John Savile, 1st Earl of Mexborough

Sir John Savile (December 1719 – 17 February, 1778), later 1st Lord Pollington and 1st Earl of Mexborough, was an English peer and Member of Parliament.

Savile was the eldest son of Charles Savile of Methley (1676-1741). He entered Parliament in 1747 as member for Hedon, and subsequently also represented New Shoreham.

In 1749 he was appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath. In November 1753 he was raised to the peerage with the title Baron Pollington; however, this title was created in the Peerage of Ireland, meaning that it did not disqualify him from remaining an MP. In February 1766 he was raised to an Earldom, also in the Irish peerage, as Viscount Pollington and Earl of Mexborough.

Mexborough was a friend and patron of the playwright and actor-manager Samuel Foote; it was while on a visit to Mexborough in 1766 that Foote lost a leg in a riding accident.

He married Sarah Delaval (d. 1821) in 1760, and they had three sons:
* John (1761-1830), who succeeded him as 2nd Earl of Mexborough
* Henry (1763-1828)
* Charles (1774-1807)

References

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* [http://www.rotherhamweb.co.uk/genealogy/savile.htm Savile geneaology]