William Hamilton
William was born on January 27th, 1729 in
London. He died at the age of 67 on July 16th, 1796 in
London.
- Death Notes
- ftom: "The Scots peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom" (1904-1914)
"The Right Hon. William Gerard Hamilton, born in Lincoln's
Inn Fields, 28 January 1729 ; elected M.P. for Petersfield on
a vacancy 1754, and re-elected at the general election in the
same year; for Pontefract 1762, for Old Sarum 1768, for
Wareham 1774, for Wilton 1780 and 1784, and for Hasle-
mere 1790; was in eight successive Parliaments, and sat
forty-two years in the House of Commons. He also sat
in the Irish Parliament for the borough of Killebegs 1761-68.
Appointed one of the Commissioners of Trade and Planta-
tions 1756 ; Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland 1761; Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland
1763-84; Privy Councillor in Ireland, and had a pension of
2000 a year on the Irish establishment. His famous maiden
speech in the debate on the Address, 13 November 1755,
earned him the name of ' Single-speech Hamilton.' It was
to him that Dr. Johnson paid the ponderous compliment :
* I am very unwilling to be left alone, sir, and therefore I
go with my company down the first pair of stairs, in some
hopes that they may, perhaps, return again. I go with you,
sir, as far as the street door.' He died unmarried in London,
16 July 1796"
William Hamilton & Helen Hay 
