Matthew Ducie Moreton, 2nd Baron Ducie

Matthew Ducie Moreton, 2nd Baron Ducie (died 1770) of Tortworth, Gloucestershire, was a British Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1721 and 1735 winning by-elections at four separate constituencies but never winning at a general election. He vacated his seat when he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Ducie.

Tortworth Court

Moreton was the eldest son of Matthew Moreton, 1st Baron Ducie and his wife Arabella Prestwick, daughter of Sir Thomas Prestwick, 2nd Baronet, of Hulme, Lancashire. He was possibly educated at Harrow School.[1]

Moreton's father left the House of Commons in 1720 on being raised to the peerage and the son was elected Member of Parliament for Cricklade at a contested by-election on 1 February 1721. Thereafter, he voted consistently for the Administration. He was defeated by a single vote at the 1722 general election. He was then elected MP for Calne at another contested by-election on 28 February 1723, possibly on the interest of Walter Hungerford to whom he was related. He stood in a contest for Gloucester at the 1727 general election, but was caught up in a double return and waived his rights. The Administration brought him in for Tregony at a by-election on 6 February 1729. He was subsequently brought in for Lostwithiel at a further by-election in 31 Mar 1735. A month later on 2 May 1735, he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Ducie on the death of his father.

When Walpole's government fell in 1742, Lord Ducie agreed to hold the office of surveyor of the petty customs in London in trust for Henry Bilson-Legge and Benjamin Keene, but in 1752 he asked to be relieved of it. In 1755 he was appointed Constable of St. Briavels, Warden of the Forest of Dean and Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire holding the posts to 1758, and High Steward of Gloucester which he held until 1766. He was unmarried and as his barony would become extinct, he was created Baron Ducie of Tortworth, on 27 April 1763 with a special remainder to the descent of his sister Elizabeth, who married Francis Reynolds.[1]

Lord Ducie. died unmarried in December 1770 and was succeeded by his nephew Thomas Reynolds, who adopted the name Moreton.[1]

References

  1. "MORETON, Hon. Matthew Ducie (bef.1700-1770), of Tortworth, Glos". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 7 November 2018.


Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Sir Thomas Reade
Samuel Robinson
Member of Parliament for Cricklade
1721–1722
With: Sir Thomas Reade
Succeeded by
Sir Thomas Reade
Thomas Gore
Preceded by
Edmund Pike Heath
George Duckett
Member of Parliament for Calne
1723–1727
With: Edmund Pike Heath
Succeeded by
William Duckett
William Wardour
Preceded by
Thomas Smith
John Goddard
Member of Parliament for Tregony
1729–1734
With: John Goddard
Succeeded by
Henry Penton
John Goddard
Preceded by
Richard Edgcumbe
Philip Lloyd
Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel
1735
With: Richard Edgcumbe
Succeeded by
Richard Edgcumbe
Sir John Crosse
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by
Matthew Moreton
Baron Ducie de Moreton, First creation (1720)
1735–1770
Succeeded by
Extinct
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by
New creation
Baron Ducie Second creation (1763)
1763–1770
Succeeded by
Thomas Reynolds-Moreton
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