Family and Education

b. c.1633, s. of William Newland, merchant, of Newport, I.O.W. educ. Pembroke, Camb. matric. 10 Dec. 1648, aged 15. m. lic. 12 Apr. 1671, Anne, da. of Robert Richbell of Southampton, 2s. 1da. Kntd. 3 Aug. 1679.1

Offices Held

Freeman, Grocers’ Co. 1658, asst. to 1687; freeman, Portsmouth 1668, 1677; member, Hon. Artillery Co. 1671; freeman, Levant Co. 1671; asst. R. Africa Co. 1675-7, 1682-4, dep. gov. 1678-9, sub-gov. 1680-1; common councilman, London 1675-7, 1682-3, Oct. 1688-9, alderman 1683-7; commr. for assessment, Hants 1677-80, Hants, Southampton and London 1689-90; dep. lt. London 1677-87, Oct. 1688- d. 2

Commr. for preventing export of wool 1689-92, public accounts 1691-4.

Biography

Newland’s father took no known part in the Civil War, but was appointed an assessment commissioner under the Commonwealth and served as mayor of Newport in 1652. After serving an apprenticeship to John Bence, Newland set up as a merchant at Cowes, where he did much business supplying naval stores to the dockyard at Portsmouth. In 1663 a warrant was issued for his arrest apparently on a charge of complicity in a proposed uprising in Ireland, but he must have cleared himself as he continued his trading activities. Again in 1672 he was accused of acting as an agent for the Dutch but no action was taken. During the seventies he extended his business to London, where he sat on the common council, though he was not an influential member of it. He was an original member of the Royal Africa Company when it was given a new charter in 1672, and he was admitted to the freedom of the East India Company in 1678 when he purchased £500 worth of stock.3

Newland acquired an interest at Southampton by his marriage, and was first returned for the borough at a by-election in the closing weeks of the Cavalier Parliament. Shaftesbury marked him ‘vile’, but he left no trace on its records, and he continued to represent Southampton for the rest of his life. Shaftesbury again listed him as ‘vile’ in 1679, but he was absent from the divison on the first exclusion bill. An inactive Member, he was appointed only to the committees on abuses in the post office and the bankruptcy bill. He was knighted at Titchfield House shortly before his re-election in August. In the second and third Exclusion Parliaments he was not appointed to any committees. He helped to present a loyal address approving the dissolution of Parliament from the London lieutenancy, and acted as foreman of the jury that tried Thomas Pilkington and others for a riot at the London sheriffs’ election in 1682. When the corporation of London was remodelled in 1683 he was appointed an alderman by royal commission. A moderately active Member of James II’s Parliament he was appointed to three committees in the first session, including that on expiring laws, and to that to consider the yield of an imposition on French wines after the recess.4

Newland was removed from the London corporation in 1687, and the King’s electoral agents reported in 1688 that as prospective candidate for Southampton he would be against the repeal of the Test Act and Penal Laws. He was on the committee of the common council to draw up the London address to William of Orange on 11 Dec. 1688, and was re-elected in the following month. An inactive Member of the Convention, he was appointed only to the committees to consider trade with France and to prevent the export of wool. According to Anthony Rowe he voted to agree with the Lords that the throne was not vacant. Under William III he was usually reckoned a Tory, though he signed the Association in 1696. He died intestate, and was buried at All Hallows by the Tower on II Dec. 1699. It is not known whether he was related to Sir George Newland, who sat for Gatton and London as a Tory under Queen Anne.5

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: Paula Watson

Notes

• 1. Hants Mar. Lic. 1669-80, p. 28; J. R. Woodhead, Rulers of London, 120; Prob. 6/75/218.
• 2. Information from H. Horwitz; R. East, Portsmouth Recs. 359, 362; Ancient Vellum Bk. ed. Raikes, 100; Sel. Charters (Selden Soc. xxviii), 189; CSP Dom. 1685, pp. 56, 86; 1689-90, p. 487; 1694-5, p. 21; K. G. Davies, R. African Co. 385; HMC Lords, iii. 45, 66; PC2/72/508.
• 3. CSP Dom. 1654, p. 200; 1660-1, pp. 281, 298; 1663-4, p. 202; 1666-7, p. 339; 1672, p. 76.
• 4. Guildhall Lib. mss. 507; Corp. of London RO, common council jnl.; London Gazette, 23 May 1681.
• 5. Ellis Corresp. ii. 350.