biography text
Kent was a wholesale malt distiller and a wealthy man with interests in the South Sea Company and the Sun Fire Office. In the House he was a staunch supporter of Administration.
In 1754 Sir Richard Lloyd, the newly appointed solicitor-general, was put up for Ipswich against Admiral Edward Vernon, the other sitting Member. Kent subsequently assured Vernon that the opposition he met with ‘was not raised by him’, and tried to come to some agreement with Vernon about the September election of magistrates, in which however Vernon’s party prevailed.1Add. 40776, ff. 160, 165, 180-1.
Kent died 8 Oct. 1759.