British politician and barrister
John Bonham-Carter (22 September 1788 – 17 February 1838) was a British politician and barrister.
Early life.
John was born on 22 September 1788 into the "Whig oligarchy which dominated the corporation of Portsmouth." He was the son of Dorothy Cuthbert and Sir John Carter (1741–1808), who served as Mayor of Portsmouth. His paternal grandfather was the merchant John Carter and his maternal grandfather was George Cuthbert of Portsmouth.
He was educated at Miss Whishaw and Mr. Forester's schools in Portsmouth followed by the Unitarian Academy in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire in 1800, then at Higham Hill in Walthamstow, Essex in 1801. He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1806.
In 1827, he changed his name to Bonham-Carter to inherit the estate of his cousin Thomas Bonham.
Career.
Bonham-Carter was a Justice of Peace and Deputy Lieutenant. He was High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1829 and Whig Member of Parliament (MP) for Portsmouth from 1816 to 1838.
Personal life and death.
On 25 December 1816, he married Joanna Maria Smith (1792–1884), daughter of abolitionist William Smith. Joanna's sister Frances was the mother of Florence Nightingale, and her brother Benjamin was the father of Barbara Bodichon and Benjamin Leigh Smith. Together, John and Joanna were the parents of several children, including:
Bonham-Carter died on 17 February 1838.
Descendants.
Through his son Henry, he was the grandfather of Sir Maurice Bonham-Carter, the Principal Private Secretary to H. H. Asquith, his father-in-law, during his time as Prime Minister. Maurice was married to life peer Violet, Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury.
References.
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