William Dowdeswell (politician, born 1721)
George III | |
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Prime Minister | The Marquess of Rockingham |
Preceded by | Hon. George Grenville |
Succeeded by | Hon. Charles Townshend |
Personal details | |
Born | 1721 |
Died | 6 February 1775 (aged 53–54) University of Leiden |
Signature | |
William Dowdeswell
Background and education
A son of
Political career
Dowdeswell became member of
To general astonishment, he refused to abandon his friends and to take office under Chatham, who succeeded Rockingham in August 1766. Dowdeswell then led the Rockingham party in the House of Commons, taking an active part in debate until his death.[2]
In 1774 during the Parliamentary debate of the Boston Port Act he warned the act will "soon inflame all America, and stir up a contention you will not be able to pacify and quiet".[4]
Family and death
Dowdeswell married Bridget, daughter of Sir William Codrington, 1st Baronet, in 1747. The couple are believed to have had as many as 15 children, including Charles William Dowdeswell (b. 8 June 1756).[5]
Dowdeswell went abroad to recover his health in 1774 but died the next February in Nice.[6] The highly eulogistic epitaph on his monument at Bushley was written by Edmund Burke.[2]
References
- ^ DOWDESWELL, William (1721-75), of Pull Court, Worcs. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
- ^ a b c d public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dowdeswell, William". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 457. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ISBN 978-1-906164-04-1, p. 29
- ^ Great Britain. Parliament: The History, Debates, and Proceedings of Both Houses of Parliament of Great Britain from the Year 1743 to the Year 1774. In Seven Volumes. Vol. VII. J. Debrett, London (1792), p. 96
- ^ The Register of Births & Baptisms in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster Vol. IV. 1741-1760. 6 July 1756.
- ^ Jeremy Black, "The British and the Grand Tour", (1985), p. 128