George Liddell (MP)
George Liddell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1678 Northumberland, England |
| Died | 1740-10-09 |
| Occupation(s) | Coal proprietor, politician, militia colonel |
| Years active | 1715–1740 |
| Known for | British coal industry leadership, Whig MP for Berwick-Upon-Tweed (1727–1740), Governor of the Society of Hostmen |
Colonel George Liddell (1678–1740), associated with Eslington Park, Northumberland, was a prominent British coal proprietor and Whig parliamentarian who represented his constituency in the House of Commons from 1727 until his death in 1740. He played a significant role in the coal industry of the North East and served as a militia colonel actively involved in countering the Jacobite uprising.
Early life
Born as the fourth son and baptized on 1 August 1678, Liddell was the offspring of Sir Henry Liddell, 3rd Baronet, an MP from Ravensworth, and Catherine Bright, daughter of Sir John Bright, 1st Baronet of Badsworth, Yorkshire. His family estate included coal-rich properties, establishing him as a principal coal proprietor.
Militia and coal owner
During the Jacobite rising of 1715, Liddell held the rank of militia Colonel and undertook military measures to address the Jacobite threat. Following 1716, he purchased Eslington Park, which had been confiscated from George Collingwood due to Jacobite affiliations, and constructed a new residence there circa 1720.
As an astute entrepreneur, Liddell became a leading figure in the coal sector, skillfully handling conflicts with Newcastle keelmen, who transported coal, and negotiating with other coal proprietors. In 1727, he helped establish the Grand Allies, a cartel that dominated northern coal commerce throughout the eighteenth century. The subsequent year, he was appointed Governor of the Society of Hostmen, responsible for regulating coal loading rights.
Political career
Liddell enjoyed close connections with Walpole and secured election as Member of Parliament for Berwick-Upon-Tweed during the 1727 British general election with governmental support. Walpole referred to him as ‘the wise man of the north’. Throughout his tenure, Liddell consistently voted in favor of Government policies and was returned to Parliament in the 1734 British general election. He was involved in overseeing the forfeited Derwentwater estates, whose revenues were allocated to Greenwich Hospital. The estate, comprising undeveloped mines and woodland, was prepared for sale. By 1739, Liddell acted as director managing Lord Derwentwater’s properties on behalf of Greenwich Hospital.
Death and legacy
Passing away unmarried on 9 October 1740, Liddell bequeathed his holdings to his nephew, Henry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth.