D--n this hiccup!

 Artist, Henry Alken, painted during 1837, piece entitled D--n this hiccup!.  The subject matter of this art work was John Mylton.  Mlkton had died a few years earlier, 1834, aged 37.  But who was John?

John, left, was born 1796, was the son of John and Sarah Harriet Mylton, the family who were Shropshire squires and the heritage stretching back 500 years previously.  

When John was aged 2, his father died.  John inherited the family seat of Halston Hall, Whittington, worth £60,000 as well of an annual income of £10,000 from rents and agricultural assets generated from the 32 acres.

John was educated at Westminster School, but after a year was expelled for fighting.   Then sent to Harrow School, where he was expelled after three terms.  From then he was educated by private tutors.  He played practical jokes on!

John however gained entry to Trinity College, Cambridge.  He didn't succeed in gaining a degree, but it is rumoured that he took over 2,000 bottles of port to help him with his studies.

After education, John, saw both a part-time and full-time military service.  After his Grand Tour, John, was commissioned with the 7th Hussars. Ranked an a cornet, John spent a year in France as part of the army of occupation after the defeat of Napoleon.   John, gambled and resigned his commission.  After returning to England, John, re-joined the North Shropshire Yeomanry.  He was ranked as Major and he stayed with the Yeomanry until 1822.

After returning back to his family country seat, John entered Parliament during 1819, following a family tradition.  To secure his seat, John, offered voters £10, spending a total of £10,000.  John was one of the short lived MP, only serving for 30 minutes, before leaving.  John, found the debts boring and difficult to following his incipient deafness.  With Parliament dissolved during 1820, John decided not to stand in the following elections.    

Over a decade later, 1831, John tried to attempt to enter Parliament, but he withdraw on the 5th day of the poll, and came bottom of the poll.

However, John, indulged his enjoyment on horseracing and gambling, where he had some success in.  He also held contests for local children at Dinans Mawddwy.

Over a course of 15 years, John had spent his inheritance and he was in huge debt.   His agent had advised him in order to save the estate, John, would have to reduce his expenditure for the following 6 years to £6,000.  1831, John sold his Dinans Mawddwy estate.  Following this, to escape from his creditors he fled to Calais. 

It was here, that John, set fire to his shirt to cure him from hiccups.  A fellow guest and John's servant beat the flames out.  John, stated "The hiccup gone, by God", reeled, naked into bed.

1833, John, returned back to England, unable to pay his debts off, he died the following year, in the King's Bench Prison, Southwark.

John, married twice.  Harried Emma Jones, who died during 1820.  The following marriage, to Caroline Mallet Giffard during 1821.  She ran away in 1830.  John, did have a number of children.  

It is daughter, Barbara Augusta born 1822.  She married Poulett George Henry Somerset during 1847.

Poulett George Henry Somerset was the son of Lord Charles Henry Somerset, the younger brother of the 6th Duke of Beautfort.

The following blog has an interesting piece about the 6th Duke and Swansea.

https://swansea200.blogspot.com/2019/09/swansea-docks.html