Sir Michael le Fleming, 4th Baronet
Sir Michael le Fleming, 4th Baronet was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons for 32 years from 1774 to 1806.
Fleming was the only son of Sir William Fleming, 3rd Baronet of Rydal, Westmorland, and his wife Elizabeth Petyt, daughter of Christopher Petyt of Skipton, Yorkshire and was born on 10 December 1748. His father died when he was nine on 31 March 1757 and he succeeded to the baronetcy. Sir James Lowther became his ward. Fleming was educated at Eton College from 1760 to 1765. In 1770 he became High Sheriff of Cumberland and in 1779 was Lieutenant.-colonel in the Westmorland. Militia.
At the 1774 general election Fleming was returned as Member of Parliament for Westmorland jointly with Sir James Lowther after a contest. In parliament he followed Lowther in his politics and made little impression. He was returned unopposed in 1780, 1784, 1790, 1796 and 1802.
Fleming was described as “a most abandoned profligate.” However, his friend James Boswell described him as “a very fashionable baronet in the brilliant world, who had a great love of literature”. Fleming married Lady Diana Howard, daughter of Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Suffolk on 23 November 1782, but in 1793 she was said to be on the verge of leaving him. He died on 19 May 1806. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his cousin Sir Daniel Fleming who married Anne his only legitimate daughter.
