Arthur Onslow
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The Right Honourable Arthur Onslow |
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| Speaker of the House of Commons | |
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In office 23 January 1728 – 1761 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 October 1691 |
| Died | 17 February 1768 (aged 76) |
Arthur Onslow PC (1 October 1691 – 17 February 1768) was an English politician. He set a record for length of service when repeatedly elected to serve as Speaker of the House of Commons, where he was known for his integrity.
Onslow was born in Kensington, the elder son of Foot Onslow (died 1710) and his wife Susannah née Anlaby. He was educated at The Royal Grammar School, Guildford and Winchester College and matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford in 1708, although he took no degree. He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1713, but had no great practice in law.
When George I came to the throne, Onslow's uncle Sir Richard Onslow was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Arthur became his private secretary. When Richard left office in 1715, Arthur obtained a place as receiver general of the Post Office. He became Recorder of Guildford in 1719. As his Post Office position was not compatible with a parliamentary seat, he passed it on to his younger brother Richard when he entered Parliament in 1720 for Guildford.
On 8 October 1720, Onslow married Anne Bridges (1703–1763), daughter of John Bridges of Thames Ditton, Surrey, and the niece and coheir of Henry Bridges of Imber Court. After his father-in-law died in the mid-1720s, Onslow came into the entire estate, which had increased through the addition of the holding of Ann's sister, Rose, who had recently died. (She had married his younger brother Richard, whose life interest in her estate Arthur purchased after her death.) Inheriting estates from his wife's family considerably improved Onslow's financial position. Onslow made Imber Court in Thames Ditton his principal seat. Onslow and Anne had two children:
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