Charles Stanhope (1673—1760) was an English barrister and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1717 to 1741. Deeply implicated in transactions related to the South Sea Company, possibly concerned with political corruption, he was strongly defended by those in government, and was acquitted of all charges brought against him.[1]
Early life
Elvaston Castle, Derbyshire today - the Stanhope family seat as rebuilt c.1817
Stanhope was the second son of John Stanhope of Elvaston, Derbyshire, and his wife Dorothy Agard, daughter of Charles Agard of Foston, Derbyshire. He was admitted at the Inner Temple and was called to the bar in 1703. He succeeded his elder brother Thomas to the family estates in 1730.[1]
At the 1722 general election Stanhope was given the safe seat of Aldborough by the Duke of Newcastle, being returned unopposed then and at the 1727 general election. Stanhope was seeking procurement, but the new King George II discovered among his father's papers a note written by Stanhope with proposals for drastic action against him during a family quarrel. The King blocked any favours towards Stanhope, but Stanhope attributed his failure to secure office to Walpole and became his bitter enemy. While he owed his seat to Newcastle, he supported the government in all divisions except on the civil list arrears in 1729. At the 1734 general election he was elected in a contest as MP for Harwich on his own interest, and went over to the Opposition. He did not stand in 1741.[1]
