BURTON, FRANCIS, son of Col. Francis Burton, St. George’s, Westminster, and his second wife Mary, dau. of William Laremer, Knightsbridge; b. May 1744; at school under Markham (Steward, Anniversary Dinner, 1779); Christ Church, Oxford, matr. 9 Dec 1760, aged 16, Canoneer Student 27 Jun 1763- Jun 76, Faculty Student 22 Jun 1776 - void 15 Jan 1788, on marriage; BA 1764; MA 1767; adm. Lincoln’s Inn 4 May 1761, called to bar 10 Feb 1768, Bencher 12 Feb 1778, Treasurer 1792; KC 18 Jan 1778; Recorder of Woodstock 1780-1802; Puisne Judge, Chester, 5 Jul 1788 - Mar 1817; Recorder of Oxford 26 May 1797 - Jul 1801; MP Heytesbury 4 Dec 1780-4, Woodstock 1784-90, Oxford 1790-1812; a respected member of House of Commons; became blind some years before his death; founded a prize for Town Boys 1825; m. 1 Jan 1788 Catherine, eldest dau. of Nicholas Halhead, Woodstock, Oxfordshire; d. 28 Nov 1832.
On 15 Jun 1825 he gave to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster a Thames and Isis Navigation Bond for £100, the interest on which was to be used “for the purpose of purchasing annually a few books to be presented by the Head Master for the time being as tokens of merit to such of his scholars not on the Royal Foundation, as he may deem most deserving, and at such times and in such manner as he may think fit”. This security was never changed by the Chapter, and finally became valueless. The interest, which was continually dropping, was allowed to accumulate for a number of years, and the amount thus obtained was invested on 27 Feb 1855 in the purchase of £100 Consols.