John Hobart, 1st Earl Of Buckinghamshire

John Hobart, 1st Earl of Buckinghamshire, was born on 11 October 1693. He was the son of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet of Blickling Hall, and his wife Elizabeth Maynard. Upon the death of his father in 1698, Hobart inherited the baronetcy. He attended Clare College, Cambridge, beginning his studies in 1710.

Hobart married twice. His first marriage was in 1717 to Judith Britiffe, who was the half-sister of Elizabeth Britiffe, wife of William Morden. His second marriage took place in 1728 to Elizabeth Bristow.

In his political career, Hobart was elected as a Member of Parliament for St Ives in the 1715 general election, a seat he held unopposed. He served in this capacity until 1728. In 1719, he was appointed Vice-Admiral of Norfolk, a position he maintained until his death. He became a member of the Board of Trade (Lord of Trade) in 1721.

He was elected again as MP for St Ives in 1722, after a contested election. At the 1727 general election, he represented two constituencies: Bere Alston and Norfolk. He chose to sit for Norfolk and vacated his other seat. In 1728, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Hobart of Blickling, coinciding with the coronation of King George II.

His familial connections included his sister, the Countess of Suffolk, who was a longstanding mistress of the king. Hobart was appointed Treasurer of the Chamber in 1727, serving until 1744, and served as assay master of the stannaries until 1738. He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk in 1739, captain of the Gentleman Pensioners in 1744, and became a Privy Councillor in 1745. In 1746, he was further elevated in the peerage as Earl of Buckinghamshire.

John Hobart died on 22 September 1756 at the age of 62. He was succeeded by his sons from his respective marriages: John, his son with Judith Britiffe, and George, his son with Elizabeth Bristow.