EYRE, Samuel (?1729-95), of New House, nr. Salisbury, Wilts.

The Eyres were an old Wiltshire family, and had sat in Parliament since Henry VIII’s reign for several Wiltshire constituencies. Samuel Eyre was returned for Salisbury in 1765 ‘after a severe and expensive contest, which occasioned the dismemberment of a considerable portion of family property’.Hoare, Wilts v(2), p. 60. In his election address he promised to be ‘steady, uniform, and independent, not biassed by interest, not attached to party’.London Chron. 7-9 Feb. 1765. Rockingham, in his list of July 1765, first classed him as ‘doubtful’, but next added: ‘Lord Folkestone says pro.’

In February 1766 Eyre was reported to be ‘very bad with the gout in both his feet at the Bath’, and in April ‘not yet able to attend Parliament’.Hen. Wyndham to H. P. Wyndham, 9 Feb. and 15 Apr. 1766, Wyndham mss. His only recorded vote was with the Opposition on the land tax, 27 Feb. 1767. In August 1767 he informed the corporation of Salisbury that owing to ill-health he would not stand at the next general election.Salisbury Jnl. 31 Aug. 1767.

Eyre died 8 Apr. 1795, aged 65.