Constituency : King's Lynn 1854-65
John was a wealthy banker who developed an interest in natural history from an early age. He was first elected unopposed at a by-election in 1854 and never faced opposition thereafter. He supported Palmerston on the Conspiracy to Murder Bill but he also voted with Derby on the latter's reform bill believing frequent changes of government were injurious.
John usually spoke on financial matters. In 1860 he erected a drinking fountain in Norwich. That same year he was hit by scandal when his wife ran off with ( and subsequently married ) their footman. He stood down in 1865.
John is better known as an ornithologist and wrote a number of articles for natural history journals. His son carried on the tradition and a species of grebe was named after them.
He died in 1890 aged 71.
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