William Burton (c. 1695–1781), of Ashwell and North Luffenham, Rutland, was a British Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1730 to 1734. Burton was the eldest son of Bartholomew Burton of Ashwell, receiver-general of the excise, and his wife Susanna Gregory, daughter of George Gregory. 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 1703. He purchased North Luffenham Manor (Bassetts Manor) from

Baptist Noel, 4th Earl of Gainsborough Baptist Noel, 4th Earl of Gainsborough (1708 – 21 March 1751) was an English peer and Member of Parliament, styled Viscount Campden until 1714. Early life He was the son of Baptist Noel, 3rd Earl of Gainsborough and Lady Dorothy Manners, the s ...

in 1729. Burton was returned as a Whig

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

Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...

at a by-election on 12 February 1730. He seconded the Address on 21 January 1731 and on 16 March 1732 supported a motion that a qualification in the public funds might be as valid as a landed qualification. He did not stand at the

1734 British general election The 1734 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Robert Walpole's incr ...

. Walpole gave him a place as Commissioner of excise in 1737 which he held until 1776 when he was forced to retire on grounds of ill-health. In April 1738, Burton married Elizabeth Pitt, daughter of George Pitt of Strathfieldsaye, Hampshire. He sold North Luffenham Manor to

Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 3rd Baronet Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 3rd Baronet (died 2 November 1785) of Normanton Park, Rutland was a British Member of Parliament. Heathcote was the son of Sir John Heathcote, 2nd Baronet, and Bridget, daughter of Thomas White and was educated at Quee ...

in 1764. Burton died on 30 January 1781, leaving one daughter. His brother Bartholomew Burton was a Governor of the Bank of England and MP.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burton, William 1690s births 1781 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1727–1734