Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth
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Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth (c.1680 – October 25, 1734), was a leading Cornish politician of his time in the Whig interest, was the eldest son of Edward Boscawen, by Jael, daughter of Sir Francis Godolphin.
The parliamentary representation of the boroughs of Tregony and Truro was under his absolute control, and he exercised considerable influence on the elections for Penryn. He sat for Tregony from 1702 to 1705, for the county of Cornwall from 1705 to 1710, for Truro from 1710 to 1713, and for Penryn from 1713 until June 1720. In the latter year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Boscawen and Viscount Falmouth, having been for some time discontented at the delay in his advancement to that position. Both before and after the accession of George I he spent large sums of money in support of Whig principles, and was rewarded on his party's triumph by many valuable offices.
He was a groom of the bedchamber to Prince George of Denmark, steward of the duchy of Cornwall and Lord Warden of the Stannaries in 1708, Comptroller of the Household from 1714 to 1720, and joint vice-treasurer of Ireland from 1717 until a few months before his death.
He died suddenly at Trefusis, in Cornwall, on 25 October 1734, and was buried at St Michael Penkivel. His wife, to whom he was married in Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, on 23 April 1700, was the elder daughter and coheir of Colonel Charles Godfrey, master of the jewel office, by Arabella Churchill. She died on 22 March 1754, and was also buried at Penkivel. Lady Falmouth was very desirous of becoming a lady of the bedchamber to the wife of George II, and tried to bribe Lady Sundon (Charlotte Clayton) into obtaining the post for her.
[edit] See also
- A. A. Hanham, ‘Boscawen, Hugh, first Viscount Falmouth (c.1680–1734)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, accessed 27 Aug 2007.
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francis Robartes Hugh Fortescue |
Member of Parliament for Tregony with Joseph Sawle 1702–1705 |
Succeeded by John Trevanion Sir Philip Meadowes |
| Preceded by Henry Vincent Sir Philip Meadowes |
Member of Parliament for Truro with Henry Vincent 1705 |
Succeeded by Henry Vincent Peregrine Bertie |
| Preceded by James Buller Sir Richard Vyvyan, Bt |
Member of Parliament for Cornwall with Sir Richard Vyvyan, Bt 1705–1707 |
Succeeded by Parliament of Great Britain |
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Parliament of England |
Member of Parliament for Cornwall with Sir Richard Vyvyan, Bt 1707–1708 James Buller 1708–1710 1707–1710 |
Succeeded by George Granville John Trevanion |
| Preceded by Henry Vincent Robert Furnese |
Member of Parliament for Truro with Henry Vincent 1710–1713 |
Succeeded by Thomas Hare William Collier |
| Preceded by Samuel Trefusis Alexander Pendarves |
Member of Parliament for Penryn with Alexander Pendarves 1713–1714 Samuel Trefusis 1714–1720 1713–1720 |
Succeeded by Samuel Trefusis Viscount Rialton |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Viscount Rialton |
Lord Warden of the Stannaries 1708–1734 |
Succeeded by Richard Edgcumbe |
| Preceded by Sir John Stonhouse, Bt |
Comptroller of the Household 1714–1720 |
Succeeded by Paul Methuen |
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
| New creation | Viscount Falmouth 1720–1734 |
Succeeded by Hugh Boscawen |
