| Constituency | Dates |
|---|---|
| Camelford | 1790 – 11 Dec. 1790 |
The Gentleman’s Magazine (1790, p. 1151), in Hannay’s obituary note, describes him as ‘formerly an eminent chemist’; in the London directories, from 1765 onwards, he appears merely as a merchant; but in 1790 in partnership with William Duncan as a drug merchant. His brother Alexander was a lieutenant-colonel in the Indian army; another brother, Ramsay, was in trade from India to China. Samuel Hannay himself had important Indian (City and shipping) interests; he was one of the creditors of the Nawab of Arcot.1C. H. Philips, E.I. Co. 1784-1834, p. 30.
In 1784 Hannay was on the list of Government candidates recommended by Richard Atkinson, and was one of those willing to pay £2,000 or £2,500 or perhaps £3,000.2Laprade, 126-9. He stood at Ilchester but was defeated; next, Jonathan Phillips vacated for him the seat at Camelford. He voted with Pitt over Richmond’s fortifications plan, 27 Feb. 1786, and the impeachment of Impey, 9 May 1788, but left him during the Regency crisis together with his colleague at Camelford, James Macpherson, ‘both of whom were annoyed because Pitt had refused to allow Sir John Macpherson to return to India’.3Philips, 64. ‘Sir John Macpherson’, wrote James Grant to Lord Cornwallis, 18 Mar. 1789, ‘... took the opportunity of going over to the Rising Sun in the first boat ... he carried off his namesake and Sir Samuel Hannay.’4Cornwallis Corresp. i. 448.
Hannay died 11 Dec. 1790.