Sir William Curtis, 1st Baronet

Sir William Curtis (25 January 1752 – 18 January 1829) was born in Wapping, London, the son of a sea biscuit manufacturer.

A lifelong Tory, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the City of London at the 1790 general election. He held the seat continuously for 28 years until his defeat at the 1818 general election. He was returned to the Commons in February 1819 at a by-election for Bletchingley, and at the 1820 general election he was returned again for the City of London. He did not contest London again at the 1826 election, when he was returned for Hastings. He resigned that seat later the same year.

He was also Alderman of the city, becoming Sheriff of London in 1788 and Lord Mayor in 1795–96. He was created a Baronet of Cullonds Grove in 1802.

The definition of the three Rs as "reading, writing, and 'rithmetic" is attributed to him from a speech made at a Board of education dinner.

See also

• Lady Penrhyn, a ship part-owned by Curtis that carried convicts in the First Fleet to New South Wales in 1788.
• Curtis Island, New Zealand, one of the Kermadec Islands named after Curtis by the Lady Penryn.
• Butterworth Squadron, a waling a maritime fur trading expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1792, of which Curtis was a principal investor.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir William Curtis

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Nathaniel Newnham John Sawbridge Sir Watkin Lewes Brook Watson	Member of Parliament for the City of London 1790 – 1800 With: John Sawbridge to 1795 Brook Watson to 1793 Sir Watkin Lewes to 1796 John Anderson from 1793 William Lushington from 1795 Harvey Christian Combe from 1796	Succeeded by Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Parliament of Great Britain	Member of Parliament for the City of London 1801 – 1818 With: William Lushington to 1802 John Anderson to 1806 Harvey Christian Combe to 1817 Sir Charles Price, Bt 1802–12 Sir James Shaw, Bt 1806–18 John Atkins 1812–18 Matthew Wood	Succeeded by Thomas Wilson Robert Waithman John Thomas Thorp Matthew Wood
Preceded by Matthew Russell George Tennyson	Member of Parliament for Bletchingley Feb 1819 – 1820 With: George Tennyson Marquess of Titchfield	Succeeded by Edward Henry Edwardes Marquess of Titchfield
Preceded by Thomas Wilson Robert Waithman John Thomas Thorp Matthew Wood	Member of Parliament for City of London 1826 – 1826 With: George Bridges Thomas Wilson Matthew Wood	Succeeded by William Thompson Robert Waithman William Ward Matthew Wood
Preceded by James Dawkins William Scott	Member of Parliament for Hastings Jun 1826 – Nov 1826 With: Sir Charles Wetherell	Succeeded by Evelyn Denison James Lushington
Civic offices
Preceded by Thomas Skinner	Lord Mayor of London 1795–1796	Succeeded by Brook Watson