Sawbridge was the eldest son of John Sawbridge, FRS of
Olantigh and his wife Elizabeth Wanley, daughter of George Wanley. He was educated at
The King's School, Canterbury (left 1748). Sawbridge was elected as a
Member of Parliament (MP) for
Hythe at the
1768 general election, and held the seat until 1774. He exerted himself in the House of Commons on behalf of
John Wilkes, who had been declared incapable of sitting for Middlesex. With
John Horne Tooke,
James Townsend,
Richard Oliver, and others, he helped to form the
Supporters of the Bill of Rights. In local politics Sawbridge, who was a liveryman of the
Framework Knitters' Company, was elected, with Townsend, as
sheriff of London in summer 1768, and in the following year (1 July) he was elected alderman for the ward of Langbourn. During his shrievalty he five times returned Wilkes as duly elected for Middlesex, in defiance of the house, and was threatened with a bill of pains and penalties from the government. In August 1771
Junius, in secret correspondence with Wilkes, urged him to procure Sawbridge's election as lord mayor; but
Brass Crosby was reported to want re-election, and Wilkes, who had by the quarrelled with Sawbridge, refused to desert Crosby. At the election the show of hands was declared in favour of Sawbridge and Crosby, but a poll was demanded for four other candidates, Bankes, Nash, Hallifax, and Townsend. In spite of Junius's appeals, the livery returned Nash and Sawbridge to the court of aldermen. The former, the ministerial candidate, was elected Lord Mayor. At the
1774 general election Sawbridge contested two seats: he was defeated in Hythe, He was defeated in London at the
general election in September 1780, and
1790, holding the seat until his death on 21 February 1795, aged 62. However, he was less active in the parliament of 1790 and was paralysed in the last three years of his life He was a
Sheriff of London in 1770 and elected
Lord Mayor of London in 1775 in succession to
John Wilkes. He was commissioned as
Colonel of the
East Kent Militia in 1779 and held the command until his death. == Family ==