Family and Education

b. 1692, s. of Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, 5th Bt., M.P. Richmond 1695-8, of Constable Burton by Henrietta Maria, da. of Sir Thomas Yarburgh of Balne Hall and Snaith, Yorks. m. 1716, Carey, da. of Edward Coke of Holtham, Norf., sis. of Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester, s.p. suc. fa. 2 Nov. 1722.

Offices Held

Postmaster gen. [I] 1736-d.

Biography

Constable Burton, so-called because its former owners had been constables of Richmond castle, was acquired through marriage by the Wyvills in the reign of Edward VI.1 In 1713 and 1715 Wyvill stood unsuccessfully for Richmond against the Yorke and Darcy interests. In 1722 his father forbade him to stand, on learning that his doing so would be disapproved by Lord Sunderland.2 In 1727 he was successful but was unseated on petition. In 1736 his brother-in-law, Thomas Coke, later Lord Leicester, the English postmaster general, appointed him postmaster general of Ireland, which disqualified him from sitting in the House of Commons. He is described as ‘a great man for sheep in Yorkshire’.3

He died 27 Dec. 1754.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

• 1. C. Clarkson, Richmond, 68.
• 2. Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, 5th Bt., to Sunderland, 9 Mar. 1722, Sunderland (Blenheim) mss.
• 3. HMC Egmont Diary, ii. 247-8, 408.