John Loft

John Henry Loft (20 February 1769 – 13 July 1849) was a British soldier and politician.

Early life

Loft was born on 20 February 1769, in Grainthorpe, Lincolnshire.

Military career

In 1769 he enlisted in the 15th Regiment of Foot and had been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel within four years, of an unattached Corps of 4,000 men which he had raised himself.

Political career

Loft was the member of Parliament for Great Grimsby and was much involved with recruiting during the Napoleonic Wars. He was a controversial but influential figure in the development of Grimsby as a port, being one of the original shareholders named in the act of parliament which created the Grimsby Haven Company in 1796.

The antiquarian

Between around 1826 and 1844, Loft obsessively recorded details of churches, gravestones and memorials around Lincolnshire, many of which have survived and become a useful resource for historians.

Death and legacy

Loft died on 13 July 1849, in a house on Loft Street, Grimsby, which had been named after him.