Sir Tristram Dillington, 5th Baronet (c. 1678–1721) of

Knighton, Isle of Wight Knighton is a hamlet near to Newchurch on the Isle of Wight. The name is often pronounced as ''Kay-nighton'' to avoid confusion with the larger, homophonic village of Niton, near Ventnor. Knighton is situated under Knighton Down and has his ...

was a

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officer, landowner and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1707 and 1721.

Early life

Dillington was the third son of

Sir Robert Dillington, 2nd Baronet Sir Robert Dillington, 2nd Baronet (c. 1634 – 25 April 1687) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1659 and 1685. Dillington was the son of Robert Dillington of Mottistone and grandson of Sir Robert ...

of Knighton and his second wife. Hannah Webb, daughter of William Webb of Throgmorton Street, London. He was half-brother of Sir Robert Dillington, 3rd Baronet. He was admitted at

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in 1694 but being a younger son, joined the army

Career

Dillington 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 1701 and cornet in the

1st Dragoon Guards The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was raised by Sir John Lanier in 1685 as the 2nd Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed the 2nd K ...

in 1703 and was present at the

Battle of Blenheim The Battle of Blenheim (german: Zweite Schlacht bei Höchstädt, link=no; french: Bataille de Höchstädt, link=no; nl, Slag bij Blenheim, link=no) fought on , was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession. The overwhelming Allied v ...

. He succeeded his brother Sir John Dillington, 4th Baronet in the baronetcy on 5 March 1706. He also inherited

Knighton Gorges Manor Knighton Gorges Manor was one of the grandest manor houses on the Isle of Wight, located in the hamlet of Knighton, Isle of Wight, Knighton, near Newchurch, Isle of Wight, Newchurch. The Elizabethan architecture, Elizabethan-Tudor architecture, ...

, which had belonged to his family since 1563. In 1707 he was a brevet captain in the Guards. Dillington was returned unopposed 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 Newport (Isle of Wight) at a by-election on 3 March 1707. Meanwhile, he became a Lieutenant-colonel in the 17th Foot in 1708. He was listed as a Whig before and after the

1708 general election Seventeen or 17 may refer to: *17 (number), the natural number following 16 and preceding 18 * one of the years 17 BC, AD 17, 1917, 2017 Literature Magazines * ''Seventeen'' (American magazine), an American magazine * ''Seventeen'' (Japanese m ...

when he was returned unopposed again as MP for Newport. In 1709 he was captain and Lieutenant colonel in the Coldstream Guards. He voted for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710. He did not stand for Parliament in

1710 In the Swedish calendar it was a common year starting on Saturday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–March * January 1 – In Prussia, Cölln is merged with Alt-Berlin b ...

nor in

1713 Events January–March * January 17 – Tuscarora War: Colonel James Moore leads the Carolina militia out of Albemarle County, North Carolina, in a second offensive against the Tuscarora. Heavy snows force the troops to take ref ...

. Dillington was appointed Governor of Hurst Castle in 1716. He became a 2nd Major in 1717. He was also returned unopposed by the Administration as MP for Newport at a by-election on 22 July 1717. He voted with the Government in all recorded divisions and died during that Parliament.

Death and legacy

Dillington died unmarried on 7 July 1721 aged 43. He left his sisters Mary and Hannah as heirs. Hannah died intestate and Mary died unmarried, leaving the estate in common between her nephew Maurice Bocland and her niece Jane wife of John Eyre.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dillington, Sir Tristram, 5th Baronet 1670s births 1721 deaths Grenadier Guards officers British MPs 1708–1710 British MPs 1710–1713 British MPs 1713–1715 British MPs 1715–1722 Members of Parliament for the Isle of Wight Baronets in the Baronetage of England Coldstream Guards officers 1st King's Dragoon Guards officers Governors of Hurst Castle