Family and Education

b. aft. 1679, 5th s. of Sir Edward Seymour, 4th Bt.*, by 2nd w.; bro. of Francis Conway Seymour*, and half-bro. of Edward Seymour II*, and William Seymour*.  educ. ?Eton 1698.  m. Jane [–], 2s. 2da.

Offices Held

Groom of bedchamber to Prince George, 1702–6.

Biography

Seymour was a pale reflection of his father, both in terms of ability and in the zeal of his convictions. His date of birth is uncertain, only that of his elder brother, in 1679, being known. Seymour obtained a place in Prince George’s household in 1702, worth £400 p.a., and the following year was brought into the Commons by his father’s cousin, Bishop Trelawny, at a by-election for West Looe. It was probably not the Member but a namesake who was appointed a guidon in the Duke of Ormond’s regiment in 1704. Seymour was an undistinguished parliamentarian, noteworthy only for his vote in favour of the Tack on 28 Nov. 1704. He was accordingly one of the placemen thought vulnerable to dismissal in the spring of 1705, even though the Court was convinced that he had supported the measure only out of fear of a breach with his father. Having only ever been a stop-gap Member, Seymour stood down from his seat in 1705. Deprived of office in August 1706, he was given an annual pension of £400 in 1711, supposedly as one of those in the Prince’s service at the time of the latter’s death in 1708. In 1732 he was bequeathed a pension of £200 p.a. by his elder brother, Francis. He himself died on 10 Oct. 1740, having nominated his ‘worthy friend’ Stephen Fox†, son of Sir Stephen*, to be an executor of his will. His children received only £5 each, except his daughter Jane, who was given ‘1s. and no more’, perhaps as a punishment for marrying without consent.1

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Author: Mark Knights

Notes

• 1. IGI, Devon; PCC 331 Eedes; Lodge, Peerage of Ire. iv. 197; Luttrell, Brief Relation, v. 416.