Richard Hampden (aft. 1674 – 27 July 1728) of Great Hampden, near Wendover, Buckinghamshire was an English Whig

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

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 ...

almost continuously from 1701 to 1728.

Early life

Hampden was the eldest son of

John Hampden John Hampden (24 June 1643) was an English politician from Oxfordshire, who was killed fighting for Roundhead, Parliament in the First English Civil War. An ally of Parliamentarian leader John Pym, and a cousin of Oliver Cromwell, he was one of ...

, and his first wife Sarah Foley, daughter of Thomas Foley of Witley Court, Worcestershire. He was great-grandson of Ship money tax protester

. His younger half-brother was

, MP. In 1696, he succeeded his father to the Wendover estate and Hampden House. His father committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

, which was agreed to be a "sad cloud" over the son: friends urged him not to react by "sowing his wild oats". He studied at Utrecht in 1699. In 1701, he married his

first cousin A cousin is a relative who is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin. A parent of a first cousin is an aunt or uncle. More generally, in the lineal kinship, kinship system used in the English-s ...

Isabella Ellys, daughter of Sir William Ellys, 2nd Baronet, MP of Wyham and Nocton, Lincolnshire.

Career

Hampden was returned unopposed as MP for Wendover at the two general elections of 1701, and was elected in contest in 1703 and 1705. At the 1708 general election, he was returned unopposed as MP for

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

but was defeated in contests in 1710 and

1713 Events January–March * January 17 – Tuscarora War: Colonel James Moore leads the Carolina militia out of Albemarle County, North Carolina, in a second offensive against the Tuscarora. Heavy snows force the troops to take ...

. In 1710 he was offered a seat on the Treasury Commission but refused. He then quarreled with the Queen, urging her not to dissolve Parliament.

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 ...

made the crushing retort that "though she had offered him employment she had not asked for his advice". He was returned as MP for Berwick-on-Tweed at a by-election on 22 December 1711 and at the 1713 general election. Hampden was returned unopposed as MP for Buckinghamshire again at the 1715 general election. In 1716 he was appointed Teller of the Exchequer. In 1718, he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Treasurer of the Navy. In 1719 he was one of the original backers of the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

, establishing a London opera company which commissioned numerous works from

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

and others.Thomas McGeary. ''The Politics of Opera in Handel's Britain''. Cambridge University Press, 2013. p.254 In 1720, he speculated in the stock of the

South Sea Company The South Sea Company (officially: The Governor and Company of the merchants of Great Britain, trading to the South Seas and other parts of America and for the encouragement of the Fishery) was a British joint-stock company founded in Ja ...

using naval funds to make a personal profit. When the South Sea Bubble burst, he made losses of £90,000, of which less than half was secured. He was consequentially dismissed from office. In

1722 Events January–March * January 27 – Daniel Defoe's novel '' Moll Flanders'' is published anonymously in London. * February 10 – The Battle of Cape Lopez begins off of the coast of West Africa (and present-day Gabon), ...

he was elected MP at Wendover and in 1727, he was returned unopposed at Wendover and elected without his knowledge at Buckinghamshire and chose to sit for the latter. Hampden died on 27 July 1728.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hampden, Richard 1670s births 1728 deaths Politicians from Buckinghamshire English MPs 1701 English MPs 1701–1702 English MPs 1702–1705 English MPs 1705–1707 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1707–1708 British MPs 1708–1710 British MPs 1710–1713 British MPs 1713–1715 British MPs 1715–1722 British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 Members of the Privy Council of Great Britain