Richard Godolphin Long

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For other persons named Richard Long, see Richard Long (disambiguation).

Richard Godolphin Long (c. 12 November 1761 – 1 July 1835) was an English politician.

The son of Richard Long JP and Meliora Lambe, he was baptised on 12 November 1761 in West Lavington in Wiltshire. Long was Member of Parliament (MP) for Wiltshire from 1806 to 1818 and the founder of the Wiltshire Yeomanry. In 1799 he purchased Steeple Ashton Manor House and farm, which remained in the family until 1967. He commissioned architect Jeffry Wyattville to build Rood Ashton House in 1808.

Long was a partner in the Melksham Bank, together with his younger brother John Long, John Awdry and Thomas Bruges. In 1793, he was High Sheriff of Wiltshire.

On 27 March 1786, he married Florentina Wrey, daughter of Sir Bourchier Wrey, 6th Baronet. They had four daughters, and two sons including Walter Long. Their daughter Florentina (Flora) formed a strong attachment to the then elderly poet George Crabbe[1] and she had previously been engaged to another elderly gentleman, Henry Cobbe (uncle of Frances Power Cobbe), who had died the day before they were to be married.[2] Flora and her aunts were frequent visitors of novelist Jane Austen, who referred to Flora as her 'cousin'[3], though their exact relationship is not known. Austen never met George Crabbe, but nursed a fantasy of becoming Mrs Crabbe.[4]

After a lingering illness Richard Long died aged 73, at Rood Ashton House in his favourite chair, just 6 weeks after his wife, and was buried in the Long family crypt at St John's church, West Ashton.

See also: Category:Long family of Wiltshire

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Romance of an Elderly Poet: A Hitherto Unknown Chapter in the Life of George Crabbe, Revealed by his 10 Years Correspondence with Elizabeth Charter 1815-1825. By Alexander Meyrick Broadley, Walter Jerrold, George Crabbe. Published 1913
  2. ^ Frances Power Cobbe: Victorian Feminist, Journalist, Reformer - Sally Mitchell 2004, ISBN 0-8139-2271-2
  3. ^ Jane Austen's letter to her sister Cassandra, May 29, 1809, published by Edward, Lord Braybourne 1884
  4. ^ George Crabbe: An English Life - 1754-1832 by Neil Powell 2004 ISBN 0712689990
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Henry Penruddocke Wyndham
Ambrose Goddard		 Member of Parliament for Wiltshire
with Henry Penruddocke Wyndham 1806-1812
Paul Methuen 1812-1818
1806–1818		 Succeeded by
William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley
Paul Methuen


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