Henry Manaton

Who was Henry Manaton?

Henry Manaton was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1689 and 1713.

Manaton was the son of Henry Manaton of Trecarrell and his second wife Jane Mapowder, daughter of Narcissus Mapowder of Holsworthy Devon. He was admitted at Grey's Inn in 1671 and called to the bar in 1686.

In 1689 Manaton was elected Member of Parliament for Camelford and held the seat until 1695 when he decided not to stand. However he stood for Tavistock after the death of his brother in 1696, but was unsuccessful. He was re-elected at Camelford in 1698 and held the seat until 1703. During this time he was frequently absent from parliament and put into custody for non attendance. In the 1702 election he had stood for Camelford and Tavistock and petitioned against his defeat at Tavistock. As a result he was seated for Tavistock in 1703 and gave up his seat at Camelford. He held the seat at Tavistock until 1711 when he was unseated for flagrant bribery. He was elected again for Camelford in a by-election in 1711 but was unseated on petition. He was by this time the recorder of the town. In 1712 he was elected at a by-election as MP for Callington and held the seat until 1713. Manaton was frequently in opposition to war with France. He was usually classed as a Tory, although in his last parliament his unpredictable voting had him classed as "whimsical".