Peter King, 7th Baron King
Peter King, 7th Baron King of Ockham, Surrey (1775–1833) was an English aristocrat, politician and economic writer.
Life
Born 31 August 1775, baptised 18 September 1775,[1] he was eldest son of Peter King, 6th Baron King, by Charlotte, daughter of Edward Tredcroft of Horsham. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge,[2] and succeeded to the title in 1793. After a short tour on the continent he returned to England on coming of age, and took his seat in the House of Lords.[3]
Following the Whig traditions of his family, King acted with
King, in 1811, gave his leasehold tenantry notice that he could no longer accept notes in payment of rent, except at a discount varying according to the date of the lease. Ministers, alarmed that his example might be followed widely, quickly introduced a measure making notes of the Banks of England and Ireland payable on demand legal tender in payment of rent out of court, and prohibiting the acceptance or payment of more than 21
King's political career was cut short by his sudden death on 4 June 1833.[3]
Views
King was an early opponent of the
Works
On the currency question King published a pamphlet Thoughts on the Restriction of Payments in Specie at the Banks of England and Ireland, London, 1803, which went to a second edition. Enlarged, it was reissued as Thoughts on the Effects of the Bank Restrictions, 1804, and was reprinted in A Selection from King's speeches and writings, edited by Earl Fortescue, London, 1844. In this tract King argued that the suspension had caused an excessive issue of notes, particularly by the Bank of Ireland, and a consequent depreciation of the paper and appreciation of bullion; and advocated a gradual return to the system of specie payment. It was reviewed by Francis Horner in the Edinburgh Review, and attracted attention, but without any practical result.[3]
King published also:[3]
- A pamphlet On the Conduct of the British Government towards the Catholics of Ireland, 1807.
- Speech in the House of Lords on the second reading of Earl Stanhope's Bill respecting Guineas and Bank Notes.
- The Life of John Locke, with extracts from his Correspondence, Journals, and Commonplace Books, London, 1829; new edition 1830, 2 vols.; in Bohn's Standard Library, London, 1858.
- A Short History of the Job of Jobs, written in 1825, first published as an anti-cornlaw pamphlet, London, 1846.[3]
Family
King married, on 26 May 1804, Lady Hester Fortescue,[4] daughter of Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue.
They had five children:
- Hon. Hester King, m. Sir George Craufurd
- Hon. Anne King
- Hon. Charlotte King m. Reverend Demetrius Calliphronas, rector of Walpole St. Andrew
- William King, who was created Earl of Lovelace in 1838
- Hon. Peter John Locke King.[3]
Monument
The 7th Baron King has a monument in
Notes
- ^ Baptism of Peter King on 18 September 1775 at St Martin, Dorking. Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1812. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: DW/T/3935. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription site, 8 July 2020.
- ^ "King, the hon. Peter (KN793P)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lee, Sidney, ed. (1892). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 31. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- ^ Hoppner, John. "Lady Hester King (died 1873)". The Met.
- ^ All Saints' Church, Ockham, Surrey
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1892). "King, Peter (1776-1833)". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 31. London: Smith, Elder & Co.