John Coxe Hippisley
Encyclopedia
Sir John Coxe Hippisley, 1st Baronet
(c. February 1746 – 3 May 1825), was a British diplomat and politician who pursued an ‘unflagging, though wholly unsuccessful, quest for office’ which led King George III of Great Britain to describe him as ‘that busy man’ and ‘the grand intriguer’.
in 1746, he was the son of William Hipsley, a haberdasher
, and Ann Webb. His middle name derived from his paternal grandmother, Dorothy Cox. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School
and at Hertford College, Oxford
, becoming a Doctor of Civil Law in 1776. He became a student at the Inner Temple
in 1766 and was called to the bar in 1771. He was Treasurer of the Inner Temple from 19 November 1813 to 17 November 1814 and his monogram can be seen above the doorways of Nos. 10 and 11 King’s Bench Walk.
In 1779 Hippisley travelled to Italy
where he became the British government’s man in Rome
. He married his first wife Margaret Stuart in Rome in February 1780. Margaret was the second daughter of Sir John Stuart, third Baronet of Allanbank. They had four children together - Margaret Frances, born 1780; Windhamina Barbara (probably named after Hippisley's friend William Windham
), born 1787; John Stuart, born 1790, and Louisa Anne.
In 1781 Hippisley secured an appointment with the East India Company and moved to Madras, eventually becoming paymaster in Tanjore. He resigned from the Company in 1787 and returned to England in 1789. In the following year he was returned as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sudbury
. At the general elections of 1796 and 1801 he was not returned to Parliament, but he was successful in 1802 and retained his seat until 1818 when he retired from the House of Commons.
In 1792 Hippisley returned to Italy and remained there until 1795, during which time he served as a semi-official representative of the British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger
at the Court of Pope Pius VI
. Upon returning to England he was called upon to negotiate the marriage between Prince Frederick of Württemberg (later Frederick I of Württemberg
) to Charlotte, Princess Royal
, eldest daughter of George III. After bringing the negotiations to a successful conclusion, Hippisley finally received his long-sought baronetcy on 10 May 1796
In 1799 the plight of The Cardinal Duke of York
, the last representative in the male line of the Royal House of Stuart
, was brought to Hippisley’s attention by Dr. Stefano Cardinal Borgia
. Cardinal
York was living in France, ill and penniless, and Hippisley persuaded George III to award him an annual pension of £
4,000.
, where he owned Warfield
Grove, a red-brick Georgian mansion which he had bought from Admiral Sir George Bowyer
. Hippisley sold the house to the Earl of Mountnorris
in the early 19th century. In February 1801 he married his second wife, Elizabeth Anne Coxe (née Horner), the widow of Henry Hippisley Coxe of Ston Easton
, Somerset. Despite the similarity of their names, John was not closely related to the Hippisleys of Ston Easton, if at all. He may have changed the spelling of his name around this time to further legitimise his position at Ston Easton.
Hippisley was a Fellow of the Royal Society
, a vice-president and supporter of the Literary Fund Society, a benefactor of Downside Abbey
, one of the principal promoters of the literary institutions of Bath and Bristol, a member of the government committee of the Turkey Company, vice-president of the West of England Agricultural Society and a member of the Society of Antiquarians. He was however not a popular man with all his contemporaries. The Rev. John Skinner referred to him as ‘that great orator’ and a ‘great ass’ in his diary, published as The Journal of a Somerset Rector, while in 1810 the wit and politician Joseph Jekyll described how during a speech by Hippisley in parliament ‘the house coughed him down five times in vain, and the catarrh lasted two hours’.
Hippisley had no children with Elizabeth. He retired from political life in 1818 and died on 3 May 1825 in Grosvenor Street, London. He was buried in the Inner Temple vault on 12 May 1825. His widow Elizabeth died on 25 March 1843 in Grosvenor Square
, London, whereupon the Ston Easton estate was inherited by her grandnephew, John Hippisley. Sir John was succeeded as baronet by John Stuart Hippisley, his son by his first wife, but he died unmarried in Mells, Somerset
on 20 March 1867, whereupon the baronetcy became extinct.
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
(c. February 1746 – 3 May 1825), was a British diplomat and politician who pursued an ‘unflagging, though wholly unsuccessful, quest for office’ which led King George III of Great Britain to describe him as ‘that busy man’ and ‘the grand intriguer’.
Early life and overseas appointments
Born John Cox Hipsley in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in 1746, he was the son of William Hipsley, a haberdasher
Haberdasher
A haberdasher is a person who sells small articles for sewing, such as buttons, ribbons, zips, and other notions. In American English, haberdasher is another term for a men's outfitter. A haberdasher's shop or the items sold therein are called haberdashery.-Origin and use:The word appears in...
, and Ann Webb. His middle name derived from his paternal grandmother, Dorothy Cox. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England. The school was founded in 1532 by two brothers, Robert and Nicholas Thorne....
and at Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
, becoming a Doctor of Civil Law in 1776. He became a student at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1766 and was called to the bar in 1771. He was Treasurer of the Inner Temple from 19 November 1813 to 17 November 1814 and his monogram can be seen above the doorways of Nos. 10 and 11 King’s Bench Walk.
In 1779 Hippisley travelled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he became the British government’s man in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He married his first wife Margaret Stuart in Rome in February 1780. Margaret was the second daughter of Sir John Stuart, third Baronet of Allanbank. They had four children together - Margaret Frances, born 1780; Windhamina Barbara (probably named after Hippisley's friend William Windham
William Windham
William Windham PC, PC was a British Whig statesman.-Early life:Windham was a member of an ancient Norfolk family and a great-great-grandson of Sir John Wyndham. He was the son of William Windham, Sr. of Felbrigg Hall and his second wife, Sarah Lukin...
), born 1787; John Stuart, born 1790, and Louisa Anne.
In 1781 Hippisley secured an appointment with the East India Company and moved to Madras, eventually becoming paymaster in Tanjore. He resigned from the Company in 1787 and returned to England in 1789. In the following year he was returned as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sudbury
Sudbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Sudbury was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. A parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Sudbury in Suffolk, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1559 until it was disenfranchised for corruption in 1844...
. At the general elections of 1796 and 1801 he was not returned to Parliament, but he was successful in 1802 and retained his seat until 1818 when he retired from the House of Commons.
In 1792 Hippisley returned to Italy and remained there until 1795, during which time he served as a semi-official representative of the British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
at the Court of Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI , born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, was Pope from 1775 to 1799.-Early years:Braschi was born in Cesena...
. Upon returning to England he was called upon to negotiate the marriage between Prince Frederick of Württemberg (later Frederick I of Württemberg
Frederick I of Württemberg
Frederick I William Charles of Württemberg was the first King of Württemberg. He was known for his size: at and about , he was in contrast to Napoleon, who recognized him as King of Württemberg.-Biography:...
) to Charlotte, Princess Royal
Charlotte, Princess Royal
The Princess Charlotte, Princess Royal was a member of the British Royal Family, the eldest daughter of George III. She was later the Queen Consort of Frederick of Württemberg...
, eldest daughter of George III. After bringing the negotiations to a successful conclusion, Hippisley finally received his long-sought baronetcy on 10 May 1796
In 1799 the plight of The Cardinal Duke of York
Henry Benedict Stuart
Henry Benedict Stuart was a Roman Catholic Cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Unlike his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, and brother, Charles Edward Stuart, Henry made no effort to seize the throne...
, the last representative in the male line of the Royal 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...
, was brought to Hippisley’s attention by Dr. Stefano Cardinal Borgia
Stefano Borgia
The Most Rev. Dr. Stefano Cardinal Borgia was a senior Italian prelate, theologian, antiquarian and historian.Cardinal Borgia belonged to a well known family of Velletri, where he was born, and was a distant relative of the House of Borgia. His early education was controlled by his uncle...
. Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
York was living in France, ill and penniless, and Hippisley persuaded George III to award him an annual pension of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
4,000.
Second marriage and later years
Hippisley’s first wife Margaret died on 24 September 1799 in Brompton, London. In 1800 he served as High Sheriff of BerkshireHigh Sheriff of Berkshire
The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'....
, where he owned Warfield
Warfield
Warfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire and the Borough of Bracknell Forest.-Geography:Warfield is a mostly rural parish made up of a number of small settlements...
Grove, a red-brick Georgian mansion which he had bought from Admiral Sir George Bowyer
Sir George Bowyer, 5th Baronet
Admiral Sir George Bowyer, 5th and 1st Baronet was a British naval officer and politician.Bowyer was the third son of Sir William Bowyer, 4th Baronet and born in Denham, Buckinghamshire...
. Hippisley sold the house to the Earl of Mountnorris
Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris
Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris FRS was an Irish peer.He was the son of Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey, and the Countess Juliana Donovan, who belonged to the junior sept of the O'Donovans of Clan Loughlin, the Donovans of Ballymore in County Wexford...
in the early 19th century. In February 1801 he married his second wife, Elizabeth Anne Coxe (née Horner), the widow of Henry Hippisley Coxe of Ston Easton
Ston Easton
Ston Easton is a linear village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It is southwest of Bath and north of Shepton Mallet. It forms part of the Mendip district and lies along the A37 road south of the cities of Bristol and Bath and to the west of the town of Midsomer Norton...
, Somerset. Despite the similarity of their names, John was not closely related to the Hippisleys of Ston Easton, if at all. He may have changed the spelling of his name around this time to further legitimise his position at Ston Easton.
Hippisley was a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, a vice-president and supporter of the Literary Fund Society, a benefactor of Downside Abbey
Downside Abbey
The Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery and the Senior House of the English Benedictine Congregation. One of its main apostolates is a school for children aged nine to eighteen...
, one of the principal promoters of the literary institutions of Bath and Bristol, a member of the government committee of the Turkey Company, vice-president of the West of England Agricultural Society and a member of the Society of Antiquarians. He was however not a popular man with all his contemporaries. The Rev. John Skinner referred to him as ‘that great orator’ and a ‘great ass’ in his diary, published as The Journal of a Somerset Rector, while in 1810 the wit and politician Joseph Jekyll described how during a speech by Hippisley in parliament ‘the house coughed him down five times in vain, and the catarrh lasted two hours’.
Hippisley had no children with Elizabeth. He retired from political life in 1818 and died on 3 May 1825 in Grosvenor Street, London. He was buried in the Inner Temple vault on 12 May 1825. His widow Elizabeth died on 25 March 1843 in Grosvenor Square
Grosvenor Square
Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the exclusive Mayfair district of London, England. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from their surname, "Grosvenor".-History:...
, London, whereupon the Ston Easton estate was inherited by her grandnephew, John Hippisley. Sir John was succeeded as baronet by John Stuart Hippisley, his son by his first wife, but he died unmarried in Mells, Somerset
Mells, Somerset
Mells is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, near the town of Frome.The parish includes the village of Vobster which had a coal mine of the same name on the Somerset coalfield and quarry, both of which are now disused. The old quarry is now used as a diving centre...
on 20 March 1867, whereupon the baronetcy became extinct.