Lord William Manners

Lord William Manners (13 November 1697 – 23 April 1772), of Croxton Park, Leicestershire was an English nobleman and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1719 and 1754. He was the second son of John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland and his first wife, Catherine Russell. His brothers John, Robert and Sherard were also Members of Parliament. Career Parliament Manners was elected Member of Parliament for Leicestershire at a contested by-election on 7 December 1719. He was returned again unopposed for Leicestershire in the 1722 general election. In about 1722, he was appointed Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Prince of Wales. He became Lord of the Bedchamber to the King on the succession of George II in 1727 and was returned unopposed at the 1727 general election. He voted with the Administration on every recorded occasion. He did not stand in 1734 to the disappointment of his friends. He resigned his office at Court in 1738 and was returned to Parliament as MP for Newark by his brother John, now 3rd Duke of Rutland, at a by-election on 31 January 1738. He followed his brother into opposition, voting against the Spanish convention in 1739 and the place bill in 1740, but supporting the government on the motion for the dismissal of Walpole in February 1741. He was returned again for Newark at the 1741 general election. His brother-in-law, Henry Pelham, offered him a post on the Treasury board in 1743, but he refused it. At the 1747 general election he was returned again for Newark. He was listed as an opposition supporter and took sides with Fredeick, Prince of Wales. He stood down at the 1754 general election, in favour of his son John. Gambling