John Granville, 1st Baron Granville of Potheridge

Colonel John Granville, 1st Baron Granville of Potheridge PC (12 April 1665 – 3 December 1707), styled The Honourable John Granville until 1703, was an English soldier, landowner and politician.

Background and education

Granville was the second son of John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath, by Jane Wyche, daughter of Sir Peter Wyche. He was the grandson of Sir Bevil Grenville and the younger brother of Charles Granville, 2nd Earl of Bath. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford.

Political career

Granville fought alongside his elder brother in the Imperial Army during the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Two years later he was returned to Parliament for Launceston, a seat he held until 1687. He welcomed the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the following year he was elected to Parliament for Plymouth. He notably made four speeches attacking the conditions of the Royal Navy and was a member of the committee set up to make recommendations on relieving wounded seamen. He continued to sit for Plymouth until 1698, and then represented Newport until 1700, Fowey from January to December 1701 and Cornwall from 1701 to 1703. He was in opposition during the whole reign of William III. When Queen Anne succeeded to the throne in 1702, Granville was sworn of the Privy Council. In 1703 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Granville of Potheridge, of Potheridge in the County of Devon, and appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall, Lord Warden of the Stannaries and Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, posts he held until 1705. The latter year he again went into opposition.

Family

Lord Granville of Potheridge married Rebeccah Child, daughter of Sir Josiah Child, 1st Baronet, and widow of Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester, in 1703. They had no children. He died in December 1707 after an apoplectic seizure, aged 42. As he had no children the barony died with him. He was buried at St Clement Danes, London.

References

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir Hugh Piper William Harbord	Member of Parliament for Launceston 1685–1687 With: Sir Hugh Piper	Succeeded by William Harbord Edward Russell
Preceded by Sir John Maynard Arthur Herbert	Member of Parliament for Plymouth 1689–1698 With: Sir John Maynard 1689–1690 John Trelawny 1690–1695 George Parker 1695–1698	Succeeded by Charles Trelawny Sir John Rogers, Bt
Preceded by John Morice The Viscount Newhaven	Member of Parliament for Newport, Cornwall 1698–1700 With: John Morice 1698–1699 Francis Stratford 1699–1700	Succeeded by Francis Stratford John Prideaux
Preceded by Thomas Vivian Sir Bevil Granville	Member of Parliament for Fowey January–December 1701 With: John Williams	Succeeded by John Williams John Hicks
Preceded by John Speccot Richard Edgcumbe	Member of Parliament for Cornwall 1701–1703 With: James Buller	Succeeded by James Buller Sir Richard Vyvyan, Bt
Political offices
Preceded by Sir Henry Goodricke, Bt	Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance 1702–1705	Succeeded by Thomas Erle
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Earl of Radnor	Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Cornwall 1702–1705	Succeeded by The Earl of Godolphin
	Lord Warden of the Stannaries 1702–1705	Succeeded by Viscount Rialton
Peerage of England
New creation	Baron Granville of Potheridge 1703–1707	Extinct