Henry Finch (c. 1694–1761) was a British academic and 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 1724 to 1761. Finch was the fourth surviving son of

Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea, PC (2 July 16471 January 1730) was an English Tory statesman who supported the Hanoverian Succession in 1714. Origins He was born on 2 July 1647, the son of Heneage Finch, 1st Earl ...

and 7th Earl of Winchilsea and his second wife Anne Hatton, daughter of

Christopher Hatton, 1st Viscount Hatton Christopher Hatton, 1st Viscount Hatton (1632–1706) was an English aristocrat and diplomat. Career He succeeded his father, Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton, as Baron Hatton and also as governor of Guernsey in 1670. He and his family ...

, He was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

in 1707 and was admitted at

Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college includes the Master, the Fellows of the College, and about 450 undergraduate and 170 graduate students. The college was founded by William Byngham in 1437 as ...

on 19 August. 1712, aged 17. He was nominated by his father as a fellow of Christ's on the Finch and Baines foundation in 1713 and was awarded MA in 1714. Finch stood unsuccessfully for Parliament as a Whig in the

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

by-election on 19 December 1720. By 1724 he had been over ten years at Cambridge and his father and his brother Lord Finch were in discussion over his future. He was returned 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 ...

for Malton at a by-election on 27 November 1724 on the interest of his brother-in-law, Thomas Watson Wentworth. In 1726 he lost his college fellowship because of non-residence and for holding more property as an MP than was permissible for a fellow, but he was reinstated soon afterwards and retained the fellowship until 1749. He was returned unopposed at Malton at the

1727 Events January–March * January 1 – (December 21, 1726 O.S.) Spain's ambassador to Great Britain demands that the British return Gibraltar after accusing Britain of violating the terms of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. Britain ...

and was appointed receiver-general of the revenues of Minorca in 1729. He lived at Minorca for a time. He was returned unopposed in the

1734 Events January– March * January 8 – Salzburgers, Lutherans who were expelled by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Salzburg, Austria, in October 1731, set sail for the British Colony of Province of Georgia, Georgia in North America ...

and

1741 Events January–March * January 13 – Lanesborough, Massachusetts is created as a township. * February 13 – Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, popularizes the term "the balance of power" in a spe ...

general elections. When in Parliament, he voted with the Government in every recorded division. In 1743 he left the Minorca post and was appointed surveyor of works on the recommendation of Pelham in preference to his brother

Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...

. He was returned for Malton again at the 1747 general election and was classed as Old Whig. He was returned unopposed at the

1754 general election Events January–March * January 28 – Horace Walpole, in a letter to Horace Mann, coins the word ''serendipity''. * February 22 – Expecting an attack by Portuguese-speaking militias in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Pla ...

. In December 1760 his place of surveyor general of works was required for someone else and he. was given a secret service pension of £900 p.a. He was returned as MP for Malton for the last time in

1761 Events January–March * January 14 – Third Battle of Panipat: Ahmad Shah Durrani and his coalition decisively defeat the Maratha Confederacy, and restore the Mughal Empire to Shah Alam II. * January 16 – Siege of Pondi ...

. Finch died unmarried on 26 April 1761. As well as Lord Finch, his brothers

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

and William Finch were also Members of Parliament

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Finch, Henry 1690s births 1761 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1754–1761 Fellows of Christ's College, Cambridge 18th-century British politicians