John Tempest, Jr.

John Tempest (1739 – 12 August 1794) was a County Durham landowner, Tory politician and Member of Parliament.

Biography

A member of the Old Durham branch of the Tempest family,^[1] Tempest was born in Sherburn, Durham, the son of John Tempest of Wynyard (1710–1776) and Frances Shuttleworth. His family's extensive landed interests including the manors of Wynyard, The Isle, Kelloe, Old Durham and Rainton made him one of the largest shippers of coal via Sunderland in the late 18th century.

He represented the City of Durham in the Parliaments of 1768, 1774, 1780, 1784 and 1790,^[2] and joined his fellow Durham M.P. John Lambton in constantly opposing the administration of Lord North.^[3]

Family

He married Ann Townsend (?-1817) daughter of Joseph Townsend of Honington, Warwickshire. Their only son, John Wharton Tempest (1772–1793) (the subject of a painting by George Romney), predeceased them as a result of a riding accident. The Tempest estates were devolved to his sister's son Henry by the Rev. Sir Henry Vane Bt. of Long Newton upon condition that he assume the name and arms of Tempest. Sir Henry Vane-Tempest Bt. (1771–1813) replaced his uncle as M.P. for Durham City 17 October 1794 and was the ancestor of the Vane-Tempest-Stewarts, Earls Vane and Marquesses of Londonderry.

References

1. ↑ Robert Surtees,History of Durham,Vol IV,p.93
2. ↑ Robert Surtees,History of Durham,Vol I,Appendix,p.cli
3. ↑ Mackenzie, Eneas and Ross, Marvin. An historical, topographical, and descriptive view of the County Palatine of Durham; comprehending the various subjects of natural, civil, and ecclesiastical geography, agriculture, mines, manufactures, navigation, trade, commerce, buildings, antiquities, curiosities, public institutions, charities, population, customs, biography, local history, &c. Newcastle upon Tyne, Mackenzie and Dent, 1834. vol. 2, p. 429

Sources

• Robert Surtees, History of Durham (1816–1840)
• Brian Masters, Wynyard Hall and the Londonderry Family (1973)