John Hiley Addington

John Hiley Addington (August 1759 – 11 June 1818) was a British politician affiliated with the Tory party. His parliamentary career spanned from 1787 to 1818, during which he represented several constituencies in the Parliament of Great Britain and subsequently in the Parliament of the United Kingdom following the Act of Union 1801.

He was born in August 1759 as the second son of Anthony Addington and his wife Mary, daughter of Haviland John Hiley. His familial connections included his elder brother, Henry Addington, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Addington received his early education at Cheam School and Winchester College, and further studies in Ealing until 1776. He then attended Brasenose College, Oxford.

Addington began his parliamentary career in 1787 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Truro. He served in this capacity until 1790. After a four-year interval, he was elected for Winchelsea, serving until 1796. In the subsequent general election, he successfully contested the Wendover constituency, holding this seat until the enactment of the Act of Union in 1801, which created the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Following the union, Addington was elected as the MP for Bossiney in 1802 but resigned in 1803. He then stood for Harwich in a by-election triggered by the death of his predecessor and represented the Harwich constituency until his death in 1818.

During his parliamentary tenure, Addington held several governmental positions. In December 1800, he was appointed a Lord of the Treasury by Prime Minister William Pitt. The following March, he became Secretary to the Treasury, a position he held until 1802, after which he requested to return to his previous office. In 1803, he was appointed Paymaster of the Forces and was sworn into the Privy Council. When the government led by his brother Henry Addington fell in 1804, he was replaced as Paymaster.

In 1806, Addington joined the Board of Control as a commissioner but left after one year. In 1812, he was appointed Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs. He held this position until shortly before his death in 1818, which resulted from complications following abdominal surgery. He retired from public service after suffering a collapse in 1818.

Addington held the position of High Steward of Harwich beginning in 1803 and was also a lieutenant-colonel of the Mendip Volunteers. In 1785, he married Mary Unwin, daughter of Henry Unwin. The marriage produced two sons and a daughter. His younger son, Henry Addington, became a diplomat and civil servant.

Addington died at Longford Court on 11 June 1818. His wife survived him until 1833. The writer Hannah More was among his close friends and social acquaintances.