Sir Walter Rawlinson (29 May 1734''London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812'' – 13 March 1805) was a British banker 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 1774 to 1790.

Early life

Rawlinson was the son of Sir Thomas Rawlinson and his wife Dorothea Ray, daughter of Rev. Richard Ray, vicar of Haughley, Suffolk. He was baptised at All Hallows Staining at 12 days old on 9 June 1734. His father was a London merchant who became

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

in 1753–4. Rawlinson was educated at Bury St Edmunds Grammar School in 1744 and was admitted at

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

on 18 January 1753, aged 18. In 1752 he entered

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

to study law. He married Mary Ladbroke, daughter of Sir Robert Ladbroke on 2 February 1769. He succeeded his father on 2 December 1769 and inherited Stowlangtoft Hall which had been purchased by his father in 1760. In 1771 Rawlinson became a partner with his father-in-law in the firm of Ladbroke, Robinson & Co., bankers. He was an Alderman for Dowgate, in the City of London, from 1773 and was knighted on 4 March 1774.

Political career

Rawlinson was a friend of Lord Sandwich, who returned him as Member of Parliament for

Queenborough Queenborough is a town on the Isle of Sheppey in the Swale borough of Kent in South East England. Queenborough is south of Sheerness. It grew as a port near the Thames Estuary at the westward entrance to the Swale where it joins the River ...

on the Admiralty interest in the 1774 general election. In the House of Commons he supported North's Administration, but took little part in politics and apparently never spoke in the House. He was equally uninterested in City politics and in 1777 resigned as alderman. He does not seem to have used his position as an MP to secure financial advantages for his firm. He was re-elected MP for Queenborough without contest in

1780 Events January–March * January 16 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Cape St. Vincent: British Admiral Sir George Rodney defeats a Spanish fleet. * February 19 – The legislature of New York votes to all ...

. He was a member of the

St. Alban's Tavern group The St. Alban's Tavern group was an informal association of 78 United Kingdom, British Member of Parliament, Members of Parliament who aimed to bring about a reconciliation of William Pitt the Younger and Charles James Fox in a unified Ministry. The ...

which tried to bring together Fox and Pitt in 1784. In

1784 Events January–March * January 6 – Treaty of Constantinople: The Ottoman Empire agrees to Russia's annexation of the Crimea. * January 14 – The Congress of the United States ratifies the Treaty of Paris with Great Brit ...

he was returned as MP for

Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by John, King of England, King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver C ...

on Sandwich's interest. He did not stand at the 1790 general election

Later life

Rawlinson was also president of

Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals The Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals were two charitable foundations that were independently put into the charge of the City of London. They were brought under joint administration in 1557. Bethlehem Hospital The Bethlem Royal Hospital was foun ...

. He died without issue at Devonshire Place, London, on 13 March 1805, aged 70.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rawlinson, Walter 1734 births 1805 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Members of Lincoln's Inn British bankers Aldermen of the City of London Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 British MPs 1784–1790 Knights Bachelor