[1] In 1689, Wheate was made freeman and bailiff of Oxford and appointed a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, which post he held until 1702.
He was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament for Woodstock at the 1690 English general election and three weeks later also stood unsuccessfully for Oxfordshire, where he had a bitter contest with his uncle Sir Robert Jenkinson, the 2nd baronet.
At the 1698 English general election his backing by Thomas Wharton was insufficient to win Oxfordshire, where he failed again in a by-election in November 1699.
In November 1701 he was put up for Oxford by the city's Whigs, but received a very low number of votes, and at the 1702 English general election he was beaten into fourth place in the poll.
He supervised the repaving the town, which Marlborough had undertaken in preparation for the 1713 British general election when Wheate was returned again for Woodstock.