John Laugharne (c. 1665 – 15 February 1715) was a Welsh Tory politician who sat as MP for Haverfordwest from 1702 till 15 February 1715, Mayor of Pembroke in 1701 till 1702 and sheriff of Haverfordwest from 1704 till 1705.[1][2][3]
Family and education
editHe was the first and only surviving son of Rowland Laugharne (died c. 1698), the son of Rowland Laugharne[4] and Theodosia, the daughter of Sir Christopher Wray. He was matriculated at Jesus College, Oxford on 15 February 1682 at the age of 16. He earned a BA in 1685. On 26 December 1698 he married Anne (died 1715), the daughter of Lewis Wogan.[1]
Parliamentary career
editIn December 1701, he supported the Tory Sir Thomas Powell, 1st Baronet in the Carmarthenshire election. A committed Anglican, he was active in religious societies such as the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, he was influenced by fellow MP, Sir John Philipps.[1]
He was returned unopposed to Haverfordwest in 1702. On 28 November 1704, he did not support the Tory "Tack", leading him to be labelled as "Low Church" in 1705. On 25 October 1705, he voted for the Court candidate as speaker, John Smith.[1]
In 1710, he voted against the impeachment of Dr Henry Sacheverell. In 1710 till 1711, he appeared in the "white lists" of Tories who opposed continuing the War of Spanish Succession and exposed mismanagement by the previous ministry. In March 1711, he helped defend Bishop William Nicolson from criticism over interference in the Carlisle election.[1]
On 20 May 1713, he introduced a private naturalization bill in Parliament.[1]
He died suddenly on 15 February 1715, the night after winning re-election. His estate was shared among three co-heiresses, probably his sisters.[5] His widow died only months later.[1]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 D. W. Hayton. "LAUGHARNE, John (c.1666-1715), of St. Brides, Pemb. and Golden Square, London". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 18 May 2026.
- ↑ Paula Watson. "LAUGHARNE, John (?1665-1715), of Boulston, Pemb". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ Edward Laws (1888). The History of Little England Beyond Wales. George Bell and Sons.
- ↑ Leonard Naylor; Geoffrey Jaggar. "LAUGHARNE, Rowland (c.1607-75), of St. Brides, Pemb". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ↑ William Retlaw Williams (1895). The Parliamentary History of the Principality of Wales, from the Earliesr Times to the Present Day, 1541-1895.