Henry Penton (c.1705 – 1 Sep 1762) was a British

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 ...

. He first entered Parliament on his wife's stepfather's interest for a Cornish borough, and then represented his home city of

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

for fourteen years before giving place to his son, dying the following year. The eldest son of John Penton of Winchester, Penton was educated at

New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...

. He succeeded to his father's estates in 1724. In 1733, he married a Miss Simondi, the daughter of the Swedish consul at

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

by his wife Anne. She was the sister of Joseph Gulston, and later made a second marriage to

John Goddard John Goddard may refer to: * John Goddard (engraver) (fl. 1645–1671), engraver *John Goddard (cricketer) (1919–1987), West Indian cricketer *Johnathan Goddard (1981–2008), American football player *John Goddard (adventurer) John Goddard (Ju ...

; both were merchants engaged in Portuguese trade and Members of Parliament. The Pentons were an old Winchester family, and Henry was

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of Winchester during his career, but he was first returned to Parliament on Goddard's interest for the Cornish borough of

Tregony Tregony ( kw, Trerigoni), sometimes in the past Tregoney, is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Tregony with Cuby, in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It lies on the River Fal. In the village there is a post office (now ...

at the 1734 British general election. He was a dutiful supporter of the

Walpole ministry The Walpole ministry was led by Whig Prime Minister Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, from 1730 to 1742—when Walpole left the government. Ministry See also * 1734 British general election * 1741 British general electi ...

and the succeeding Whig ministries, for which he was rewarded in 1743 with a grant of the reversion to the sinecure office of King's letter carrier. He succeeded to this office four years later. At the 1747 British general election, he stood for

instead, together with the incumbents George Brydges and William Powlett, relatives of the Dukes of Chandos and Bolton respectively. Brydges and Penton were returned with 50 and 37 votes, respectively, to 27 votes for Powlett. He spoke in support of a petition to suppress hawkers and pedlars in 1748, his only recorded speech in Parliament. In 1750, Lord Egmont thought, from Penton's confidences, that he might be discontented with the Ministry and prepared to join the opposition, but nothing came of it. He was again returned at Winchester in the 1754 British general election, without a contest, and continued a supporter of the Ministry. Penton stood down at the 1761 British general election. His place was taken by his son

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

, to whom he was also permitted to resign his sinecure of King's letter carrier. Penton senior died the following year.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Penton, Henry 1700s births 1762 deaths British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1754–1761 Members of Parliament for Tregony Members of Parliament for Winchester Whig (British political party) MPs for English constituencies