Sir James Sanderson, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir James Sanderson, 1st Baronet (30 December 1741 – 21 June 1798) was a banker, a Member of Parliament, an alderman
and Lord Mayor of London
. He also served as president of Bridewell Hospital
(now a school
), and was a member of William Wilberforce
's Proclamation Society for the Discouragement of Vice.
When he died his widow married William Huntington S.S.
, an eccentric and polemical preacher who regarded himself as a prophet. Huntington used his new riches to build a £10,000 chapel.
. He started business buying and selling hops
before becoming a banker at Mansion House Street in Southwark
.
In 1785, by which time he was an alderman
, he was elected Sheriff of London and knighted whilst in office. In 1792 he was elected Lord Mayor of the City of London,. It was reported that this was a time:
In the same year he was one of the three men returned as Members of Parliament for the Parliamentary constituency of Malmesbury
.
In 1793, Sanderson became president of Bridewell Hospital
where he is acknowledged to have transformed the way it was managed. The hospital took in poor people and was a cross between a prison and a school. Later the institution's two roles were split, and in time the school became King Edward's School, Witley
. Sanderson was a member of William Wilberforce
's Proclamation Society, which had been founded following a 1787 royal proclamation instituted by Wilberforce via the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Proclamation for the Discouragement of Vice was intended to be a remedy for a perceived rise in immorality. Sanderson was also a member of the Philanthropic Society
and the vice-president of Magdelen Hospital.
On 6 December 1794, Sanderson became Sir James Sanderson, Baronet of London.
In the following parliamentary election he was returned as the member for Hastings
together with Nicholas Vansittart
. Vansittart went on to be one of the most successful Chancellors of the Exchequer
, whilst Sanderson became a friend and admirer of William Pitt the Younger
and was "a favourite" of him and the king.
Sanderson was married twice, first to Elizabeth Judd of Chelmsford
. By his second wife, Elizabeth (née Skinner), Sanderson gave his name via his daughter, Elizabeth Skinner Sanderson, to his grandson, the physician Sir John Burdon-Sanderson. (Sanderson had made it a condition of his will that his heirs should take his surname; and in 1815 his new family took his arms
, from 1794, as well.) A painting of him, from which he was described as handsome, was placed in the court room of Bridewell Royal Hospital
. (The painting was at King Edward's School, Witley
in 2004.) Sanderson's memorial at St Magnus-the-Martyr church
in the city of London was thought notable by the architectural historian, Nikolaus Pevsner
.
After he died in 1799, his widow married William Huntington S.S.
Huntington preached at several chapels to rich and loyal congregations. His stepdaughter's father, Thomas Skinner was Lord Mayor from 1794 to 1795.
Huntington had become involved with Lady Sanderson in about 1802, but his first wife did not die until 1806. After their marriage in 1808, Lady Sanderson continued to use Sanderson's surname whilst Huntington built a new chapel costing £10,000 (£ as of ).
Lady Sanderson did not die until 1817, so she would have seen her husband's tombstone—on which his self-written epitaph identified him as a prophet.
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...
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...
. He also served as president of Bridewell Hospital
Bridewell Palace
Bridewell Palace in London, originally a residence of King Henry VIII, later became a poorhouse and prison. The name "Bridewell" subsequently became synonymous with police stations and detention facilities in England and in Ireland...
(now a school
King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI and Nicholas Ridley. The School is located in the village of Wormley , Surrey, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952...
), and was a member of William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
's Proclamation Society for the Discouragement of Vice.
When he died his widow married William Huntington S.S.
William Huntington (preacher)
William Huntington S.S. was an English preacher and coalheaver...
, an eccentric and polemical preacher who regarded himself as a prophet. Huntington used his new riches to build a £10,000 chapel.
Biography
James Sanderson was born in 1741. He was the only surviving son of James Sanderson of YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. He started business buying and selling hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
before becoming a banker at Mansion House Street in Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
.
In 1785, by which time he was 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...
, he was elected Sheriff of London and knighted whilst in office. In 1792 he was elected Lord Mayor of the City of London,. It was reported that this was a time:
"...when the principles of the
French RevolutionFrench RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
were contaminating the minds of men,
opinions which required to be counteracted by a firm,
prudent, and constitutional chief magistrate."
In the same year he was one of the three men returned as Members of Parliament for the Parliamentary constituency of Malmesbury
Malmesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Malmesbury was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1275 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.- MPs 1275–1508 :...
.
In 1793, Sanderson became president of Bridewell Hospital
Bridewell Palace
Bridewell Palace in London, originally a residence of King Henry VIII, later became a poorhouse and prison. The name "Bridewell" subsequently became synonymous with police stations and detention facilities in England and in Ireland...
where he is acknowledged to have transformed the way it was managed. The hospital took in poor people and was a cross between a prison and a school. Later the institution's two roles were split, and in time the school became King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI and Nicholas Ridley. The School is located in the village of Wormley , Surrey, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952...
. Sanderson was a member of William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
's Proclamation Society, which had been founded following a 1787 royal proclamation instituted by Wilberforce via the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Proclamation for the Discouragement of Vice was intended to be a remedy for a perceived rise in immorality. Sanderson was also a member of the Philanthropic Society
Royal Philanthropic Society
The Royal Philanthropic Society had its origins in the St Paul's Coffee House in London in 1788 where a group of men met to discuss the problems of homeless children who were to be found begging and stealing on the streets. The Society began by opening homes where children were trained in cottage...
and the vice-president of Magdelen Hospital.
On 6 December 1794, Sanderson became Sir James Sanderson, Baronet of London.
Hastings (UK Parliament constituency)
Hastings was a parliamentary constituency in Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1885 general election, when its representation was reduced to one member....
together with Nicholas Vansittart
Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley
Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley PC, FRS, FSA was an English politician, and one of the longest-serving Chancellors of the Exchequer in British history.-Background and education:...
. Vansittart went on to be one of the most successful Chancellors of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, whilst Sanderson became a friend and admirer of 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...
and was "a favourite" of him and the king.
Sanderson was married twice, first to Elizabeth Judd of Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
. By his second wife, Elizabeth (née Skinner), Sanderson gave his name via his daughter, Elizabeth Skinner Sanderson, to his grandson, the physician Sir John Burdon-Sanderson. (Sanderson had made it a condition of his will that his heirs should take his surname; and in 1815 his new family took his arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, from 1794, as well.) A painting of him, from which he was described as handsome, was placed in the court room of Bridewell Royal Hospital
Bridewell Palace
Bridewell Palace in London, originally a residence of King Henry VIII, later became a poorhouse and prison. The name "Bridewell" subsequently became synonymous with police stations and detention facilities in England and in Ireland...
. (The painting was at King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI and Nicholas Ridley. The School is located in the village of Wormley , Surrey, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952...
in 2004.) Sanderson's memorial at St Magnus-the-Martyr church
St Magnus-the-Martyr
St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge is a Church of England church and parish in the City of London, located in Lower Thames Street near The Monument and the modern London Bridge. It is a part of the Diocese of London and under the pastoral care of the Bishop of London. By arrangement with the...
in the city of London was thought notable by the architectural historian, Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
.
After he died in 1799, his widow married William Huntington S.S.
William Huntington (preacher)
William Huntington S.S. was an English preacher and coalheaver...
Huntington preached at several chapels to rich and loyal congregations. His stepdaughter's father, Thomas Skinner was Lord Mayor from 1794 to 1795.
Huntington had become involved with Lady Sanderson in about 1802, but his first wife did not die until 1806. After their marriage in 1808, Lady Sanderson continued to use Sanderson's surname whilst Huntington built a new chapel costing £10,000 (£ as of ).
Lady Sanderson did not die until 1817, so she would have seen her husband's tombstone—on which his self-written epitaph identified him as a prophet.
Works
- Observations and examples to assist magistrates in setting the assize of bread made of wheat ... 1759