STANLEY, Hans (1721-80), of Paultons, nr. Romsey, Hants and Ventnor, I.o.W.

Hans Stanley’s grandfather, a Southampton merchant and alderman, bought Paultons and his father unsuccessfully contested Lymington in 1729. Returned for St. Albans as an opposition Whig, he was one of the signatories of the opposition whip of 10 Nov. 1743.Owen, Pelhams, 198. He spoke twice in the debates on the Hanoverian troops in January 1744, stating

in express terms that the King had been obviously guilty of partiality to the worst of mercenaries. Mr. Pelham reprimanded him very mildly and excused him as a young man; he then resumed his speech and was as abusive as he had been before.Hartington to Devonshire, 19 Jan. 1744, Devonshire mss; Yorke’s parl. jnl. Parl. Hist. xiii. 390, 393, 463.

He remained in opposition till the end of the Parliament. He did not stand in 1747, though on 18 May he was made a freeman of Southampton,Reg. of Burgesses Admission, 1697-1835, Southampton City recs. together with his cousin A. L. Swymmer, possibly with a view to his contesting the borough. By this time he had gone over to the Government. Shortly after the general election he was nominated by Pelham to contest a by-election at Shaftesbury on Lord Ilchester’s (Stephen Fox) interest against William Beckford, who, however, arranged a compromise under which Stanley withdrew.See SHAFTESBURY. Like his father he died by his own hand, 12 Jan. 1780.