Robert Pitt

Robert Pitt (1680 – 21 May 1727) was a British politician who served in the House of Commons from 1705 until his death in 1727. He was the father of William Pitt the Elder and the grandfather of William Pitt the Younger, both of whom became Prime Ministers of Great Britain.

Early Life

Robert Pitt was the eldest son of Governor Thomas 'Diamond' Pitt, a businessman credited with amassing significant wealth during his time in India. Governor Pitt acquired the Pitt Diamond, a notable gemstone, which he later sold for a substantial profit. The diamond was reportedly brought into Britain concealed in Robert Pitt's boot. In 1704, Robert Pitt married Harriet Villiers, the daughter of Edward Villiers-FitzGerald and Katherine FitzGerald, an Irish heiress.

Political Career

In 1705, Pitt was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Sarum, a pocket borough controlled by his family interests. He maintained this seat during the 1708 general election. In 1710, he was not put forward by his father for Old Sarum but was instead elected as MP for Salisbury on his own initiative. During the 1713 general election, he finished third in the poll for Salisbury but was again placed back into Parliament at Old Sarum through his family’s influence.

At the 1715 general election, Pitt sought seats at both Old Sarum and Salisbury; however, he was only returned for Old Sarum. In the 1722 general election, he stood at Old Sarum and Okehampton, ultimately choosing to represent Okehampton, a seat he held until his death in 1727.

Unlike most of his family members, who adhered to the Whig party, Robert Pitt became a Tory, possibly as a form of resistance to his father’s dominant Whig allegiance.

Death and Family

Robert Pitt inherited the family estate at Boconnoc following his father's death in 1726. He died the following year, in 1727. He had two sons and five daughters. His elder son, Thomas Pitt, also served as an MP for Okehampton and inherited the Pitt estate. His second son was William Pitt the Elder, a prominent statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain during three separate terms: 1756–1757, 1757–1762, and 1766–1768.

His daughter Harriott married William Corbet, and his daughter Catherine married Robert Nedham. His grandson, William Pitt the Younger, later became Prime Minister in 1783. Robert Pitt was also connected through family ties to General James Stanhope, as his sister Lucy Pitt was married to Stanhope.

References

Bibliography

Black, Jeremy. Pitt the Elder. Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Brown, Peter Douglas. William Pitt, Earl of Chatham: The Great Commoner. Allen & Unwin, 1978.