John Christian Curwen
John Christian Curwen, born John Christian (12 July 1756 – 11 December 1828) was an English Member of Parliament and High Sheriff. [1]
He was born the son of John Christian of Ewanrigg, Cumberland (now Cumbria) and Jane, the daughter of Eldred Curwen of Workington Hall, Cumberland. He was educated at Peterhouse College, Cambridge (1773) before going on the Grand Tour between 1779 and 1782.
He married twice; firstly Margaret, the daughter of John Taubman, Speaker of House of Keys, of Castletown, Isle of Man, with whom he had a son and secondly his cousin Isabella, the daughter and heiress of Henry Curwen of Workington, with whom he had 5 sons and 3 daughters. He succeeded his father in 1767 and took the name of Curwen in 1790 after inheriting Workington Hall. Workington Hall, now ruined after a wartime fire, is a Grade I listed building.[2] He was pricked High Sheriff of Cumberland for 1784–85.
He was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Carlisle for 1786 to 1790 and again for 1791 to 1812 and for 1816 to 1820. He was then elected to represent the county seat of Cumberland. He was a member of the Whig party and an active campaigner in Parliament.
He died in financial difficulties because of increased costs and reduced profits from his coal mines and was buried in an unmarked grave in Workington. His eldest son John Christian inherited Ewanrigg and his second son Henry Curwen (1783-1861) inherited Worthington Hall.
References
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- People from Cumberland
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