John (Mitford) Freeman-Mitford (1748 - 1830)

Born 18 Aug 1748 in Bedford Road, Holborn, London, Middlesex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Frances (Perceval) Freeman-Mitford — married 6 Jun 1803 (to 1817) in England

Died 16 Jan 1830 at age 81 in Batsford Park, Gloucestershire, England

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Biography

John Mitford was baptised at St. Andrew's Church, Holborn, London, on 6th September, 1748,^[1], the son of John Mitford and Philadelphia Reveley. He married Lady Frances Perceval, daughter of John Perceval, 2nd Earl of Egmont and Catherine Compton, Baroness Arden, on 6 June 1803.

Known to peerage genealogists as a principal author of the Reports Touching the Dignity of a Peer (1819-29)^[2], and generally one of the more competent members of the Committee of Privileges. It seems he was opposed to the opening of the floodgates to a torrent of claims to dormant titles, but unable to prevail against what seemed to the lawyers to be the law.

A practising Barrister-at-Law in 1777, he served as Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Beeralston, Devon, between 1788 and 1789. He was appointed King's Counsel (K.C.) in 1789. He was made a Knight Bachelor in 1793. He held the office of Solicitor-General between 1793 and 1799, and Attorney-General between 1799 and 1801. He was Member of Parliament (M.P.) for East Looe between 1799 and 1802 and was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) in 1801. He was Speaker of the House of Commons between 1801 and 1802 and held the post of Lord Chancellor [Ireland] between 1802 and 1806. He was created 1st Baron Redesdale of Redesdale, co. Northumberland [U.K.] on 15 February 1802.

On 28 January 1809 he assumed by Royal Licence the additional surname of Freeman.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLL8-H91
2. ↑ [1].

• Burke, Esq., John, A Genealogical History of The Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank, London, 1835, volume ii, p.285.

• Cockayne, G. E., The Complete Peerage, edited by H. Arthur Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, and Lord Howard de Walden. vol.x, London, 1945, pps:759-761 and notes.

• THE PEERAGE 84959 http://www.thepeerage.com/p8496.htm#i84959
• Wikipedia: John_Freeman-Mitford,_1st_Baron_Redesdale
• A History of Northumberland in Three Parts by John Hodgson page 71, google ebooks (accessed Feb 2023)