Lionel Damer


Lionel Damer was a British Whig politician.

Family

Lionel was the third son of Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester by the Lady Caroline Sackville daughter of Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset and of Elizabeth Colyear his wife, daughter of Lieutenant-General Walter Philip Colyear brother to David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore.
His brothers were the Hon. John Damer and the Rt. Hon. George Damer, 2nd Earl of Dorchester.
Lionel was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge.
He married Williamsea Janssen, daughter of William Janssen Esq, fourth son of Sir Theodore Janssen, 1st Baronet of Owre Moyne. They lived at Came House in Winterborne Came and there is a memorial to them in St Peter's Church nearby.

Political career

Lionel was appointed Sheriff of Dorset for the year 1785.
He was the Member of Parliament for Peterborough 28 February 1786 – 21 February 1802. He took over the seat following the death of James Farrel Phipps. He held the seat until ill health forced him to retire shortly before the General Election in 1802.