James Winstanley ( 1667 – 22 January 1719) was a British lawyer and
Tory
A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. Th ...
politician.
Born around 1667, James was the only son of Clement Winstanley of
Braunstone Hall
Winstanley House in Leicestershire previously called Braunstone Hall, is a building of historical significance and is Grade II listed on the English Heritage Register. It was built in 1775 by Clement Winstanley and remained in this family for the ...
and his wife Catherine, the daughter of Sir Francis Willoughby of
Wollaton Hall
Wollaton Hall is an Elizabethan country house of the 1580s standing on a small but prominent hill in Wollaton Park, Nottingham, England. The house is now Nottingham Natural History Museum, with Nottingham Industrial Museum in the outbuildings ...
. He was educated at
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's full name is The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge. Its common name comes fr ...
, matriculating in 1684, and admitted to
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...
on 4 February 1688.
Around 1701 he married Frances Holt, daughter of James Holt of
Castleton, Lancashire, with whom he had two sons and six daughters.
He was elected a
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
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
in the
second general election of 1701,
and served until his death on 22 January 1719, aged 51.
References
1667 births
1719 deaths
Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge
Members of Gray's Inn
English MPs 1701–1702
English MPs 1702–1705
English MPs 1705–1707
Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies
British MPs 1707–1708
British MPs 1708–1710
British MPs 1710–1713
British MPs 1713–1715
British MPs 1715–1722
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