Matthew Ducie Moreton, 2nd Baron Ducie (died 1770) of

Tortworth Tortworth is a small village and civil parish, near Thornbury in Gloucestershire, England. It has a population of 147 as of 2011. It lies on the B4509 road, which crosses the M5 motorway to the west of Tortworth. History In the Domesday Book of ...

, Gloucestershire, was a British Whig politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, 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 ...

between 1721 and 1735 winning by-elections at four separate constituencies but never winning at a general election. He vacated his seat when he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Ducie. Tortworth Court Front

Moreton was the eldest son of

Matthew Moreton, 1st Baron Ducie Matthew Ducie Moreton, 1st Baron Ducie (1663–1735) of Moreton, Staffordshire, and Tortworth, Gloucestershire, was a British Army officer and politician who sat in the British House of Commons, House of Commons between 1708 and 1720 when he was ...

and his wife Arabella Prestwick, daughter of Sir Thomas Prestwick, 2nd Baronet, of Hulme, Lancashire. He was possibly educated at

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

. Moreton's father left the House of Commons in 1720 on being raised to the peerage and the son was elected Member of Parliament for

Cricklade Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire, England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester. It is the first downstream town on the Thames. The parish population at the 2011 census was 4,227. History Cricklade ...

at a contested by-election on 1 February 1721. Thereafter, he voted consistently for the Administration. He was defeated by a single vote at the 1722 general election. He was then elected MP for

Calne Calne () is a town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Wiltshire, southwestern England,OS Explorer Map 156, Chippenham and Bradford-on-Avon Scale: 1:25 000.Publisher: Ordnance Survey A2 edition (2007). at the northwestern extremity ...

at another contested by-election on 28 February 1723, possibly on the interest of Walter Hungerford to whom he was related. He stood in a contest for

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...

at the 1727 general election, but was caught up in a double return and waived his rights. The Administration brought him in for

Tregony Tregony (), sometimes in the past Tregoney, is a village and former civil parishes in England, 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 o ...

at a by-election on 6 February 1729. He was subsequently brought in for

Lostwithiel Lostwithiel (; ) is a civil parish and small town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom at the head of the estuary of the River Fowey. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,739, increasing to 2,899 at the 2011 census. The Lostwi ...

at a further by-election on 31 March 1735. A month later on 2 May 1735, he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Ducie on the death of his father. When Walpole's government fell in 1742, Lord Ducie agreed to hold the office of surveyor of the petty customs in London in trust for

Henry Bilson-Legge Henry Bilson-Legge (29 May 1708 – 23 August 1764) was an English statesman. He notably served three times as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1750s and 1760s. Background and education Bilson-Legge was the fourth son of William Legge, 1 ...

and

Benjamin Keene Sir Benjamin Keene (1697–1757) was a British diplomat from Norfolk, who served as British Ambassador to Spain from 1729 to 1739, then again from 1748 until his death in Madrid in December 1757. He has been described as "by far the most promin ...

, but in 1752 he asked to be relieved of it. In 1755 he was appointed Constable of St. Briavels, Warden of the Forest of Dean and

Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire. Since 1694, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Gloucestershire. * Edmund Brydges, 2nd Baron Chandos 1559–? * Giles Brydges, 3rd Baron Cha ...

holding the posts to 1758, and High Steward of Gloucester which he held until 1766. He was unmarried and as his barony would become extinct, he was created Baron Ducie of Tortworth, on 27 April 1763 with a special remainder to the descent of his sister Elizabeth, who married Francis Reynolds. Lord Ducie died unmarried in December 1770 and was succeeded by his nephew Thomas Reynolds, who adopted the name Moreton.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ducie, Matthew Ducie Moreton, 2nd Baron 1690s births 1770 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1715–1722 British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 Barons in the Peerage of Great Britain Lord-lieutenants of Gloucestershire