WHITMORE, William (?1681-1725), of Lower Slaughter, Glos. and Apley, nr. Bridgnorth, Salop.

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
1713 - 24 May 1725

Family and Education

b. ?1681, 1st s. of Richard Whitmore of Lower Slaughter by Anne, da. of Sir John Weld, M.P., of Willey, Salop. educ. Ch. Ch. Oxf. 16 Apr. 1698, aged 16. m. 1707, Elizabeth, da. of his 1st cos. Roger Pope, M.P., of Woolstaston, Salop, 6s. suc. cos. Sir William Whitmore, 2nd Bt., M.P., at Apley 1699.

Offices Held

Dep. lt. Salop 1715; recorder, Bridgnorth 1716-d.

Biography

The Whitmores were an ancient Shropshire family, who made their fortunes as London merchants in the sixteenth century. Returning to the county in 1582, they bought the Apley estate, 3 miles from Bridgnorth, later acquiring property in and around the borough. Under the early Stuarts they sat for the borough, after the Restoration establishing their influence so firmly that from 1660 to 1870, with only a single break, 1710-13, they or their nominees invariably held one seat, and during 41 years both seats.

William Whitmore had the distinction of being the only member of his family ever to lose an election at Bridgnorth, that of 1710. A staunch Whig, he married into a prominent Bridgnorth burgess family who had provided several Members for Bridgnorth in the previous century. Re-elected unopposed in 1715 and 1722 he gave all his recorded votes for the Government. In 1717 he presented the borough with a water-engine to replace the water supply installed by his great-grandfather, Sir William Whitmore, 1st. Bt.1

He died 24 May 1725.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: J. B. Lawson

Notes

  • 1. J. F. A. Mason, ‘Borough of Bridgnorth 1157-1957’, Salop Arch. Soc. Trans. liv. 196-7.