Sir John Eyles, 2nd Baronet

Sir John Eyles, 2nd Baronet (1683 – 11 March 1745) of Gidea Hall, Essex, was a British financier.

He was the second but eldest surviving son of Sir Francis Eyles, 1st Baronet, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of London merchant Richard Ayley.

He served as a director of the Bank of England, South Sea Company, and East India Company, and served on the commission appointed to oversee estates forfeited to the Crown during the unsuccessful Jacobite rising of 1715. He succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1716. He was Alderman of Vintry, 19 June 1716, and subsequently of Bridge Without (a ward previously represented by his father) from 22 July 1737 until his death. He was appointed Sheriff of London for 1720 and elected Lord Mayor of London for 1726.

He was Member of Parliament in the Parliament of Great Britain for Chippenham from 1713 to 1727 and for the City of London from 1727 to 1734, and was Joint Postmaster-General from 1739 to 1744.

He purchased the estate of Gidea Hall, in Havering, demolished the old mansion there, and built a new "elegant" house. He married his cousin, Mary Haskin Styles, the daughter of Joseph Haskin Stiles by Sarah Eyles, the daughter of Sir John Eyles, elder brother of the first baronet. Together they had two children, a boy and a girl.

In 1731 he was the dedicatee of George Lillo's tragedy The London Merchant, a play later excerpted in French by Abbé Prévost who had served as Sir John's secretary and tutor to his son Francis.

His wife died on 14 November 1735, and was buried at St Helen's Bishopsgate 9 days later. He died on 11 March 1745, and was succeeded by his only son, Francis.

References

• Sedgwick, Romney R. (1970) "EYLES, John (1683–1745), of Gidea Hall, Essex" The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715–1754

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Francis Popham Sir James Long	Member of Parliament for Chippenham 1713–1727 With: John Norris 1713–1715 Giles Earle 1715–1722 Edward Rolt 1722–1723 Thomas Boucher 1723–1727	Succeeded by Rogers Holland Gabriel Roberts
Preceded by Richard Lockwood Sir John Barnard Francis Child Richard Hopkins	Member of Parliament for the City of London 1727–1734 With: Sir John Barnard Micajah Perry Humphry Parsons	Succeeded by Robert Willimot Sir John Barnard Micajah Perry Humphry Parsons
Baronetage of Great Britain
Preceded by Francis Eyles	Baronet 1716–1745	Succeeded by Francis Eyles-Stiles