Background
Bennet was the second of three sons and fourth of eight children of Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville, and his wife, Emma (1752–1836), daughter of banker Sir James Colebrooke, 1st Baronet.
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Henry Honourable
Edit ProfileEducation
He was educated at Eton College (1788-1792), served in the 1st Foot Guards, and entered Lincoln"s Inn in 1798, and Peterhouse, Cambridge, in 1799.
Career
He was called to the bar in 1803, practising on the Western Circuit. Bennet"s first election as Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury in 1806 was invalidated. His advocacy of Catholic emancipation led to defeat in 1807 but he regained his seat in 1811.
In the Commons his maiden speech was directed at the Prince Regent.
From 1813 to 1815 he was the second president of the Geological Society of London. The Lyell Collection contains his account of the Island of Tenerife.
After the Peterloo massacre in 1819 he called for an inquiry into the manufacturing districts" plight. His defence of Queen Caroline in 1820-1821 led to his portrayal in an engraving by Francis Holl.
His reputation was ruined by the threat of prosecution for importuning a young male servant at Spa in August 1825.
Bennet represented himself as the victim of a conspiracy to extort money, but the facts of the case worked against him. When Parliament was dissolved in 1826 his name was linked with that of the homosexual Richard Heber/
Bennet remained in exile and gave up his seat in parliament the following year. Bennet was the author of several pamphlets, and a fellow of the Royal Society.
In 1816 Bennet married Gertrude Frances, daughter of Lord William Russell.
Gertrude died in 1841.
Membership
Royal Society; 4th United Kingdom Parliament. 5th United Kingdom Parliament. 6th United Kingdom Parliament.
7th United Kingdom Parliament.
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Born
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Died
March 29, 1836 (aged 58) -
Nationality
United Kingdom -
Religion
Catholic