John Hiley Addington (August 1759 – 11 June 1818)[1] was a British Tory party politician. He served as a Member of Parliament for various constituencies between 1787 and 1818.
Addington entered the British House of Commons in 1787, having been elected for Truro.[5] He represented the constituency until 1790 and after a break of four years was returned to Parliament for Winchelsea until 1796.[5] In the following general election Addington stood successfully for Wendover.[5] He held that seat until the Act of Union 1801 and then became a member of the newly established Parliament of the United Kingdom.[5] In 1802 Addington won the election for Bossiney, however he resigned his seat the following year.[5] Instead he ran for Harwich in a by-election, which had been triggered by the death of his predecessor.[5] Addington sat for the constituency for the rest of his life.[5]
During his time as Member of Parliament, he was appointed a Lord of the Treasury in December 1800, by the then Prime Minister William Pitt.[5] In March of the following year he became a Secretary to the Treasury until 1802, when on his own request he returned to his former office.[5] Addington was made Paymaster of the Forces in 1803 and on this occasion was sworn of the Privy Council.[6] When in the next year his brother Henry's government failed, he was replaced as Paymaster.[6] In 1806, Addington joined the Board of Control as a commissioner, however left it after a year.[6] He accepted an appointment as Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs in 1812, retiring after a collapse in 1818.[7]
In 1803 Addington was nominated High Steward of Harwich and lieutenant-colonel of the Mendip Volunteers.[5]
Family and death
In 1785, Addington married Mary, daughter of Henry Unwin.[2] The couple had two sons and a daughter.[8] Addington died at Longford Court in 1818 from complications after an operation on his stomach.[1] He was survived by his wife until 1833.[8] His younger son Henry was a diplomat and civil servant.[8]
The writer Hannah More was a close friend of Addington and his family.[9]