John Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden

John Jeffreys Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden KG PC FSA ( born February 11, 1759 in London, † October 8, 1840 in Seale ) was a British politician.

Life

Pratt was born the only son of Lord Chancellor Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Jeffreys. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge.

In 1780 he became deputy for Bath in the House of Commons and received in the same year, the lucrative office of Teller of the Exchequer, which he held until his death, but in 1812 renounced the revenues arising therefrom. Under William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, he served 1782-1783 as Lord of the Admiralty and William Pitt the Younger 1783-1789, as well as Lord of the Treasury 1789-1792. In 1793 he became a member of the Privy Council. In 1794 he was awarded first advance the subordinate title of his father, Baron Camden transferred ( writ of acceleration ); a short time later he inherited then after his death the dignity of Earl Camden and was in the following year Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. As an opponent of Catholic Emancipation and the representative of an unpopular policy, he was rejected by the population of Ireland. This culminated in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Shortly after the suppression of the rebellion, he abdicated. In 1804 he was War and Colonial Secretary. From 1805 to 1806 and again from 1807 to 1812 he was Lord President of the Council. In 1812 he was raised to Marquess Camden.

Camden was 1808-1840 also Lord Lieutenant of Kent and 1834-1840 Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. In 1799 he was made a Knight of the Garter, was elected in 1802 a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Family

Lord Camden married in 1785 Frances Molesworth, a daughter of William Molesworth. She died in July 1829 in Bayham Abbey, Sussex. After his death was followed by Lord Camden his only son George.