James Pelham

James Pelham (c.1683 – 27 December 1761) was a British politician. A second cousin of Henry Pelham and the Duke of Newcastle, he acted as Newcastle's political agent in Sussex for most of his political career.

Pelham was the second son of Sir Nicholas Pelham, of Catsfield and Crowhurst. He got a captain's commission in the 8th Dragoons in 1711 and saw military service during the War of the Spanish Succession. He was promoted captain and lieutenant colonel in the 1st Foot Guards in 1716, but subsequently took up a political career, supported by the friendship of Lord Walpole and his second cousin, the Duke of Newcastle.

Pelham serve as Newcastle's agent in Hastings during the 1715 and 1722 elections. Newcastle was then Lord Chamberlain, and Pelham was appointed secretary to the Lord Chamberlain in 1719, retaining the post until his death, although Newcastle vacated the office of Chamberlain in 1724. Newcastle had him returned for Newark in 1722. He was returned for both Newark and Bridport in 1727, choosing to sit for Newark. At the coronation of George II, he was chosen as one of the barons of the Cinque Ports (representing Hastings) who would bear the canopy over the King and Queen.

In 1728, Pelham entered the household of Frederick, Prince of Wales as the Prince's secretary, but resigned in 1737 when he sided with the Government on the subject of the Prince's allowance and was replaced by George Lyttelton. Newcastle transferred him to Hastings in 1741 to relieve him of the election expenses at Newark; at the time, Pelham's estate was heavily mortgaged to cover election expenses, and he had also suffered losses in the South Sea Company. He asked Newcastle for some relief, and was eventually (in 1749) granted the post of Deputy Cofferer of the Household, serving under Pelham's nephew, the Earl of Lincoln. A customs post of about £700 p.a., held on behalf of his nephew John, and a secret service pension of about £500 p.a. helped to repair his fortunes. Not surprisingly, Pelham was a loyal defender of his second cousins' government.

He continued to look after Newcastle's electoral interests in Sussex, and acted as an informal whip for Newcastle's personal supporters in the House of Commons. His health began to fail around 1754, when he left the office of Deputy Cofferer, and he left Parliament in 1761, dying at the end of the year.

References

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Richard Sutton Conyers Darcy	Member of Parliament for Newark with Richard Sutton 1722–1738 Lord William Manners 1738–1741 1722–1741	Succeeded by Lord William Manners Job Staunton Charlton
Preceded by Peter Walter Dewey Bulkeley	Member of Parliament for Bridport with William Bowles 1727–1730	Succeeded by William Bowles John Jewkes
Preceded by Sir William Ashburnham Thomas Pelham	Member of Parliament for Hastings with Andrew Stone 1741–1761	Succeeded by James Brudenell William Ashburnham
Political offices
New office	Secretary to Frederick, Prince of Wales 1728–1737	Succeeded by George Lyttelton
Court offices
Preceded by Robert Ord	Deputy Cofferer of the Household 1749–1754	Succeeded by William Lyttelton