Sir Richard Vyvyan, 8th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Rawlinson Vyvyan, 8th Baronet (6 June 1800 – 15 August 1879) was an English landowner and Whig and Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1825 and 1857.
, Cornwall
, the son of Sir Vyell Vyvyan, 7th Baronet and his wife Mary Hutton Rawlinson, daughter of Thomas Hutton Rawlinson of Lancaster. He was educated at Harrow School
and at Christ Church, Oxford
but did not take a degree. In 1820, he succeeded to the baronetcy
and Vyvyan family
estates on the death of his father. He became a lieutenant-colonel commandant in the Cornwall yeomanry cavalry on 5 September 1820.
for Cornwall
. He held the seat until 1831. From 1831 he represented Okehampton
, but upon the passage of the Reform Act 1832
, he moved to Bristol
, serving until 1837. He later served as Member for Helston
from 1841 until 1857. Vyvyan was High Sheriff of Cornwall
in 1840.
Geological Society.
He also published several letters and speeches. His letter ‘to the magistrates of Berkshire’ on their practice of ‘consigning prisoners to solitary confinement before trial, and ordering them to be disguised by masks,’ passed into a second edition in 1845. His account of the ‘fogou’ or cave at Halligey
, Trelowarren, is in the Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall (1885, viii. 256-8).
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1825 and 1857.
Early life
Vyvyan was born at TrelowarrenMawgan-in-Meneage
Mawgan-in-Meneage is a civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated in the Meneage district of The Lizard peninsula south of Helston in the former administrative district of Kerrier....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, the son of Sir Vyell Vyvyan, 7th Baronet and his wife Mary Hutton Rawlinson, daughter of Thomas Hutton Rawlinson of Lancaster. He was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
but did not take a degree. In 1820, he succeeded to the baronetcy
Vyvyan Baronets
The Vyvyan Baronetcy, of Trelowarren in the County of Cornwall, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 12 February 1645 for Richard Vyvyan, Member of Parliament for Penrhyn, Tregony and St Mawes and Master of the Mint. The second Baronet represented St Mawes and Helston in the...
and Vyvyan family
Vyvyan family
The Vyvyans are a prominent Cornish family: they are recorded as landowners in Penwith and Kerrier since the 15th century.The Vyvyan family have had a large estate called Trelowarren in Cornwall for nearly 600 years. They moved to Trelowarren in 1427 from Treviddren, St...
estates on the death of his father. He became a lieutenant-colonel commandant in the Cornwall yeomanry cavalry on 5 September 1820.
Political career
In 1825, Vyvyan was elected Member of ParliamentMember 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 Cornwall
Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)
Cornwall is a former county constituency covering the county of Cornwall, in the South West of England. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
. He held the seat until 1831. From 1831 he represented Okehampton
Okehampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Okehampton was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1301 and 1313, then continuously from 1640 to 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
, but upon the passage of the Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
, he moved to Bristol
Bristol (UK Parliament constituency)
Bristol was a two member constituency, used to elect members to the House of Commons in the Parliaments of England , Great Britain and the United Kingdom . The constituency existed until Bristol was divided into single member constituencies in 1885.-Boundaries:The historic port city of Bristol, is...
, serving until 1837. He later served as Member for Helston
Helston (UK Parliament constituency)
Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.Using the bloc vote system of election, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and...
from 1841 until 1857. Vyvyan was High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list:Note: The right to choose High Sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall, rather than the Privy Council, chaired by the Sovereign, which chooses the Sheriffs of all other English counties, other than those in the Duchy of...
in 1840.
Scientific work
In 1826, Vyvyan was made a Fellow of the Royal Society for his "considerable literary and scientific acquirements especially in the Philosophy of Natural Science., previously having being a Fellow of theGeological Society.
Vyvyan’s scientific writings
- An Essay on Arithmo-physiology, privately printed, 1825.
- Psychology, or a Review of the Arguments in proof of the Existence and Immortality of the Animal Soul, vol. i. 1831; called in immediately after publication.
- The Harmony of the Comprehensible World (anon.), 1842, 2 vols.
- The Harmony of the Comprehensible World (anon.), 1845.
He also published several letters and speeches. His letter ‘to the magistrates of Berkshire’ on their practice of ‘consigning prisoners to solitary confinement before trial, and ordering them to be disguised by masks,’ passed into a second edition in 1845. His account of the ‘fogou’ or cave at Halligey
Halliggye Fogou
Halliggye Fogou is one of many fogous in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.The site is under the guardianship of English Heritage, and managed by The Trelowarren Estate...
, Trelowarren, is in the Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall (1885, viii. 256-8).