Anthony Bacon MP (1716 - 1786)

Born 24 Jan 1716 in St Bees, Cumberland, England

Descendants

Died 21 Jan 1786 at age 69 in London, England

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Biography

Anthony, son of William, was baptised on 24 January 1716 in Saint Bees, Cumberland, England.^[1]

Career

As a young man, he based himself in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and traded with the colony. ^[2]

In about 1740 he left America and for the next few years traded with the Southern Colonies as master of his own ship. He imported Tobacco from America, Gum from Senegal, Coal from Cumberland where he acquired mines and slaves from Africa ^[2] From about 1758 he acquired Government Commissions to supply and pay troops in West Africa and slaves to the West Indies. ^[2]

In 1764 he was elected Member of Parliament for Aylesbury, and he retained the seat until 1784. ^[2] Over this period, he had to reduce his commercial interests as it became prohibited for Members of Parliament to hold Government Contracts ^[3]

Merthyr Tydfil

The most important chapter of his business career was concerned with Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales. In 1765 he took a 99 year lease on 4,000 acres of mineral bearing land there ^[2] and set up forges using a recently patented process for turning pig iron into bar iron at Cyfarthfa and Hirwain ^[3]. He produced cannons in these works, and he held ordinance contracts from 1773 onwards. In 1782 he leased out his works and retired from business. ^[2]

Family

He married Elizabeth Richardson but their children all died young ^[4]

His relationship with Mary Bushby, who he never married, left four sons and a daughter ^[2]

He died in 1786 and was buried on 8 February 1786 in St Bartholomew By the Exchange, City of London, London, England.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975"
   Ancestry uk Record 9841 #186680370 (accessed 17 February 2022)
   Anthony Bacon baptism on 24 Jan 1716, son of William, in Saint Bees, Cumberland, England.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Career: "History of Parliament Online 1754-1790"
   History of Parliament Online 1754-1790. Ed L. Namier, J Brooke. 1964. This article by Sir Lewis Namier. at http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/bacon-anthony-1717-86 (Accessed February 18 2022)
   
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Anthony Bacon (industrialist)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anthony_Bacon_(industrialist)&oldid=1055394806 (accessed February 18, 2022).
4. ↑ Marriage: "Dictionary of Welsh Biography - Anthony Bacon"
   The National Library of Wales. Author of this article, Watkin William Price. at https://biography.wales/article/s-BACO-N00-1718 (accessed February 18 2022) </br/>
5. ↑ Burial: "London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
   London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: P69/BAT1/A/002/MS04375
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 1624 #5696704 (accessed 17 February 2022)
   Anthony Bacon Esquire burial (died ) on 8 Feb 1786 in St Bartholomew By the Exchange, City of London, London, England.