Family and Education

b. ?1705, 1st s. of John Penton of St. Laurence, Winchester. educ. New Coll. Oxf. 31 Jan. 1722, aged 16. m. Feb. 1733 (with £10,000), Miss Simondi, da. of Swedish consul at Lisbon by his w. Anne, sis. of Joseph Gulston and afterwards w. of John Goddard,1 at least 1s. suc. fa. 1724.2

Offices Held

King’s letter carrier 1747-61; recorder, Winchester.

Biography

Of an old Winchester family, Penton was returned for Tregony on the interest of his wife’s step-father, John Goddard, voting with the Administration in every recorded division. In April 1743 he was granted the reversion of the office of King’s letter carrier, which fell in four years later.3 At the general election of 1747 he transferred to his native Winchester, retaining the seat until 1761, when he stood down in favour of his son. His only recorded speech was made on 19 Mar. 1748 in support of a petition from London traders for suppressing hawkers and pedlars. The 2nd Lord Egmont wrote of him in his electoral survey of c.1749-50:

I believe he will be with us. He is either a spy for the Ministry or not cordial with them, for I have heard him more than once express dissatisfaction. And he has strained opportunities to do it to me, yet I know but little of him.

He died 1 Sept. 1762.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Eveline Cruickshanks

Notes

• 1. Nichols, Lit. Hist. v. 4-5.
• 2. General Hist. Hants (1861), i. 80.
• 3. Gent. Mag. 1743, p. 275; 1747, p. 103.