Thomas Townshend (MP)

The Honourable Thomas Townshend (2 June 1701 – 21 May 1780) was a long-standing British Member of Parliament.

Townshend was the second son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, from his first marriage to the Hon. Elizabeth Pelham.[1] Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, William Townshend and Roger Townshend were his brothers while George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, Charles Townshend and Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning, his nephews. He was educated at Eton, and King's College, Cambridge.[2]

Townshend sat in the British House of Commons for Winchelsea between 1722 and 1727. In the elections of 1727, he stood contemporaneously for Hastings and Cambridge University. He had success in both constituencies and chose to represent Cambridge, a seat he held until 1774. Townshend was also for some years private secretary to his father as well as a Teller of the Exchequer between 1727 and 1780.[3]

Townshend married Albinia, daughter of John Selwyn, in 1730.[4] Their son Thomas became a prominent politician and was created Viscount Sydney in 1789. Albinia died in 1739. Townshend survived her by over 40 years and died in May 1780, aged 78.[3]

See also

References

  1. "Townshend, Thomas (TWNT720T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. 3.0 3.1 Hon. Thomas Townshend Stanford geneaology database
  3. TOWNSHEND, Hon. Thomas (1701-80), of Frognal, Kent Historyofparliamentonline.com


Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Robert Bristow
George Bubb
Member of Parliament for Winchelsea
17221727
With: Robert Bristow
Succeeded by
Robert Bristow
John Scrope
Preceded by
Archibald Hutcheson
Sir William Ashburnham
Member of Parliament for Hastings
17271728
With: Sir William Ashburnham
Succeeded by
Thomas Pelham
Sir William Ashburnham
Preceded by
Dixie Windsor
Thomas Willoughby
Member of Parliament for Cambridge University
17271774
With: Edward Finch 17271768
Charles Yorke 17681770
William de Grey 17701771
Richard Croftes 17711774
Succeeded by
Richard Croftes
Marquess of Granby
Political offices
Preceded by
George Treby
Teller of the Exchequer
17271766
Succeeded by
John Jeffreys Pratt