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William Innes

1719 – 1795

British Member of Parliament

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About William Innes

Lived 1719 – 1795 (aged 75). William Innes was a British politician and merchant.

William Innes (1719–1795) was a British merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1774 to 1775.

Innes was born on 29 July 1719, the son of Alexander Innes of Cathlaw, West Lothian, and his wife, Johanna Ainslie, daughter of Alexander Ainslie, a merchant of Edinburgh. His father was a banker and merchant of Edinburgh and in 1749 Innes was a merchant in London, trading with the West Indies. He married Ann Wintle on 19 May 1753.

At the 1774 Innes was elected in a contest as Member of Parliament for Ilchester on the interest of Thomas Lockyer. He is not recorded as voting in Parliament, but he made two speeches in his time on army estimates and the land tax. Ilchester had a history of corrupt practices and the defeated candidates petitioned against the result on grounds of bribery. The election was declared void a year after on 4 December 1775. Innes did not stand again.

Innes funded a memorial in the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Lewisham for his nephew Joseph Innes, who died in Jamaica in 1779. He also left money in his will for a memorial to be placed there in his own honour.

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Important facts

Birth century
Positions held
Member of the 14th Parliament of Great Britain
Also known as
William Innes of Lime Street Square

People in William Innes's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Innes's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Innes?

British Member of Parliament (1719–1795)

When was William Innes born?

William Innes was born on 29 July 1719.

When did William Innes die?

William Innes died on 14 January 1795.

What was William Innes's occupation?

William Innes was a politician and merchant.

What nationality was William Innes?

William Innes was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Innes

· Wikidata: Q26911622

· DBpedia: William Innes (merchant)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Innes. https://biography.guide/william-innes/

MLA: "William Innes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-innes/.

Chicago: "William Innes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-innes/.

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