Bankes was the son of
John Bankes and his wife Margaret, daughter of
Sir Henry Parker . He was born in 1698 or 1700 (baptised 2 November 1700). He was admitted to
Lincoln's Inn in 1720, and
called to the bar in 1726. Bankes was King's Counsel to the
Duchy of Lancaster 1738–61, and deputy chief justice of the South Wales circuit 1745–49. Corfe Castle was a family seat, which Bankes' grandfather, father, and brother
John Bankes had represented. At the
1741 general election, John stood aside for Henry, who was elected unopposed. He was re-elected unopposed in
1747,
1754 and
1761. Henry was initially a
Tory opponent of the government, consistently voting against the government in his first parliament. However, he was made
King's Counsel in 1747 on the recommendation of
Lord Gower, another ex-Tory convert to the government, and thereafter acted with the government. Bankes stood down from parliament in 1762, to accept appointment as a Commissioner of
HM Customs. ==Family==