George Heathcote was an eighteenth century English politician and philanthropist who was a Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 and Lord Mayor of London

Lord Mayor of London

The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...

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He was a nephew of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet, Governor of the Bank of England

Governor of the Bank of England

The Governor of the Bank of England is the most senior position in the Bank of England. It is nominally a civil service post, but the appointment tends to be from within the Bank, with the incumbent grooming his or her successor...

. His brother Caleb Heathcote

Caleb Heathcote

Caleb Heathcote was a Mayor of New York . His estate in Westchester County, New York is the site the present-day town of Scarsdale and was granted on March 21, 1701 or 1702 by Lieutenant Governor of New York John Nanfan. A neighborhood and an elementary school in present-day Scarsdale are named...

 served as Mayor of New York City

Mayor of New York City

The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...

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Heathcote was known as the wealthiest commoner in England when he died.

Political career

Heathcote served as an Alderman

Alderman

An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...

 for the City of London

City of London

The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...

, was elected Sheriff of the City of London in 1740, and was elected Lord Mayor in 1742. He also served in Parliament as the representative of the City of London.

He was an opponent of Robert Walpole

Robert Walpole

Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....

’s government ministry and a follower of William Wyndham

Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet

Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet , English politician, was the only son of Sir Edward Wyndham, Bart., a grandson of Sir William Wyndham and a great-great-grandson of Sir John Wyndham of Orchard Wyndham, Somerset, who was created a baronet in 1661.Educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, he...

’s opposition Tory party. He was also a Jacobite

Jacobitism

Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...

, or a supporter of the exiled House of Stuart

House of Stuart

The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...

. He was active in planning the Jacobite Rising of 1745

Jacobite Rising of 1745

The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...

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Philanthropic Work

Heathcote was a member of the Associates of the Late Dr. Thomas Bray

Thomas Bray

The Reverend Dr Thomas Bray was an English clergyman, who spent time in Maryland as an Anglican representative.-Life:...

, a philanthropic organization. After the death of Dr. Bray in 1730, the Associates petitioned to create a new colony for relief of debtors, among other purposes. In 1732, the Associates were granted a royal charter founding the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America

Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America

The Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America, or simply the Georgia Trustees, was organized by James Edward Oglethorpe and associates following Parliamentary investigations into prison conditions in Britain. The organization petitioned for a royal charter in July, 1731,...

. Heathcote was active in planning the colony with James Oglethorpe

James Oglethorpe

James Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, member of Parliament, philanthropist, and founder of the colony of Georgia...

, and he served as treasurer for the Trustees.

Heathcote was a member of the Masonic Lodge at the Rummer Tavern, Charing Cross

Charing Cross

Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...

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