Henry Finch (c. 1694–1761) was a British academic 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 1724 to 1761. Finch was the fourth surviving son of

Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea PC (2 July 16471 January 1730) was an English Tory politician and peer who supported the Hanoverian Succession in 1714. Known as Lord Nottingham until 1729, then as Lord Winchilsea. ...

and 7th Earl of Winchilsea and his second wife Anne Hatton, daughter of

Christopher Hatton, 1st Viscount Hatton Christopher Hatton, 1st Viscount Hatton (1632–1706) was an English aristocrat and diplomat. Career He succeeded his father, Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton, as 2nd Baron Hatton and also as governor of Guernsey in 1670. He and his fami ...

, He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

in 1707 and was admitted at

Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college includes the Master, the Fellows of the College, and about 450 undergraduate and 250 graduate students. The c ...

on 19 August. 1712, aged 17. He was nominated by his father as a fellow of Christ's on the Finch and Baines foundation in 1713 and was awarded MA in 1714. Finch stood unsuccessfully for Parliament as a Whig in the

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

by-election on 19 December 1720. By 1724 he had been over ten years at Cambridge and his father and his brother Lord Finch were in discussion over his future. He was returned as Member of Parliament for Malton at a by-election on 27 November 1724 on the interest of his brother-in-law, Thomas Watson Wentworth. In 1726 he lost his college fellowship because of non-residence and for holding more property as an MP than was permissible for a fellow, but he was reinstated soon afterwards and retained the fellowship until 1749. He was returned unopposed at Malton at the 1727 and was appointed receiver-general of the revenues of Minorca in 1729. He lived at Minorca for a time. He was returned unopposed in the 1734 and

1741 Events January–March * January 13 ** Lanesborough, Massachusetts is created as a township. ** Conventicle Act of 1741 is introduced in Denmark-Norway. *February 13 – Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister of Great Britain ...

general elections. When in Parliament, he voted with the Government in every recorded division. In 1743 he left the Minorca post and was appointed surveyor of works on the recommendation of Pelham in preference to his brother

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

. He was returned for Malton again at the 1747 general election and was classed as Old Whig. He was returned unopposed at the 1754 general election. In December 1760 his place of surveyor general of works was required for someone else and he. was given a secret service pension of £900 p.a. He was returned as MP for Malton for the last time in

1761 Events January–March * January 14 – Third Battle of Panipat: In India, the armies of the Durrani Empire from Afghanistan, led by Ahmad Shah Durrani and his coalition decisively defeat the Maratha Confederacy, killing over 1 ...

. Finch died unmarried on 26 April 1761. As well as Lord Finch, his brothers

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

and William Finch were also Members of Parliament

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Finch, Henry 1690s births 1761 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1754–1761 Fellows of Christ's College, Cambridge 18th-century British politicians