Wadham Wyndham (1793-1849)
Encyclopedia
Wadham Wyndham DL
JP
was the eldest son of Colonel Wadham Wyndham and a politically influential figure in the county of Buckinghamshire in the first half of the 19th century.
of Hellfire Club
fame, Wadham acquired Beech Lodge near Great Marlow
to concentrate on supporting the political ambitions and career of his friend and cousin Richard Plantagenet Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, known from 1822-1839 by the courtesy title of Marquess of Chandos. Chandos became MP
for Buckinghamshire
in 1818 and remained MP until succeeding to the dukedom in 1839.
and later Lord Privy Seal
until Chandos retired from government in 1842. He is particularly remembered for organising a series of large and successful political dinners, a familiar feature of early 19th century politics, during Chandos's long and not entirely popular opposition to the repeal of the Corn Laws
Wadham's rewards for unwavering political loyalty were in customary currency of the time; for example he was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire during the time Chandos was Lord Lieutenant of the county, and made Captain of the 2nd Bucks Regiment of Yeomanry
when Chandos, as 2nd Duke of Buckingham, became its Colonel in 1839.
which achieved great popularity and a global distribution in the second half of the 19th century.
Two sons (William and Alexander) moved to Australia in the 1850s; William died in an accident on Christmas Day 1858 but through Alexander (d.1915) Wadham Wyndham's Australian descendants include prominent educator Sir Harold Wyndham
, musician Claire Wyndham, acclaimed surgeons, academics and successful business people.
The Duke of Buckingham stood Godfather to Wadham's second son Chandos, born in 1828, though the child did not survive into adulthood. Wadham Wyndham died from bronchitis with asthma in 1849.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
was the eldest son of Colonel Wadham Wyndham and a politically influential figure in the county of Buckinghamshire in the first half of the 19th century.
Background
Inheriting a considerable fortune from his father in 1813, including Buckinghamshire property originally owned by George Dodington, 1st Baron MelcombeGeorge Dodington, 1st Baron Melcombe
George Bubb Dodington, 1st Baron Melcombe PC was an English politician and nobleman.Christened simply George Bubb, he acquired the surname Dodington around the time his uncle George Dodington died in 1720 and left him his estate...
of Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club
The Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century, and was more formally or cautiously known as the "Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe"...
fame, Wadham acquired Beech Lodge near Great Marlow
Great Marlow
Great Marlow is a civil parish within Wycombe district in the English county of Buckinghamshire located north of the town of Marlow and south of High Wycombe. The parish includes the hamlets of Bovingdon Green, Burroughs Grove, Chisbridge Cross and Marlow Common, and Danesfield Base, a housing...
to concentrate on supporting the political ambitions and career of his friend and cousin Richard Plantagenet Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, known from 1822-1839 by the courtesy title of Marquess of Chandos. Chandos became MP
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 Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckinghamshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.Its most prominent member was...
in 1818 and remained MP until succeeding to the dukedom in 1839.
Political activities
He was a constant and vigorous supporter of the Marquess of Chandos throughout his time as MPMember 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,...
and later Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
until Chandos retired from government in 1842. He is particularly remembered for organising a series of large and successful political dinners, a familiar feature of early 19th century politics, during Chandos's long and not entirely popular opposition to the repeal of the Corn Laws
Corn Laws
The Corn Laws were trade barriers designed to protect cereal producers in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland against competition from less expensive foreign imports between 1815 and 1846. The barriers were introduced by the Importation Act 1815 and repealed by the Importation Act 1846...
Wadham's rewards for unwavering political loyalty were in customary currency of the time; for example he was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire during the time Chandos was Lord Lieutenant of the county, and made Captain of the 2nd Bucks Regiment of Yeomanry
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
when Chandos, as 2nd Duke of Buckingham, became its Colonel in 1839.
Family life
He married Anne Stanley, daughter of the Rev Edward Stanley of Dublin, and had eight children including Colonel Arthur Wyndham of the fifth regiment of Native Infantry of the Honourable East India Company and Florance Wyndham inventor of Esprit des Oeufs, or Egg Spirit as he often referred to it, a commercial bottling of a kind of eggnogEggnog
Eggnog, or egg nog, is a sweetened dairy-based beverage traditionally made with milk and/or cream, sugar, beaten eggs , and liquor...
which achieved great popularity and a global distribution in the second half of the 19th century.
Two sons (William and Alexander) moved to Australia in the 1850s; William died in an accident on Christmas Day 1858 but through Alexander (d.1915) Wadham Wyndham's Australian descendants include prominent educator Sir Harold Wyndham
Harold Wyndham
Sir Harold Wyndham CBE was Director-General of Education in New South Wales between 1952 and 1968. He chaired the committee whose report led to the Education Act 1961 which completely re-organised secondary education in NSW.-Early life and background:Wyndham was a great-grandson of Wadham Wyndham...
, musician Claire Wyndham, acclaimed surgeons, academics and successful business people.
The Duke of Buckingham stood Godfather to Wadham's second son Chandos, born in 1828, though the child did not survive into adulthood. Wadham Wyndham died from bronchitis with asthma in 1849.