Hanmer, Sir John, Baron Hanmer

(1809-1881)

   The son of Thomas Hanmer, colonel of the royal Flints militia, descended from the Welsh family of Sir John de Hanmere, Constable of Carnarvon Castle in the time of Edward I. He was educated at Eton College and at Christ Church, Oxford, but did not proceed to a degree. His grandfather, Sir Thomas Hanmer, died in 1828, and John succeeded him as third baronet. He was member of Parliament for several different constituencies between 1832 and 1872 and was raised to the peerage as Baron Hanmer of Hanmer and Flint in 1872. He supported free trade and religious liberty and voted for the total repeal of the Corn Laws. He died at Knotley Hall, near Tunbridge Wells, and was buried at Bettisfield Park, Whitchurch, Shropshire. Some of his publications: Proteus and Other Poems, 1833. Poems on Various Subjects, 1836. Fra Cipolla, 1839. Sonnets, 1840. A Memorial of the Parish, 1877. Some of his poems: "Alexowitz," "Approach to Venice on a November Day," "Asmodeus Redivivus," "Enter Monks: From the Same," "Gondolier's Song: In an Unfinished Mask," "Pescara," "The Tricolor."

   Sources: Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. English Poetry: Author Search. Chadwyck-Healey Ltd., 1995 (http://www.lib.utexas.edu:8080/search/epoetry/author.html). Oldpoetry (www.oldpoetry.com). SETIS-English Poetry Collection (http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/poetry/browse/hHannayepdtoc.html). The National Portrait Gallery (www.npg.org.uk).