John Elwes
John Elwes was born in Southwark, England, United Kingdom on April 7th, 1714 and is the Politician. At the age of 75, John Elwes biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
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[né Meggott] MP (7 April 1714–1789) was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom for Berkshire (1772–1784) and a respected eccentric and miser, who was believed to have inspired Ebenezer Scrooge's character in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
In his last book, Our Mutual Friend, Dickens made mention of Elwes some years ago.
Elwes is also said to have inspired William Harrison Ainsworth to create the character of John Scarfe in his book The Miser's Daughter.
Family background and early life
Elwes (birth name "Meggot") was born on April 7, 1714, in a respectable English family. Robert Meggot, his father, was a respected Southwark brewer, and his grandfather, Sir George Meggot, MP for the same borough, was a respected Southwark brewer. Amy (née Elwes), his mother, was the granddaughter of Sir Gervase Elwes, 1st Baronet and MP for Suffolk (see Elwes baronets). Lady Isabella Hervey, the Hervey family's maternal grandmother, was a popular miser.
At Westminster School, he received a solid education in the classics. He then moved to Geneva, where he embraced his horsemanship and hunterism. He was dubbed one of Europe's best riders. It was during this period that he was introduced to Voltaire, to whom he seemed to be remarkably similar. However, Elwes was much more enthused with the horses at his riding school than by the French philosopher's genius.
Political career
In 1772, he became a Member of Parliament for Berkshire with the support of Lord Craven (his election costs totaled to just eighteen pence). He ran for office in a by-election as a compromise candidate to replace Thomas Craven, which began the first of three terms. He was unopposed until he stepped down at the 1784 election. According to his whim, Elwes sat in either party and never once stood to speak in the House of Commons. Fellow members chastised him for only one suit, but they would not suspect him of being a "turncoat." Elwes did not have to travel to Westminster because he was a member of parliament, but not in the way that Elwes did. He rode on a poor lean horse, and the route chosen was always the one on which he could avoid turnpike tolls. He was known to have a hard-boiled egg in his pocket, and midway along his journey, he would sit under some hedge and eat his egg or sleep. He resigned after twelve years rather than face the possibility of laying out any money to keep his seat.