William Wingfield (MP)
Encyclopedia
William Wingfield KC
, MP
(1772 - 21 March 1858), was an attorney, judge, and Member of Parliament in 19th century England.
, England
, William was the second son of George Wingfield (died May 1774) of Mickleham, Surrey
. His mother, Mary, was the niece of George Sparrow.
William's brother, George Wingfield, Lord of Akeld
, later took the surname Sparrow to comply with the will of a great uncle. The other siblings included three sisters: Anne, Eliza, and Mary.
William's paternal grandfather, also named William Wingfield, owned property in Cleadon
.
He entered Christ Church, Oxford
in 1789, and received a B.A. degree in 1792. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
in 1792 and called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn five years later. His early practise was as an equity draftsman, in all likelikhood because of the Inn's historical association with the Court of Chancery
.
for Bodmin
during the period of 1806 to 1807 alongside Davies Gilbert
. In 1818, he became a Bencher, and was appointed King's Counsel. Eight years later, he was a proprietor of the Russell Institution, a school of literature and science in Victorian London. Wingfield became Chief Justice of the Brecon Circuit
. He was appointed Master in Chancery in 1824 upon the death of Sir John Simeon, 1st Baronet
.
He held several positions within the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn including Master of the Walks in 1824, Keeper of the Black Book in 1825, Dean of the Chapel in 1827, and Treasurer in 1828.
He was a Trustee of the Law Fire Insurance Socity.
In 1796, he married Lady Charlotte-Maria (died 1807), eldest daughter of Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby
by whom he had several children, including:
In 1813, he married Elizabeth, daughter of William Mills of Bisterne, Hampshire
, a former East India Company director. They had several children, including:
He resided for a time at 29 Montague Street in London.
Wingfield legally changed his surname to Wingfield-Baker in 1849 by Royal licensure after his inheritance of Orsett Hall
. The inheritance occurred by will when Richard Baker left his estate, Orsett Hall, to his brother's nephew by marriage to Lady St Aubyn (née Elizabeth Wingfield).
Wingfield died in 1859 at Sherborne Castle, the home of his eldest son, and is buried at Orsett. A window inscribed in his honor was erected by his children at Gulval Church.
Thomas Creevey
described Wingfield as 'the most successful humbug simpleton I have known all my life'.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, 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,...
(1772 - 21 March 1858), was an attorney, judge, and Member of Parliament in 19th century England.
Early years
Born in Mickleham, SurreyMickleham, Surrey
Mickleham is a village and civil parish between the towns of Dorking and Leatherhead in Surrey, England covering . The parish includes the hamlet of Fredley.-History:Mickleham lies near to the old Roman road known as Stane Street...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, William was the second son of George Wingfield (died May 1774) of Mickleham, Surrey
Mickleham, Surrey
Mickleham is a village and civil parish between the towns of Dorking and Leatherhead in Surrey, England covering . The parish includes the hamlet of Fredley.-History:Mickleham lies near to the old Roman road known as Stane Street...
. His mother, Mary, was the niece of George Sparrow.
William's brother, George Wingfield, Lord of Akeld
Akeld
Akeld is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is situated to the west of Wooler, and has a population of 82. Its name is Anglo-Saxon Old English ac-helde, 'oak slope'....
, later took the surname Sparrow to comply with the will of a great uncle. The other siblings included three sisters: Anne, Eliza, and Mary.
William's paternal grandfather, also named William Wingfield, owned property in Cleadon
Cleadon
Cleadon is a suburban village in South Tyneside, North East England in the county of Tyne and Wear. The population of Cleadon is 4,795, and there are a few shops including Bon Appetit Deli, Boutiques store and a Post Office. Cleadon is a short walk from the local East Boldon Metro Station. Nearby...
.
He entered 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...
in 1789, and received a B.A. degree in 1792. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1792 and called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn five years later. His early practise was as an equity draftsman, in all likelikhood because of the Inn's historical association with the Court of Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
.
Career
Wingfield served for a short time as a 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 Bodmin
Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)
Bodmin was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England and later the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1868 general...
during the period of 1806 to 1807 alongside Davies Gilbert
Davies Gilbert
Davies Gilbert FRS was a British engineer, author, and politician. He was elected to the Royal Society on 17 November 1791 and served as President of the Royal Society from 1827 to 1830....
. In 1818, he became a Bencher, and was appointed King's Counsel. Eight years later, he was a proprietor of the Russell Institution, a school of literature and science in Victorian London. Wingfield became Chief Justice of the Brecon Circuit
Court of Great Sessions in Wales
The Court of Great Sessions in Wales was the main court for the prosecution of felonies and serious misdemeanours in Wales between the second Laws in Wales Act of 1542 and the court's abolition in 1830....
. He was appointed Master in Chancery in 1824 upon the death of Sir John Simeon, 1st Baronet
Sir John Simeon, 1st Baronet
Sir John Simeon, 1st Baronet of Walliscot in Oxfordshire was Member of Parliament for Reading in Berkshire from 1797 to 1802 and from 1806 to 1818...
.
He held several positions within the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn including Master of the Walks in 1824, Keeper of the Black Book in 1825, Dean of the Chapel in 1827, and Treasurer in 1828.
He was a Trustee of the Law Fire Insurance Socity.
Personal life
Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby
Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby was a British peer and Member of Parliament.Digby was the younger son of Hon. Edward Digby, son of William Digby, 5th Baron Digby. His mother was Charlotte Fox, daughter of Sir Stephen Fox. Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, was his uncle and Charles James Fox his cousin...
by whom he had several children, including:
- George Digby (who succeeded to the estates of the Earl Digby)
- John Digby
- Mary
- Caroline (who married Charles Pepys, 1st Earl of CottenhamCharles Pepys, 1st Earl of CottenhamCharles Christopher Pepys, 1st Earl of Cottenham PC KC was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He was twice Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.-Background and education:...
), - Frances Eliza
- Richard Baker Wingfield-BakerRichard Baker Wingfield-BakerRichard Baker Wingfield-Baker MP, DL, was a Liberal Party politician, High Sheriff and Deputy Lieutenant in the English county of Essex...
, a MP for South Essex
In 1813, he married Elizabeth, daughter of William Mills of Bisterne, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, a former East India Company director. They had several children, including:
- Charles John WingfieldCharles John WingfieldSir Charles John Wingfield KCSI, CB, MP , who had a distinguished career with the Bengal Civil Service, was later elected as the first Member of Parliament for the United Kingdom's Parliament constituency of Gravesend....
Member of Parliament for GravesendGravesend (UK Parliament constituency)Gravesend was a county constituency centred on the town of Gravesend, Kent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
, - William Wriothesley Digby (Vicar of GulvalGulvalGulval is a village in the former Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. Although historically a parish in its own right, Gulval was incorporated into the parishes of Penzance, Madron and Ludgvan in 1934, and like Heamoor, is now considered to be a suburb of Penzance...
) - Frederick
- Henry
- Kenelm Digby
- Julia
- Lucy
He resided for a time at 29 Montague Street in London.
Wingfield legally changed his surname to Wingfield-Baker in 1849 by Royal licensure after his inheritance of Orsett Hall
Orsett Hall
Orsett Hall was a 17th century grade 2 listed building in Orsett, Essex . It was set in of parkland and was the centre of the Orsett Hall agricultural estate. The house was destroyed by fire on 11 May 2007 and rebuilt in the same style and on the same footprint as the original building in 2009...
. The inheritance occurred by will when Richard Baker left his estate, Orsett Hall, to his brother's nephew by marriage to Lady St Aubyn (née Elizabeth Wingfield).
Wingfield died in 1859 at Sherborne Castle, the home of his eldest son, and is buried at Orsett. A window inscribed in his honor was erected by his children at Gulval Church.
Thomas Creevey
Thomas Creevey
Thomas Creevey was an English politician, son of William Creevey, a Liverpool merchant, and was born in that city....
described Wingfield as 'the most successful humbug simpleton I have known all my life'.