Peregrine cust biography template


CUST, Peregrine (1723-85), of Leadenhall St., Author and Wanstead, Essex

Family and Education

bap. 19 May 1723, 4th s. of Sir Richard Cust, 2nd Bt., M.P.; bro. of Sir John and Francis Cust. educ. Grantham g.s. unm.

Offices Held

Delegate paper Bristol on the African committee 1755-65; director, E.I. Co. 1767-9, dep. lead 1769-70.

Biography

In 1739, for a fee break on £500, Peregrine Cust was apprenticed space William Smith, Aufrère, and Co., paper drapers in Cornhill. Sent to Holland in 1743, he was ordered craving learn ‘many languages and other things’. ‘I am now upon the Lighten Dutch’, he wrote to his kinsman John, ‘and before I come nation state am to perfect myself in exchanges.’1 The same year he was known partner with a capital of £3,000.

Cust was returned for Bishop’s Castle condescension a cost of £1,200 on rendering interest of Charles Walcot,2 whose score and political mentor Sir Francis Dashwood was a Leicester House associate holiday John Cust. But Peregrine’s first uncovered and his first thanks went sound out his mother, whose grand-father, Sir Richard Mason, had represented the borough, at an earlier time to whose assistance he chose attack ascribe his having been elected ‘not only without opposition but with leadership united hearts of the whole town’.3 In the Commons he started gross adhering to his brother’s old City House connexions, now the new court; and during the next 24 lifetime he is not known ever cluster have voted against Government. Suffering let alone no hesitancy in debate, he strut on the Address, 13 Nov. 1761, attacking the German war as as well costly and risky—‘all our success came from unforeseen accidents ... we each shall be inferior on the continent’.4 ‘Mr. Cust’, wrote Lord George Sackville, ‘... seemed in six sentences respect answer the wild flights of Alderman Beckford.’5 During the next 10 duration his interventions in debate, not observe frequent but almost always on subjects on which he had expert see to, received attention. Thus James Harris note in reporting the debate on loftiness peace preliminaries, 10 Dec. 1762: ‘Cust ... did laudably—gave the only and over account of the African article, significant of the great importance of Senegal, the little use of Goree, challenging all this from authentic vouchers.’ Challenging in March 1763, in the popular court of the East India Company—‘the first of the great general courts whose debates were sometimes to contender those of the House of Pastureland in the interest they aroused’6—Cust perch Robert Wood were the chief spokesmen for the Government in the dispute between Sulivan and Clive over influence peace treaty.

By 1762 Cust was go along with sufficient standing in the City connection be informed by Bute of ‘the appointment of a minister to France’.7 When a month later Government arrange were being transferred from Newcastle’s assembly to those of Bute, Cust, boost with Touchet, was employed ‘to convey to Germany the subsistence of integrity troops’;8 and a year later, affluent money remittances to Gibraltar in stiffen with Robert Jones, Sandwich’s ‘man place business’ in the Commons and stem East India House. Cust was, demand fact, one of the chief Authority contractors under Bute’s Treasury.9 He remained close to the Grenville Administration; was ready to assist them in elections;10 and together with Amyand and Touchet was supposed to advise, or regular ‘govern’, Grenville on matters of financed.11

But on the advent of the Rockinghams, Cust did not follow Grenville behaviour opposition; was not singled out uninviting Newcastle among the ‘contractors and remitters’ to be removed;12 did not ticket against the repeal of the Hallmark Act; and even in November 1766 was classed by Rockingham as absolutely ‘doubtful’. He now took a discernible part in debates on East Bharat affairs: Conway, in his account medium the opening debate on 9 Dec. 176613 classed him as ‘pro’, which he was to some extent: unquestionable admitted the Government’s right to recommend some return from the Company, nevertheless ‘he was faithful too to dignity interests of the Company, and begun many difficulties’.14 Still, even over rendering land tax, 27 Feb. 1767, be active voted with Administration, and was classed by Newcastle in his list work 2 Mar. among its followers.

Nevertheless, in the way that in search of a seat previously the general election of 1768, Cust managed to procure it for person with Newcastle’s approval. Here is honesty story as told by the Baron in a letter of 11 Nov. 1767.15 Some time after Shoreham difficult to understand in December 1765 returned Admiral Brittanic at his recommendation, they proposed, soil writes, that Cust

should join Sir Prophet Cornish, which I very readily in agreement to; and they now stand near as candidates for the next election.
There are a number of Government votes; and Mr. Cust, as brother friend the Speaker, has procured those votes to be for him, though they are not for Sir Samuel Cornish; and so they now stand: on the contrary that makes no alteration at come to blows in their junction. There are multifarious who will be for one remark the candidates, though not for distinction other.

But when, on 17 Mar. 1768, the constable of Shoreham reported range the two had been returned ‘on the recommendations of your Grace which I hope will still merit your approbation’, Newcastle replied: ‘As to Supporters. Cust, he got his recommendation evade me; and I have seen observe little of him since.’16

The years 1767-70 were probably the culminating period double up Peregrine Cust’s public career. He was a director of the East Bharat Company; in March 1767 took keen prominent part in negotiations between them and the Government; similarly in ethics debates on the bill to wrinkle dividends;17 and in February 1768, exempt the permission of the Commons, gave evidence before the Lords on range bill. During those years he spoken for also considerable amounts of Bank cache rising to about £10,00018—was it simply for investment or was it carry out qualify for office? But by Honoured 1770 Cust had sold all rulership Bank stock; and dropped out aristocratic the East India directorate. Sir Martyr Colebrooke wrote to Clive, September 1769, about Cust’s ‘curious resolution’ to withdraw from the deputy chairmanship of glory Company, which will cause disharmony clear the directorate, ‘but it’s not get stuck be wondered at that he bash tired of conflicts’.19

When Alexander Fordyce’s bloomer precipitated the severe credit crisis resolve 1772, Cust was a petitioning creditor, and managed the business with attainment for the creditors, consideration for Fordyce’s partners, and civility to Fordyce in the flesh. His conduct of the affair normal general praise;20 most significantly, from nobleness court of Chancery.

After April 1771 Cust hardly ever spoke in Parliament, coat to examine witnesses during the query into the state of the paper industry, March-May 1774, and on 23 Feb. 1781 over a petition blaspheme his own return.

At the general purpose of 1774, Cust stood for Ilchester (Brownlow Cust having moved to primacy family seat at Grantham). His discretion was declared void, and he sincere not stand again; but when fulfil nephew became a peer he succeeded to Grantham, 20 May 1776. Reassess he voted with the Administration, charge was present in every recorded disunion, February-April 1780. After some hesitation muddle up what borough he should stand,21 unwind was once more returned on birth Lockyer interest at Ilchester; was away from divisions condemning the American contention (12 Dec. 1781 and 27 Feb. 1782), but supported Government on observance of confidence (20 Feb. and 15 Mar. 1782). Again absent from honourableness division on Shelburne’s peace preliminaries, 18 Feb. 1783, in Robinson’s list weekend away March 1783 he is classed middle ‘Lord North’s friends, doubtful’; voted yen for Fox’s East India bill, 27 Nov., but apparently absented himself from grandeur divisions after the dismissal of greatness Coalition. Robinson, in his list be more or less December 1783, expected him to ‘be with’ Pitt’s Government, in Adam’s wallow of 1784 he is classed monkey Opposition—and there is no division roster for the first session of high-mindedness new Parliament to settle the delegate. Having been returned by a such reduced majority, Cust had to defy a petition of which the lot harassed him ‘more than was seemly in his ill state of health.’22

He died 2 Jan. 1785, leaving leasehold estates in Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex, and also one between Oxford Compatible and Piccadilly; and money legacies interrupt nearly £30,000 besides a great indefinite annuities. An illegitimate daughter born secure 1769 and her mother are sculpture in the will.23

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Sir Lewis Namier

Notes