Sir George Champion (1713-1754) of St Clement's Lane, London, and Baulking,

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

(now

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), was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1734 to 1741. He was notably passed over for the role of Lord Mayor of London.

Early life

Although born in London, George Champion descended from the Champion family of Baulking, near

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. He was baptised on 29 November 1713 at

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, London, the son of George Champion (born 1687) of Uffington, Berkshire and his wife Catherine Bould.London Metropolitan Archives, St Bride Fleet Street, Register of burials, 1709 - 1726, P69/BRI/A/014/MS06550 He was the cousin of the London-based merchant Alexander Champion. He married Susanna Andrews, daughter of Sir Jonathan Andrews of Kempton Park, Middlesex. She died on 3 September 1738.

Career

Champion became a London merchant and was a Common Councillor for Langbourn ward from 1726 to 1729. In 1729 he became a freeman of the Coopers’ Company and was chosen as

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 ...

for Bridge ward on 26 December 1729. He served on committees set up by the common council of the city to raise petitions against legislation on the Charitable Corporation, and the excise bill, and was so effective that he became ‘the darling of the city’. At the

1734 British general election The 1734 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Robert Walpole's incr ...

, he was returned as

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(MP) for

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. He was knighted on 18 January 1737, and served as Sheriff of London for the year 1737 to 1738. In Parliament he was the only London alderman to vote for the Spanish convention. A Treasury order of 25 April 1738 was issued to the commissioners of customs to stay proceedings against him for unpaid duties until further orders. This may have been an incentive to win his vote for the Convention and the City figures were unimpressed. As the senior alderman below the chair, Champion would have expected to be chosen as

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under the strict rotation that had prevailed for the previous 30 years. He translated to Haberdasher's Company on 18 September 1739 under the tradition that Lord Mayors were members of the oldest 12 livery companies. However, when he stood for the office of lord mayor, he was defeated on a show of hands by a great majority. Nonetheless he was Master of the Haberdashers’ for the year 1740 to 1741. In Parliament, he voted with the Administration for the place bill in 1740. He did not stand at the

1741 British general election The 1741 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 9th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election saw suppo ...

Later life and legacy

Champion made a second marriage on 27 February 1744, to Mrs Jones, a widow of

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, Berkshire. In 1745 he became colonel the White Regiment of the City of London trained bands. He became President of the

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in 1750. He died on 18 July 1754, leaving a daughter by his first wife. A son by his second wife predeceased him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Champion, George 1713 births 1754 deaths People from the City of London People from Vale of White Horse (district) British MPs 1734–1741 18th-century English merchants Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies