BATHURST, Hon. Benjamin (1711-67), of Siddington, nr. Cirencester, Glos.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1734 - 1741
1754 - 1761

Family and Education

b. 12 Aug. 1711, 1st s. of Allen, 1st Baron Bathurst, by Catherine, da. of Sir Peter Apsley. educ. Balliol, Oxf. 1725. m. 26 Nov. 1732, Lady Elizabeth Bruce, da. of Charles, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury, s.p.

Offices Held

Out-ranger of Windsor forest May 1763-July 1765.

Biography

Bathurst was returned unopposed for Cirencester in 1754, standing upon his own interest, independent of his family. He was classed by Dupplin as a Tory.

On accepting the office of out-ranger of Windsor forest he wrote to Bute:1 ‘The manner of giving it and the choice made of the employment, which was better and more suitable to me than anything my fondest wishes could hope for, is a great addition to his Majesty’s bounty to me.’ In 1765 he was removed by Rockingham and given a secret service pension of £500 a year. On 19 Aug. 1766 he wrote to remind Grafton of an offer to ‘exchange the pension for any post in the excise, customs, green-cloth, or anything else he might think me capable of’.2

He died 23 Jan. 1767.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

  • 1. 20 Apr. 1763, Add. 5726 C, f. 20.
  • 2. Grafton mss.