Family and Education

b. 27 Aug. 1728, 4th s. of Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, and bro. of Hon. Charles, Joseph and Philip Yorke. educ. Dr. Newcome’s, Hackney; Corpus Christi, Camb. 1746; L. Inn 1746, called 1754. m. 1 Jan. 1762, Elizabeth, da. of Reginald Lygon of Madresfield, Worcs., 1da.

Offices Held

Clerk of the Crown in Chancery 1746-d.; chaffwax 1752-5; patentee for commissions of bankruptcy 1755-d.; ld. of Trade 1761-3, July-Dec. 1765, of Admiralty 1765-6.

Biography

At the age of 18 John Yorke and his brother, Charles, were appointed by Lord Hardwicke jointly to a life sinecure in Chancery worth £1,200 a year.1 When he was 22 his father applied through Newcastle to the King at Hanover to give him another Chancery sinecure, that of chaffwax, equivalent in value to his half share of the Crown office, so that Charles might enjoy the whole of the profits of that office. The King’s reaction was:

My Lord Chancellor is getting every office that falls in the law for his own children;

but on his return to England he granted the application.2 Three years later John exchanged the office for a joint share in another Chancery place, held by the poet Cowper’s father, who died the next year, leaving John with the whole of the profits.3

He died 4 Sept. 1801.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

• 1. Walpole to Montagu, 5 Aug. 1746.
• 2. Yorke, Hardwicke, ii. 179 et seq.
• 3. Gent. Mag. 1755, p. 572.