The Life and Death of Sir Peter Mews

Son of John of London (city) arm. Matriculated St. John’s College, Oxford 31 May 1688 aged 15. Chancellor of Winchester 1698, knighted 13th July 1712. M.P. for Christchurch in 4 parliaments from 1710 until his death. [History of the Commons]

In a letter to his uncle, Edward Mellish, in Blyth, written from London, Peter Mews wrote on 29th July 1696:

"Honoured Sir, I suppose you have received a letter from my mother which informs you of my design to stand at Gresham College, I'm encouraged to it by many friends, and if you please to add your assistance may have a prospect of success. My Lord Mayor has a great influence on the election and a double vote, which makes us more desirous of making him our friend, and we know of no way so effectual as the acquaintance and interest you have in him. If you please to recommend me to his favour as your nephew and an orphan and can engage him not to dispose of his vote till he is satisfied of my character, in all probability we may make an interest with the rest concern, and the sooner you set about, the greater likelihood and obligation to your most dutiful nephew, P. Mews."

Ten days later, Mews's cousin, John Gardiner, also wrote to Edward Mellish, saying:

"I reckon cousin Peter Mew [sic] may stand candidate for a place. He pretends kissing goes by favour ever, and do he gain the votes of electors his ability is not to be questioned, and those he must gain by the interest of his friends, so that the more letters of recommendation you send him to put into the hands of those who have the power of choosing, the more likely he will be to succeed in it. But I conceive his absence at the Bath in case the present incumbent die will do him the most harm of anything, for no doubt but there are 40 looking for the good house as well as he."

Before 1708, Mews bought the manor of Hinton Admiral, possibly from the heirs of Henry Tulse who died in 1697. Tulse had represented Christchurch in Parliament from 1660 to 1679. His father represented Christchurch in 1639/40, and had leased Christchurch Parsonage from the Dean and Chapter of Winchester, which was subsequently leased by Peter Mews. Tulse's cousin, another Henry Tulse, was Lord Mayor of London 1683-4.

From Cassan's "Bishops of Winchester" [HCRO shelf 173]:

Hutchins, the historian of Dorset, 1815 vol.4 p.20 thus oddly records the mode of [Bishop Mews's] death. "He was suffocated by a phial of hartshorn poured down his throat by mistake". How could the phial have been poured down his throat? I suspect, however, that Hutchins has confounded the death of the Bishop with that of the Bishop's nephew. See Atterbury's Letters, vol.3 p.537.

Bishop Francis Atterbury, the noted correspondent, died 22nd February 1732.