John Pitt (British Army officer)
John Pitt (1698–1754) was a British politician, soldier and colonial administrator. Pitt was the youngest son of Governor Thomas "Diamond" Pitt who made a fortune while in India and returned to Britain to found a political dynasty. John attended Eton College, and went into the army. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served as an aide-de-camp to George I.
He served as a Member of Parliament for Hindon from 1720 to 1722,[1] Old Sarum from 1724 to 1726,[2] and Camelford from 1727 to 1734.[3]
He was cut out of his father's will after a dispute.[4] From 1728 to 1737 he served as Governor of Bermuda.
John was the brother-in-law of James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope, the effective Prime Minister between 1717 and 1721, and the uncle of William Pitt. He was married to Mary Belasyse, the daughter of the Viscount Fauconberg.
References
Bibliography
- Black, Jeremy. Pitt the Elder. Cambridge University Press, 1992.
- Brown, Peter Douglas. William Pitt, Earl of Chatham: The Great Commoner. George Allen & Unwin, 1978.