Francis Baring, 3rd Baron Ashburton
Francis Baring, 3rd Baron Ashburton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Philadelphia, United States |
| Died | September 6, 1868 (aged 68) |
| Occupation(s) | Nobleman, politician |
| Years active | 1830–1857 (MP) |
| Known for | British nobleman and politician; Member of Parliament for Thetford; 3rd Baron Ashburton |
Francis Baring, 3rd Baron Ashburton (22 May 1800 – 6 September 1868) was a British nobleman and politician born in the United States.
Early life
Born in Philadelphia, United States, he was the second son of Alexander Baring and Ann Louisa Bingham, who was the daughter and coheiress of the affluent U.S. senator William Bingham from Blackpoint, Philadelphia. His education was conducted privately and also in Geneva. In 1817, he entered the family banking firm, Baring Brothers. After undertaking prosperous business journeys to North America and the West Indies, he acquired a quarter partnership in 1823.
However, after unsuccessful ventures involving Mexican land and the French sugar trade, he was relegated to a non-executive director role in 1828. Subsequently, he assumed his brother's Parliamentary position for Thetford in 1830.
Political career
At the 1830 general election, he was chosen as a Whig MP representing Thetford in Norfolk, holding this seat until 1831 when he opted not to stand for re-election. In 1832, he regained the seat as a Tory and continued as a Conservative MP until 1841, again deciding not to contest that year's election.
He made a return to Parliament through an 1848 by-election for Thetford and maintained this position until his resignation via appointment as Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds on 30 November 1857.
Upon the death of his brother, Bingham Baring, in 1864, he inherited the title of 3rd Baron Ashburton.
Personal life
Under the provisions of the Slave Compensation Act 1837, Baring received approximately £56,000 from the British government as compensation due to his status as mortgagee or assignee on eight slave plantations located in British Guiana.
In 1832, he married Claire Hortense (circa 1812–1882), daughter of Hugues-Bernard Maret, duc de Bassano, and moved to Paris. They were parents to Alexander Baring, 4th Baron Ashburton and Marie Anne Louise Baring, who became the wife of William FitzRoy, 6th Duke of Grafton.