Edward Walpole

For other people named Edward Walpole, see Edward Walpole (disambiguation).
Sir Edward Walpole

Sir Edward Walpole KB PC (Ire) (1706 12 January 1784) was a British politician, and a younger son of Sir Robert Walpole, Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742.

Political career

Walpole first entered Parliament as Member for Lostwithiel in a by-election on 29 April 1730, following the death of Sir Edward Knatchbull earlier that month. He was appointed junior Secretary to the Treasury the same year.

On 2 May 1734, in the next general election, he succeeded his uncle Horatio Walpole as Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, retaining the seat for nearly 34 years until the 1768 election, when his first cousin the Hon. Richard Walpole (son of Lord Walpole of Wolterton) replaced him.

On 7 September 1737 the Duke of Devonshire was named Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Walpole his Chief Secretary, though he also continued as Secretary to the Treasury. Walpole was sworn of the Privy Council of Ireland on 8 October that year and stood for Ballyshannon in the Irish House of Commons, a seat he held until 1760.

On 9 May 1739 Edward Walpole's elder brother Robert, Lord Walpole resigned his post of Clerk of the Pells in order to become an Auditor of the Exchequer, and Edward was appointed to succeed him, holding the office until his death. On 27 August 1753 Walpole was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath, the order re-founded by his father in 1725.

Family

Walpole lived at Frogmore House in Windsor in Berkshire. He never married, but left three daughters by his mistress Dorothy Clement:

References

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Anthony Cracherode
Sir Edward Knatchbull
Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel
17301734
With: Anthony Cracherode
Succeeded by
Richard Edgcumbe
Philip Lloyd
Preceded by
Horatio Walpole
William Townshend
Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth
17341768
With: William Townshend 17341738
Roger Townshend 17381747
Charles Townshend 17471756
Charles Townshend 17561768
Succeeded by
Charles Townshend
Richard Walpole
Political offices
Preceded by
Horatio Walpole
Junior Secretary to the Treasury
17301739
Succeeded by
Stephen Fox
Preceded by
Walter Cary
Chief Secretary for Ireland
17371739
Succeeded by
Thomas Townshend
Preceded by
The Lord Walpole
Clerk of the Pells
17391784
Succeeded by
Isaac Barré
Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by
William James Conolly
Thomas Pearson
Member of Parliament for Ballyshannon
1737–1760
With: William James Conolly 1737–1754
Michael Clarke 1754–1761
Succeeded by
Michael Clarke
Thomas Conolly