GARRARD, Benet (?1704-1767), of Lamer, Herts.

The Garrard family were of City origin, and had been settled at Lamer since the 17th century. Sir Benet Garrard’s father was lord mayor of London 1709-10, and M.P. for Amersham 1701-10. They were related to its patrons, the Drakes of Shardeloes; and Sir Benet left his estates to Charles Drake, 2nd s. of William Drake, sen..

In Bute’s list Garrard was classed as ‘Tory’, to which was added (in Bute’s hand): ‘well inclined’. He appears in Fox’s list of Members favourable to the peace preliminaries, and seems also to have supported Grenville’s Administration: his name appears in none of the minority division lists 1763-5, and he voted with Administration, 10 Feb. 1764, on the repeal of the cider duty.Harris’s ‘Debates’. In July 1765 Rockingham classed him as ‘contra’; yet he did not vote against the repeal of the Stamp Act. Nothing further is known of his political conduct, and there is no record of his having spoken in the House. He died 1 July 1767, aged 63.