William Skrine

William Skrine (c. 1721–1783) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1771 to 1780. He committed suicide after losing heavily at cards.

Skrine was the son of Dr. William Skrine, of Claverton, Somerset and his wife Ann Spurstow, daughter of Henry Spurstow of Cheshire. His father was a physician or apothecary at Bath and thus made many connections with titled families and built up a considerable fortune. Skrine succeeded his father who died when he was aged four on 5 December 1725. He matriculated at St John's College, Oxford on 24 January 1738, aged 16. In 1758, he sold Claverton Manor to Ralph Allen. He married firstly, Jane Sumner on 21 May 1764; she died in 1766. His second wife was Julia Maria Siordet of Piedmont whom he married in about 1776. married Sir Thomas Clarges, 3rd Baronet in 1777. His other daughter Elizabeth Ann Skrine married Charles Loraine Smith in 1781.