AYLMER, Matthew (c.1658-1720), of Westcliffe, nr. Dover, Kent.

Constituency	Dates
Dover	1715

Family and Education

b. c. 1658, 2nd s. of Sir Christopher Aylmer, 1st Bt., of Balrath, co. Meath by Margaret, da. of Matthew Plunkett, 5th Baron Louth [I]. m. bef. 1694, Sarah, da. of Edward Ellis of London, 2s. 2da. cr. Lord Aylmer, Baron of Balrath [I], 1 May 1718.

Offices Held

Lt. R.N. 1678, capt. 1679, r.-adm. 1693, v.-adm. 1693, adm. of the fleet 1708, c.-in-c. 1709 – 11, 1714 – 18; commr. of the navy 1694 – 1702; gov. Deal castle 1701; gov. Greenwich and ranger of Greenwich Park 1714; ld. of Admiralty 1717 – 18; r.-adm. of Great Britain 1717–d.; master of Greenwich Hospital for life 1718.

Address

Main residence: Westcliffe, nr. Dover, Kent.

biography text

After a distinguished naval career Aylmer was brought into Parliament on the Admiralty interest. A strong Whig, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the fleet in 1709, but was superseded soon after the Tories came into power in 1710. Reinstated on George I’s accession, he was made a lord of the Admiralty in 1717 but retired in 1718, being succeeded on the Admiralty board by his son-in-law, Sir John Norris. He died 18 Aug. 1720. According to a contemporary he had

a very good head, indefatigable and designing; is very zealous for the liberties of the people; makes a good figure in the Parliament as well as the fleet; is handsome in his person.1John Macky, Mems. of the Secret Service, 166.

To which Swift added: ‘A virulent party man, born in Ireland’.2Prose Works (1902 ed.), x. 285.

Author

R.R.S.

Volume

Commons 1715-1754

Notes

1. John Macky, Mems. of the Secret Service, 166.
2. Prose Works (1902 ed.), x. 285.