John Bent

Became MP for Sligo 1818 through offices of the Liverpool ministry’s whip, William Holmes.

1820 replaced Holmes as MP for Totnes on the interest of his brother-in-law Christopher Farwell, a leading corporator; his elder brother Thomas Hamlyn Bent was a non-resident freeman.

A very poor attender in the HoC and ‘is not known to have uttered a syllable in debate’. (Fisher)

Divided against Catholic relief, 28 Feb. 1821 but voted for it 1 Mar., 21 Apr., 1825 and paired for it, 10 May 1825.

Voted with government in defence of the prosecution of the Methodist missionary John Smith in Demerara, 11 June 1824.

D. R. Fisher (ed.), The House of Commons 1820-1832 (7 vols., Cambridge, Cambridge University Press for the History of Parliament Trust, 2009), vol. IV.