Biography

William Norton, 2nd Baron Grantley (19 February 1742 – 12 November 1822) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1768 to 1789 when he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Grantley.

Norton was the son of Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley, who was created a peer on 9 April 1782, from which time William Norton was styled 'the Honourable'. He was educated at St John's College, Cambridge.^[1]

Norton was Member of Parliament for Richmond 1768–1774, for Wigtown Burghs 1774–1775 (unseated on petition), Richmond 1775–1780, Guildford 1782–1784 and Surrey 1784–1789. He became the 2nd Lord Grantley on 1 January 1789.

He was the third Englishman to be elected and the second to actually sit in Parliament, for the Scottish constituency of Wigtown Burghs.

Arms

Coat of arms of William Norton, 2nd Baron Grantley

Crest A Moor's Head affrontée couped at the shoulders wreathed round the temples with Laurel proper and around the neck a Torse Argent and Azure Escutcheon Azure a Maunch Ermine surmounted by a Bend Gules Supporters Dexter: a Lion; Sinister: a Griffin, both Argent and ducally gorged Or and pendent from the coronets by a Ribbon Gules a Shield of the Arms of Norton Motto Avi Numerantur Avorum (I follow a long line of ancestry)[2]

References

• History of Parliament: House of Commons 1754-1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and James Brooke (Sidgwick & Jackson 1964)

External links

• Brooke, John. "NORTON, Hon. William (1742–1822)". History of Parliament Online.
• 2nd Lord Grantley
• 2nd Lord Grantley^[usurped]