John Fleming Leicester. John Leicester, 1st Baron de Tabley was an English landowner, politician, amateur artist, and patron of the arts.
Born at Tabley House in Cheshire, 4 April 1762, he was the eldest son of Sir Peter Leicester, 4th Baronet, by his wife Catherine, coheiress of Sir William Fleming of Rydal, Westmorland. His father was a patron of Wilson, Barret, and other artists, and built the house at Tabley.
The son was taught to draw by Robert Marris, Thomas Vivares, and Paul Sandby. On the death of his father in 1770, Leicester succeeded to the baronetcy and estates, while still a small boy.
He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he proceeded M. A. in 1784, and then travelled on the continent. In Italy about 1786 he met Sir Richard Colt Hoare and they spent time together France and Italy.
Leicester was elected Member of Parliament for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, in 1791, for Heytesbury, Wiltshire, in 1796, and for Stockbridge, Hampshire, in 1807. In parliament he supported the Prince Regent and soon became one of the Prince's personal friends. Leicester acted also as lieutenant-colonel of the Cheshire militia, and after thirteen years' service was appointed colonel of a regiment of cavalry raised for home defence. During the Napoleonic Wars he raised the regiment eventually called the Cheshire Yeomanry. In 1817, it took part in dispersing the Blanketeers in Lancashire. Leicester prom