Joseph Williamson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Joseph Williamson, FRS (25 July 1633 – 3 October 1701) was an English civil servant, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England
variously between 1665 and 1701 and in the Irish House of Commons
between 1692 and 1699.
Williamson was born at Bridekirk
, near Cockermouth
, where his father, also called Joseph, was vicar. He was educated at St. Bees School
, Westminster School
and Queen's College, Oxford, of which he became a fellow. In 1660 he entered the service of the Secretary of State
, Sir Edward Nicholas
, retaining his position under the succeeding secretary, Sir Henry Bennet
, afterwards Earl of Arlington. He was involved with the foundation of the London Gazette
in 1665.
Williamson was elected Member of Parliament
for Thetford
in 1669 and held the seat until 1685. In 1672 he was made one of the clerks of the council
and a knight. In 1673 and 1674 he represented his country at the Congress of Cologne, and in the latter year he became Secretary of State
, having practically purchased this position from Arlington for £6,000, a sum that he required from his successor when he left office in 1679. In 1677 he became the third President
of the Royal Society
, but his main interests, after politics, were in antiquarian
rather than in scientific matters.
Just before his removal from the post of Secretary of State, he was arrested on a charge of being implicated in the popish plots, but he was at once released by order of Charles II
. Charles however dismissed him after he gave orders to search Somerset House
, the Queen's official residence without the King's permission; the King remarked coldly " I do not wish to be served by a man who fears anyone more than me". After a period of comparative inactivity Sir Joseph represented England at the Congress of Nijmegen, and in 1678 he signed the first treaty for the partition of the Spanish Monarchy
.
In 1690 Williamson was elected Member of Parliament
for Rochester
and held the seat until 1701. He was also elected MP for Thetford in three separate elections, but each time chose to sit for Rochester instead.
Between 1692 and 1695, Williamson was also MP in the Irish parliament for Clare
. In 1695 he represented Portarlington
for few months and subsequently Limerick City
until 1699.
Williamson died at Cobham, Kent
, on 3 October 1701. He had become very rich by taking advantage of the many opportunities of making money which his official position gave him. He left £6,000 and his library to Queen's College, Oxford; £5,000 to found a school at Rochester, Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
; and £2,000 to Thetford. A great number of Williamson's letters, dispatches, memoranda, etc., are among the English state papers. He has been described as one of the great English civil servants of his time and credited with building up an intelligence service which rivaled that of John Thurloe
under Cromwell.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
variously between 1665 and 1701 and in the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
between 1692 and 1699.
Williamson was born at Bridekirk
Bridekirk
Bridekirk is a village near Cockermouth in West Cumbria. It contains no shops but is does contain a small church.-Church: St. Bridgets:Bridekirk is named after its cruciform church, reconstructed in the late 1860s. Surviving are the remains of a ruined chancel with 16th-century east and south...
, near Cockermouth
Cockermouth
-History:The Romans created a fort at Derventio, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing, which had become located on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall....
, where his father, also called Joseph, was vicar. He was educated at St. Bees School
St. Bees School
St. Bees School is a co-educational independent school in the West Cumbrian village of St Bees. Founded in 1583 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Grindal as a boys' "free grammar school", today it is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference with around 300 pupils aged...
, Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Queen's College, Oxford, of which he became a fellow. In 1660 he entered the service of the Secretary of State
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
The Secretary of State for the Southern Department was a position in the cabinet of the government of Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782.Before 1782, the responsibilities of the two British Secretaries of State were divided not based on the principles of modern ministerial divisions, but...
, Sir Edward Nicholas
Edward Nicholas
Sir Edward Nicholas was an English statesman.-Life:He was the eldest son of John Nicholas, a member of an old Wiltshire family.He was educated at Salisbury grammar school, Winchester College and Queen's College, Oxford...
, retaining his position under the succeeding secretary, Sir Henry Bennet
Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington
Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington KG, PC was an English statesman.- Background and early life :He was the son of Sir John Bennet of Dawley, Middlesex, and of Dorothy Crofts. He was the younger brother of John Bennet, 1st Baron Ossulston; his sister was Elizabeth Bennet who married Robert Kerr,...
, afterwards Earl of Arlington. He was involved with the foundation of the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
in 1665.
Williamson was elected 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 Thetford
Thetford (UK Parliament constituency)
Thetford was a constituency of the British House of Commons. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election until it was disenfranchised in 1868...
in 1669 and held the seat until 1685. In 1672 he was made one of the clerks of the council
Clerk of the Privy Council (United Kingdom)
The Clerk of the Privy Council is a civil servant in the government of the United Kingdom. He or she is the most senior civil servant in the Privy Council Office....
and a knight. In 1673 and 1674 he represented his country at the Congress of Cologne, and in the latter year he became Secretary of State
Secretary of State for the Northern Department
The Secretary of State for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet of the government of Great Britain up to 1782. Before the Act of Union, 1707, the Secretary of State's responsibilities were in relation to the English government, not the British. Even after the Union, there was...
, having practically purchased this position from Arlington for £6,000, a sum that he required from his successor when he left office in 1679. In 1677 he became the third President
President of the Royal Society
The president of the Royal Society is the elected director of the Royal Society of London. After informal meetings at Gresham College, the Royal Society was founded officially on 15 July 1662 for the encouragement of ‘philosophical studies’, by a royal charter which nominated William Brouncker as...
of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, but his main interests, after politics, were in antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
rather than in scientific matters.
Just before his removal from the post of Secretary of State, he was arrested on a charge of being implicated in the popish plots, but he was at once released by order of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. Charles however dismissed him after he gave orders to search Somerset House
Somerset House
Somerset House is a large building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, England, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The central block of the Neoclassical building, the outstanding project of the architect Sir William Chambers, dates from 1776–96. It...
, the Queen's official residence without the King's permission; the King remarked coldly " I do not wish to be served by a man who fears anyone more than me". After a period of comparative inactivity Sir Joseph represented England at the Congress of Nijmegen, and in 1678 he signed the first treaty for the partition of the Spanish Monarchy
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
.
In 1690 Williamson was elected 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 Rochester
Rochester (UK Parliament constituency)
Rochester was a parliamentary constituency in Kent. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England from 1295 to 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800, and finally to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
and held the seat until 1701. He was also elected MP for Thetford in three separate elections, but each time chose to sit for Rochester instead.
Between 1692 and 1695, Williamson was also MP in the Irish parliament for Clare
Clare (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Clare was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.-History:In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by King James II, Clare was represented with two members.-Members of Parliament:* 1583 Sir Turlogh O’Brien, Ennistymon....
. In 1695 he represented Portarlington
Portarlington (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Portarlington was a parliamentary borough partly in King's County but mostly in Queen's County...
for few months and subsequently Limerick City
Limerick City (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Limerick City was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.-1692–1801:...
until 1699.
Williamson died at Cobham, Kent
Cobham, Kent
Cobham is a village and civil parish in the Gravesham District of Kent, England. It is located south of Watling Street, the old road from Dover to London, six miles south-east of Gravesend. The hamlet of Sole Street lies within the parish, which covers an area of 1,240 ha and has a population of...
, on 3 October 1701. He had become very rich by taking advantage of the many opportunities of making money which his official position gave him. He left £6,000 and his library to Queen's College, Oxford; £5,000 to found a school at Rochester, Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School is a boys' grammar school in Rochester, Kent, often known as Rochester Math or The Math. It was founded by the 17th-century politician Sir Joseph Williamson, who left £5,000 to set up the school and another in Thetford in Norfolk...
; and £2,000 to Thetford. A great number of Williamson's letters, dispatches, memoranda, etc., are among the English state papers. He has been described as one of the great English civil servants of his time and credited with building up an intelligence service which rivaled that of John Thurloe
John Thurloe
John Thurloe was a secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell.-Life:...
under Cromwell.