The Honourable John Finch (c. 1689 – 1 January 1740), of Wornedale in Borden, Kent, was an English lawyer and Tory 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 1722 to 1740. Finch was the second son of Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Aylesford, and his wife Elizabeth Banks, daughter of

Sir John Banks, 1st Baronet Sir John Banks, 1st Baronet FRS (1627 – 18 October 1699) was an English merchant and MP, who rose from relatively humble beginnings to be one of the wealthiest merchants in London and owner of several properties. Life Banks was the son of C ...

. He was probably educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

and matriculated at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

on 1 April 1709, aged 19. He was admitted at

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1710 and was called to the bar in 1719. On the death of his father, his brother Heneage Finch, 2nd Earl of Aylesford alienated the manor of Wornedale to him in 1721, after an act was passed that year for the purpose. Finch married Elizabeth Savile, daughter and heiress of John Savile, of

Methley-hall Methley is a dispersed village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, south east of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It is located near Rothwell, Oulton, Woodlesford, Mickletown and Allerton Bywater. The Leeds City Ward is called Kip ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...

on 30 April 1726. Finch was elected as Tory Member of Parliament for

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, l ...

on the family interest at the

1722 British general election The 1722 British general election elected members to serve in the House of Commons of the 6th Parliament of Great Britain. This was the fifth such election since the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Tha ...

. He voted consistently with the Opposition. His cousin, another John Finch, stood at Maidstone in a by-election on 1 June 1723 but was unsuccessful. At the

1727 British general election The 1727 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 7th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election was trigg ...

Finch was elected again for Maidstone in a contest. He is recorded as pairing with his cousin, Lord Perceval, on Walpole's proposed salt duty, which he opposed, in February and March 1732. He was elected again for Maidstone in a contest at the

1734 British general election The 1734 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of Great Britain, House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scot ...

. Finch died on 1 January 1740, leaving a son and daughter. His son Savile Finch also represented Maidstone in Parliament.

References

1680s births 1740 deaths Younger sons of earls Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 People from Maidstone John Finch People from the Borough of Swale {{England-GreatBritain-MP-stub