Peter Moore (MP)

Peter Moore (1753–1828) was an English civil servant of the East India Company and politician.

Born at Sedbergh, then in Yorkshire, on 12 February 1753, was the fifth son of Edward Moore, LL.B., vicar of Over, Cheshire, and Mary his wife. His father dying when he was quite young, he was educated by his eldest brother, Edward Moore, a barrister who had influence with Lord Holland and the Whig party. An appointment in the East India Company's service was found for him.

Moore returned to England a rich man, supplied material to Edmund Burke and Richard Brinsley Sheridan for their attack on Warren Hastings. He became a sort of whip for the radical section of the Whig party, while his manor-house at Hadley, Middlesex served as a rendezvous, with Sheridan a frequent visitor.

In 1796 Moore himself stood as parliamentary candidate for Tewkesbury, with Sir Philip Francis, and they obtained a majority of the householders in their favour; but were unseated on the House of Commons resolving that the free men and freeholders alone had a right to vote. In 1802, with Wilberforce Bird, he contested Coventry without success. One of the members, however, was unseated on petition, and Moore, after another contest, was returned on 30 March 1803. The initial cost of his seat was £25,000, but he was re-elected for Coventry in subsequent parliaments (29 October 1806, 11 May 1807, 5 October 1812, 25 June 1818, and 8 March 1820) at comparatively little expense.

Moore took a prominent part in the Westminster election of 1804, as the proposer of Charles James Fox, and many scurrilities were levelled against him. In 1806, when Fox was trying to form a ministry, Moore was selected as second on the Indian council, and was proposing to return to India when the king dissolved parliament. He continued in opposition, and frequently spoke in the house, supported Samuel Romilly and other advanced Whigs, and in 1807 voted in a minority of ten against the Duke of Wellington's Irish Insurrection Bill.

...
Wikipedia