TOTTENHAM, Charles (1768-1843), of Ballycurry, co. Wicklow.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1802 - c. July 1805

Family and Education

b. 1 Mar. 1768, 1st s. of Charles Tottenham, MP [I], of New Ross, co. Wexford by Frances, da. and h. of Robert Boswell of Ballycurry. m. 21 Oct. 1803, Catherine, da. of Robert Wigram I*, 3s. 2da. suc. fa. 1823.

Offices Held

Sheriff, co. Wicklow 1812-13, co. Wexford 1827-8; gov. co. Wexford 1815.

Biography

Tottenham’s father, who sat for New Ross 1768-1800, usually voted with administration as a member of the parliamentary connexion of his cousin Charles Tottenham, 1st Marquess of Ely. He lost his seat in the ballot at the Union and thereafter nominated the Member for New Ross alternately with the Leigh family. His son, Charles, who was returned at the first opportunity in 1802, was said in March 1804 to have quarrelled with Ely and was not expected to attend the House for the crucial debates of March and April. There is no evidence that he opposed Addington’s administration. He was described to the viceroy in June 1804 as ‘a strange odd fellow who never leaves home in the county of Wicklow and no one gets good of’. Classed ‘Pitt’ in the government list of autumn 1804, he appeared as ‘doubtful’ in the list drawn up for the lord lieutenant on 29 Dec. 1804: ‘Lord Ely and Lord Loftus have pressed him to attend, but no decided reply has been received’. He opposed the Catholic petition, 14 May 1805, and shortly after resigned his seat to his uncle Ponsonby Tottenham, claiming that he found it ‘inconvenient to go to England to attend Parliament’. He made no recorded contribution to debate, and until the Reform Act the family seat at New Ross was filled by his relations. Tottenham died 6 July 1843.

Add. 31230, f. 93; 35724, f. 156.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: J. M. Collinge

Notes