Maj. Maj may refer to: * Major, a rank of commissioned officer in many military forces * ''Máj'', a romantic Czech poem by Karel Hynek Mácha * ''Máj'' (literary almanac), a Czech literary almanac published in 1858 * Marshall Islands International Ai ...

Francis Aglionby (born Yates; 12 May 1777 – 1 July 1840) was an English Whig politician.''Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900'' Aglionby was born at

Skirwith Abbey Skirwith Abbey is a country house in Skirwith, Cumbria, England. The House is a two-storey house of five by three bays, built by Thomas Addison, mason, in 1768-74 for John Orfeur Yates, who spent many years in India. The main front has more close ...

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

, the eldest son of John Ofeur Yates, and Mary Aglionby. In 1822, he assumed the Aglionby surname in order to inherit from his maternal aunt. He was educated at

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. Up ...

. He earned his B.A. from

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

in 1799 and in November that year was admitted to the bar at

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

. However, instead of pursuing a career in law, he accepted a commission in the Royal Cumberland Militia, where he rose to the rank of Major. He served as chairman of the county's quarter sessions from 1818 until his death. Aglionby stood for election to

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

in Cumberland Western at a by-election in 1833 and again at the 1835 general election, but without success. He won a seat at the 1837 general election, when he was elected as

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

(MP) for Cumberland Eastern, and held the seat until his sudden death in 1840 while entering the courthouse in

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...

. In 1814, he married Mary Matthews, daughter of J. M. Matthews, of

Wigton Hall Wigton is a market town in the Allerdale borough of Cumbria, England. Historically in Cumberland, it lies just outside the Lake District in the borough of Allerdale. Wigton is at the centre of the Solway Plain, between the Caldbeck Fells and ...

. They had three daughters and one son. He was buried at

Ainstable Ainstable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Cumbria. The parish stretches from the banks of the River Eden to the summits of the North Pennines where it borders Northumberland and includes the villages of Croglin and Ne ...

, Cumberland.

Sources

*W. W. Bean. ''The Parliamentary Representation of Six Northern Counties of England''. (1890) p. 15.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aglionby, Francis 1777 births 1840 deaths Whig (British political party) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1837–1841 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies People educated at Rugby School Alumni of the University of Cambridge