George Courtenay (1666–1725), of Ford, Devon, was an English landowner and Tory politician who sat in the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and

British House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 mem ...

between 1702 and 1713. Courtenay was baptized on 13 May 1666, the seventh, but fourth surviving son of

Sir William Courtenay, 1st Baronet Sir William Courtenay, 1st Baronet (7 September 1628 – 1 August 1702) was an English politician. Origins Courtenay was the eldest son and heir of Francis Courtenay (d. 1638) of Powderham Castle by his second wife Elizabeth Seymour, daughter o ...

. He was admitted at

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn an ...

in 1684. In November 1688, he joined the Prince of Orange at Exeter. He was an ensign in the

1st Foot Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

in 1689, and was appointed vice-admiral of Devon and Exeter in May 1689, holding the post for the rest of his life. He inherited the estate of Ford from his mother in January 1694. Courtenay was returned as a Tory

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 ...

for

East Looe East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...

at a by-election on 4 February 1702 and voted for the vindication of the Commons actions in impeaching the King's Whig ministers on 26 February 1702. He did not stand at the

1702 English general election The 1702 English general election was the first to be held during the reign of Anne, Queen of Great Britain, Queen Anne, and was necessitated by the demise of William III of England, William III. The new government dominated by the Tories (Britis ...

. At the

1708 British general election The 1708 British general election was the first general election to be held after the Acts of Union had united the Parliaments of England and Scotland. The election saw the Whigs finally gain a majority in the House of Commons, and by November ...

Courtenay was returned as Tory MP for

Totnes Totnes ( or ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about west of Paignton, about west-so ...

. He voted against the impeachment of

Henry Sacheverell Henry Sacheverell (; 8 February 1674 – 5 June 1724) was an English high church Anglican clergyman who achieved nationwide fame in 1709 after preaching an incendiary 5 November sermon. He was subsequently impeached by the House of Commons and ...

in 1710. At the

1710 British general election The 1710 British general election produced a landslide victory for the Tories. The election came in the wake of the prosecution of Henry Sacheverell, which had led to the collapse of the previous government led by Godolphin and the Whig Junto. ...

, he was defeated at Ashburton but was returned successfully at Newport by Sir Nicholas Morice, 2nd Baronet. He was listed as a ‘worthy patriot’ who detected the mismanagements of the previous administration and was a member of the

October Club The October Club was a group of Tory Members of Parliament, established after the 1710 general election. The Club was active until approximately 1714. The group took its name from the strong ale they reportedly drank.Pat Rogers, �October Club (' ...

. In 1711 he was appointed to a place in the victualling office. He did not stand at the

1713 British general election The 1713 British general election produced further gains for the governing Tory party. Since 1710 Robert Harley had led a government appointed after the downfall of the Whig Junto, attempting to pursue a moderate and non-controversial policy, b ...

. He lost his place in the Victualling office in 1714 on the accession of George I. Courtenay died unmarried before 25 May 1725. He was the brother of Francis Courtenay and

Richard Courtenay Richard Courtenay (died 15 September 1415) was an English prelate and university chancellor, who served as Bishop of Norwich 1413-15. Life Courtenay was a son of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham Castle near Exeter, and a grandson of Hugh de Cou ...

- both Members of Parliament.

References

1666 births 1725 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Totnes English MPs 1701–1702 British MPs 1708–1710 British MPs 1710–1713 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for constituencies in Cornwall {{England-GreatBritain-MP-stub