![[The Fox Petition, 1769.] William Beckford Esq.r Member of Parliament for the City of London, chosen Alderman of Billingsgate ward, 1752.](jpegs/27578.jpg)
[The Fox Petition, 1769.] William Beckford Esq.r Member of Parliament for the City of London, chosen Alderman of Billingsgate ward, 1752. Ja.s Townsend Esq.r Member for Westloe in Cornwall, chosen Aldermann of Bishopsgte ward, June 23.d 1769. John Sawbridge Esq.r Member for Hithe in Kent, chosen Ald.n of Langbourn Ward, July 1st 1769.
R. Houston del et fecit.
Publish'd as the Act directs, Sep.r 29th 1769 by Jn.o Smith No 35 in Cheapside; and Rob.t Sayer No 53 in Fleet Street, London.
Scarce mezzotint. 305 x 390mm (12 x 15¼"). Narrow margins, slight damage on right; glued to backing sheet.
Portraits of three important London politicians, all supporters of John Wilkes and all Lord Mayors of London in the 1760s and 1770s. They are shown here preparing their petition against the Paymaster General of the Forces, Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, who was believed to have amassed a personal fortune of £400,000 in his eight years as Paymaster. Beckford (then Lord Mayor) holds the petition scroll in his hand, which is opened to the section which refers to Fox as 'the public defaulter of unaccounted millions'. Although he escaped from the charges Fox died an embittered man. Sawbridge, on the right, rests upon a volume of 'Locke on Government'.
C.S.Houston 9.
[Ref: 27578] £360.00
Publish'd as the Act directs, Sep.r 29th 1769 by Jn.o Smith No 35 in Cheapside; and Rob.t Sayer No 53 in Fleet Street, London.
Scarce mezzotint. 305 x 390mm (12 x 15¼"). Narrow margins, slight damage on right; glued to backing sheet.
Portraits of three important London politicians, all supporters of John Wilkes and all Lord Mayors of London in the 1760s and 1770s. They are shown here preparing their petition against the Paymaster General of the Forces, Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, who was believed to have amassed a personal fortune of £400,000 in his eight years as Paymaster. Beckford (then Lord Mayor) holds the petition scroll in his hand, which is opened to the section which refers to Fox as 'the public defaulter of unaccounted millions'. Although he escaped from the charges Fox died an embittered man. Sawbridge, on the right, rests upon a volume of 'Locke on Government'.
C.S.Houston 9.
[Ref: 27578] £360.00