John Damer

For his cousin, the English landowner and politician, see John Damer (1720–1783).

Hon. John Damer MP
portrait by Pompeo Batoni
Member of Parliament for Gatton
In office 21 March 1768 – 7 October 1774
Personal details
Born	25 June 1744 (1744-06-25) Shronell, County Tipperary
Died	15 August 1776 (1776-08-16) (aged 32) Covent Garden, London
Political party	Whig
Spouse	Anne Seymour Conway (m. 14 June 1767, d. 1828)
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

John Damer (25 June 1744 – 15 August 1776) was an Anglo-Irish Whig politician.

Family

John was the first of three sons of Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester by the Lady Caroline Sackville. His mother was the daughter of Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset and his wife Elizabeth Colyear. His maternal grandmother was the daughter of Lieutenant-General Walter Philip Colyear, and the niece of David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore.[1] His younger brothers were the Hon. Lionel Damer and the George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester.

Education

Damer was educated at Eton (1755–61) and Trinity College, Cambridge (1762).[2]

Marriage

He married the future sculptor Anne Seymour Conway, daughter of Field Marshal Rt. Hon. Henry Seymour Conway and Lady Caroline Campbell, on 14 June 1767. She separated from him seven years later.

Political career

Damer was the Member of Parliament for Gatton (1768–1774).[3]

Death

Damer got heavily into debt and his father refused to help him financially. He shot himself on 15 August 1776 at the Bedford Arms, Covent Garden.[4][5]

Legacy

Damer is mentioned in the lyrics of the traditional Irish song "Limerick Rake".^[citation needed]

References

1. Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003.
2. "Damer, the Hon. John (DMR762J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
3. "DAMER, Hon. John (1744-76)". historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
4. Thornbury, Walter. "Covent Garden: Part 2 of 3.", Old and New London: Volume 3. London: Cassell, Petter & Galpin, 1878, pp. 255-269. British History Online. Accessed 25 January 2023.
5. Alison Yarrington, "Damer, Anne Seymour (1749–1828)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, January 2008 Subscription site

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Thomas Brand Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Harvey	Member of Parliament for Gatton 1768–1774 With: Joseph Martin	Succeeded by Sir William Mayne Robert Scott