John Lemon

Who was John Lemon?

John Lemon was a British Whig Member of Parliament.

The second son of William Lemon, by his marriage to Anne, the daughter of John Williams of Carnanton, he was the grandson of William Lemon the Elder, who had acquired a substantial estate at Carclew in 1749, and the younger brother of Sir William Lemon, 1st Baronet.

The young John Lemon was educated at Truro Grammar School and later at Harrow.

In 1784 he was elected to the House of Commons for West Looe, a seat he held only briefly. He returned to the Commons as a member for Saltash between 1787 and 1790. In 1796 he was able to buy from Viscount Falmouth a life interest in one of the seats at the pocket borough of Truro and was duly elected for Truro until his death in 1814.

On 17 January 1804 Lemon was appointed as one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. According to the convention of the day, this led to a by-election for his seat in February 1804 at which he was re-elected.