Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning
Encyclopedia
Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning PC (27 August 1728 – 19 May 1810) was a British
politician.
, third son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend
. George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend
, Charles Townshend
and Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
, were his first cousins. His mother was Henrietta Powlett, daughter of Lord William Powlett
. On his mother's side he was a female-line great-great-grandson of Anne, Viscountess Bayning, daughter of Paul Bayning, 1st Viscount Bayning. Bayning was educated at Eton
and Clare College, Cambridge
.
between 1751 to 1756 and became known as "Spanish Charles" to distinguish him from his first cousin and namesake. In 1756 he was elected to the House of Commons
for Great Yarmouth
, a seat he held until 1784, and served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1765 to 1770, as a Lord of the Treasury
from 1770 to 1777 and as Joint Vice-Treasurer for Ireland
from 1777 to 1782. Between April and December 1783 he was Treasurer of the Navy
in the Fox-North Coalition
. In 1777 Bayning was admitted to the Privy Council. He returned as Member of Parliament
for Great Yarmouth in 1790, and continued to represent this constituency until 1796. The following year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Bayning, of Foxley in the County of Berkshire. in 1807 he served as High Sheriff
of Great Yarmouth
.
. Lady Bayning died in 1825.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician.
Background and education
Bayning was the only son of the Hon. William TownshendWilliam Townshend (MP)
The Honourable William Townshend was a British Member of Parliament.Townshend was the third son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, and his first wife the Hon. Elizabeth Pelham...
, third son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend
Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend
Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend Bt, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman. He served for a decade as Secretary of State, directing British foreign policy...
. George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend
George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend
Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, PC , known as The Viscount Townshend from 1764 to 1787, was a British soldier who reached the rank of field marshal.-Early life:...
, Charles Townshend
Charles Townshend
Charles Townshend was a British politician. He was born at his family's seat of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England, the second son of Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, and Audrey , daughter and heiress of Edward Harrison of Ball's Park, near Hertford, a lady who rivalled her son in...
and Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney PC , was a British politician who held several important Cabinet posts in the second half of the 18th century...
, were his first cousins. His mother was Henrietta Powlett, daughter of Lord William Powlett
Lord William Powlett
Lord William Powlett was the younger son of Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton. He served as Member of Parliament for Winchester from 1689 until 1710, for Lymington from 1710 until 1715, and again for Winchester from 1715 until his death...
. On his mother's side he was a female-line great-great-grandson of Anne, Viscountess Bayning, daughter of Paul Bayning, 1st Viscount Bayning. Bayning was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
.
Political career
He was Secretary to the British Embassy in MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
between 1751 to 1756 and became known as "Spanish Charles" to distinguish him from his first cousin and namesake. In 1756 he was elected to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, a seat he held until 1784, and served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1765 to 1770, as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
from 1770 to 1777 and as Joint Vice-Treasurer for Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from 1777 to 1782. Between April and December 1783 he was Treasurer of the Navy
Treasurer of the Navy
The Treasurer of the Navy was an office in the British government between the mid-16th and early 19th century. The office-holder was responsible for the financial maintenance of the Royal Navy. The office was a political appointment, and frequently was held by up-and-coming young politicians who...
in the Fox-North Coalition
Fox-North Coalition
The Fox-North Coalition was a government in Great Britain that held office during 1783. As the name suggests, the ministry was a coalition of the groups supporting Charles James Fox and Lord North...
. In 1777 Bayning was admitted to the Privy Council. He returned as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Great Yarmouth in 1790, and continued to represent this constituency until 1796. The following year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Bayning, of Foxley in the County of Berkshire. in 1807 he served as High Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
.
Family
Lord Bayning married Annabella Smith-Powlett, daughter of Reverend Richard Smith and Annabella Powlett, in 1777. He died in May 1810, aged 81, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son CharlesCharles Powlett, 2nd Baron Bayning
Charles Frederick Powlett, 2nd Baron Bayning , known as the Honourable Charles Townshend from 1797 to 1810, was a British peer and Tory Member of Parliament....
. Lady Bayning died in 1825.