THE HISTORY OF EAST GRINSTEAD - Online Book

The rise and progress of the town and the history of its institutions & people.

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54                      HISTORY OF EAST GRlNSTEAD.
Smith, Speaker of the House of Commons. He was in business as a wine merchant at Lisbon when the great earthquake of 1755 occurred and sustained severe losses in consequence of it. He was M.P. for Seaford, 1768 to 1780, and for East Grinstead from 1783 to 1790. He had no children and all his estates passed to his niece, Lady Shuckburgh Evelyn, only daughter and sole heiress of James Evelyn, of Felbridge, by his first wife, Annabella Medley. His only daughter by his second wife was accidentally burnt to death.
1784, Nov. 30th. Henry Arthur Herbert and George Medley.
Herbert accepted the Chiltern Hundreds Stewardship, and a new writ was issued February 24th, 1786.
1786, March 3rd. Lt.-Gen. James Cunninghame.
This Member died in October, 1788, and the Speaker issued a new writ during the recess.
1788,  Oct. 8th. The Et. Hon. Lt.-Gen. Robert Cunninghame.
This Member accepted the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds, and a new writ was issued February 20th,
1789.
1789, Feb. 27th. Eichard Ford, of the Inner Temple.
1790,  June 18th. Nathaniel Dance, of Carnborough, near Win­chester, and William Nisbet, of Portman Square, London.
The first-named famous, but somewhat eccentric, repre­sentative was born in London in 1734, of a family that possessed artistic talent. His father, George Dance, was the architect of the Mansion House, London, and also of several city churches. Nathaniel was for some time in Italy, from whence he sent to England pictures, chiefly of classical subjects. While here he fell in love with Angelica KaufJman, and persistently followed her, renew­ing his matrimonial offers again and again. But that famous lady would have nothing to do with him, so he at last returned to England, and some years later consoled himself by marrying a widow named Mrs. Dummer, who brought him a fortune of some £18,000 a year. He had himself, by this time, amassed considerable wealth. He
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