Frederick Bull (c. 1714–1784) was

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powe ...

and a radical politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

from 1773 to 1784.

Early life and business

Bull was the second son of John Bull of London, and his wife Hannah. He married Judith Dickinson of Ware on 26 August 1737. From about 1744 he was a tea merchant in Leadenhall Street. He succeeded to property at Little Paxton, Huntingdonshire from his mother in 1746. He went into partnership with Samuel Moody in around 1757.

Public and political career

Bull was

Sheriff of London Two sheriffs are elected annually for the City of London by the Liverymen of the City livery company, livery companies. Today's sheriffs have only nominal duties, but the historical officeholders had important judicial responsibilities. They have ...

in 1771–2 and became an

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...

in 1772. He became Lord Mayor of London for 1773–74. Bull stood for the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...

at a by-election in 1773 and was returned after a hard-fought contest on 23 December 1773. He was returned for the City after a contest again in 1774 and

1780 Events January–March * January 16 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of Cape St. Vincent: British Admiral Sir George Rodney defeats a Spanish fleet. * February 19 – The legislature of New York votes to allow ...

. Bull was a Dissenter and close supporter of John Wilkes. He followed the Bill of Rights Society programme throughout his parliamentary career. His politics were radical and anti-Popery and in the spring of 1780 he supported

Lord George Gordon Lord George Gordon (26 December 1751 – 1 November 1793) was a British politician best known for lending his name to the Gordon Riots of 1780. An eccentric and flighty personality, he was born into the Scottish nobility and sat in the House ...

’s Protestant crusade which led to the riots in June.

Later life

Bull retired from business about 1782. He died on 10 January 1784.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bull, Frederick 1710s births 1784 deaths Year of birth uncertain Sheriffs of the City of London 18th-century lord mayors of London Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1768–1774 British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784