset, and William Pitt of Cricket Malherbie, Somerset. He then married, in July 1737, Anne Lady Drake, widow of Sir William Drake, 6th Baronet, of Ashe, Devon and daughter of William Peere Williams of Grey Friars, Chichester Sussex. Speke died on 2 January 1753, leaving two daughters, but was predeceased by a son and another daughter. By his first wife Alicia he had one surviving daughter Mary who was left £10,000, and by his third wife Anne he had one surviving daughter

Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), Annie a ...

, who was left the rest of his property and married

Lord North Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford (13 April 17325 August 1792), better known by his courtesy title Lord North, which he used from 1752 to 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Speke, George 1680s births 1753 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Milborne Port Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Wells Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Taunton British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747