EVERSFIELD, Charles (c.1682-1749), of Denne Place, nr. Horsham, Suss.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1705 - 1710
1710 - 1713
1713 - 16 June 1715
12 June 1721 - 1741
1741 - 1747

Family and Education

b. c.1682, o.s. of Nicholas Eversfield of Charlton Court, nr. Steyning, Suss., M.P. Bramber 1679, by Elizabeth, da. and h. of Nicholas Gildridge of Eastbourne, Suss. m. (1) 21 July 1702, Mary, da. and h. of Henry Duncombe of Weston, Surr., 1s. 4da., (2) 9 Aug. 1731, Henrietta Maria, da. and coh. of Charles Scarborough of Windsor, Berks., wid. of Sir Robert Jenkinson, 3rd Bt., of Walcot, Oxon., sis.-in-law of Henry Ingram, 7th Visct. Irvine [S], s.p. suc. fa. 1684, uncle Anthony Eversfield (M.P. Horsham 1679-81, 1685-7, 1689) at Denne 1695.

Offices Held

Paymaster and treasurer of the Ordnance 1712-14.

Biography

Charles Eversfield inherited from his uncle an interest at Horsham, for which he was returned to eight successive Parliaments, though in 1710 he chose to sit for the county. Originally a Tory, he obtained a place under Anne, which he lost on George I’s accession. Having been defeated for the county and unseated on petition for Horsham in 1715, he came to an agreement with his opponents at Horsham, the Ingrams, to share the representation of that borough,1 for which he was returned unopposed at a by-election in 1721. About the same time he went over to the Government, speaking for them in an army debate, 26 Oct. 1722, voting regularly with them, and co-operating with the Duke of Newcastle in county elections.2 On the hearing of a Southwark election petition in February 1736 it was noted that the unsuccessful petitioner against George Heathcote ‘had most wretched friends, Charles Eversfield being the chief manager, and his case most simply managed’.3 In 1737 Eversfield sold his burgages at Horsham to the Ingrams,4 after which he was returned for the neighbouring borough of Steyning, continuing to vote with the Government. Classed in 1746 as an Old Whig, he did not stand in 1747, dying 17 June 1749.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: J. B. Lawson

Notes

  • 1. W. Albery, Parl. Hist. Horsham, 71.
  • 2. Add. 32689, f. 407; 32690, f. 66.
  • 3. Harley Diary, 17 Feb. 1736.
  • 4. Albery, 74-76.