Godfrey Bagnall Clarke
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Godfrey Bagnall Clarke (c.1742-26 December 1774), of Sutton Scarsdale Hall in Derbyshire, was a British Member of Parliament, representing Derbyshire.
Clarke was elected in 1768, winning a contested election (a rare event in Derbyshire) to beat one of the sitting MPs, Sir Henry Harpur. Clarke's personal politics are unknown, and he seems never to have spoken in the House of Commons, but he was supported by the Derbyshire Tories and voted consistently with the opposition. He was re-elected unopposed in October 1774 but was already ill, and died only two months later, unmarried and in his early thirties.
Clarke was a great friend of the historian Edward Gibbon, whom he met while on the Grand Tour, and Gibbon executed his will.
[edit] References
- Lewis Namier & John Brooke, The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754-1790 (London: HMSO, 1964)
- D M Low, Edward Gibbon 1737-1794 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1937)
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lord George Cavendish Sir Henry Harpur |
Member of Parliament for Derbyshire with Lord George Cavendish 1768–1774 |
Succeeded by Lord George Cavendish Hon. Nathaniel Curzon |
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