John Hawles

Sir John Hawles (1645–1716) was an English lawyer and politician.

Life

The second son of Thomas Hawles of Moanton in Wiltshire, by Elizabeth Antrobus of Hampshire, was born in the Close at Salisbury. His father, whose name is sometimes spelled Hollis, belonged to the family of Hawles of Upwimborne, Dorset. During the First English Civil War he was leader of the band known as the club men in Salisbury, who took the side of the parliament.

John Hawles was educated at Winchester School, and in 1662 entered Queen's College, Oxford, but left the university without taking a degree. He entered Lincoln's Inn, was called to the bar, and rose in his profession.

On 25 March 1689 he was returned to the House of Commons as M.P. for Old Sarum. But in 1691 he was not able to secure the recordership of London in competition with Sir Bartholomew Showers. On 1 July 1695 Hawles was appointed solicitor-general in succession to Sir Thomas Trevor. In October of the same year he was returned for the borough of Wilton in Wiltshire, and in 1695 was knighted.

When a fresh parliament was summoned in 1698, Hawles sat for St. Michael in Cornwall, and was also returned for Beeralston in Devon. In the parliament of 1700–1 he represented Truro, and for the short session of 1702 was member for St. Ives in Cornwall. In 1702 he ceased to be solicitor-general, but continued to sit in parliament for Wilton until 1705, and from that year until 1710 for Stockbridge in Hampshire.

As a prominent Whig lawyer he was appointed one of the managers of the impeachment of Henry Sacheverell in 1710. He resided for some years on the family estate at Upwimborne, and died on 2 August 1716.

References

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Parliament of England
Preceded by John Young Thomas Pitt	Member of Parliament for Old Sarum 1689–1690 With: William Harvey	Succeeded by William Harvey Sir Thomas Mompesson
Preceded by Sir Richard Grobham Howe Thomas Wyndham	Member of Parliament for Wilton 1695–1698 With: John Gauntlett	Succeeded by John Gauntlett Sir Henry Ashurst
Preceded by John Tregagle John Povey	Member of Parliament for Mitchell 1698–1701 With: John Povey	Succeeded by William Beaw Anthony Rowe
Preceded by John Elwill Sir Rowland Gwynne	Member of Parliament for Bere Alston 1698–1701 With: Sir Rowland Gwynne 1698 James Montagu 1698–1701	Succeeded by Sir Rowland Gwynne Sir Peter King
Preceded by Henry Vincent Hugh Fortescue	Member of Parliament for Truro 1701 With: Henry Vincent	Succeeded by Henry Vincent Sir William Scawen
Preceded by James Praed Benjamin Overton	Member of Parliament for St Ives 1701–1702 With: James Praed	Succeeded by James Praed Richard Chaundler
Preceded by John Gauntlett Sir Henry Ashurst	Member of Parliament for Wilton 1702–1705 With: George Boddington 1702 John Gauntlett 1702–1705	Succeeded by John Gauntlett William Nicholas
Preceded by Anthony Burnaby Henry Killigrew	Member of Parliament for Stockbridge 1705–1707 With: Sir Edward Laurence	Succeeded by Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Parliament of England	Member of Parliament for Stockbridge 1707–1710 With: Sir Edward Laurence	Succeeded by George Dashwood The Earl of Barrymore
Legal offices
Preceded by Sir Thomas Trevor	Solicitor General 1695–1702	Succeeded by Sir Simon Harcourt