This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Charles Williams-Wynn" 1775–1850 – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR(July 2015)
Charles Watkin Williams-WynnPC (9 October 1775 – 2 September 1850) was a British politician of the early- to mid-19th century. He held office in both Tory and Whig administrations and was Father of the House of Commons between 1847 and 1850.
During the French Revolutionary War Montgomeryshire had failed to raise a single unit of part-time unit Yeomanry Cavalry or Volunteer Infantry for home defence and internal security duties. After the shortlived Peace of Amiens broke down in 1803, Williams-Wynn overcame the apathy and the county rapidly two formed Troops of Yeomanry cavalry by August 1803. Williams-Wynn took command as Major-Commandant By 2 November this had expanded into a large force, the Montgomeryshire Volunteer Legion. In contemporary terminology a 'Legion' was an all-arms force, and soon after its formation the Montgomeryshire unit comprised three troops of Yeomanry cavalry each 40 strong, and 20 Companies of Volunteer infantry, with Watkins-Wynn as Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant and commander of the legion's cavalry. The Volunteer Infantry were replaced by the Local Militia in 1808, but the cavalry troops carried on as the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. These were disbanded in 1828, but in view of the disturbances in north-east Wales Williams-Wynn applied to reform the regiment in 1831. It saw service in 1838–39 during the Chartist riots. Williams-Wynn finally retired from the command in 1844 at the age of 77.[1][2]
This drove him into opposition, and when the Whigs came to power in November 1830 under Lord Grey, Williams-Wynn was appointed Secretary at War, although without a seat in the cabinet. He only remained in this post until April of the following year, and held no other position during the three remaining years of the Whig government. In 1834 the Tories returned to office under Sir Robert Peel, and Wynn was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, but again was not a member of the cabinet. The Peel government fell already in April 1835 and Wynn never held office again. However, he was said to have thrice rejected the post of Governor-General of India. Wynn remained Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire until his death, and from 1847 to 1850 he was Father of the House of Commons; at the time of his death, he was the final MP from the 18th century still in Parliament.
Wynn married Mary Cunliffe, daughter of Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet and Harriet Kinloch, in 1806. They had seven children, two sons and five daughters. His eldest daughter Charlotte Williams-Wynn was a well-known diarist; his son, also named Charles, followed him into Parliament. Williams-Wynn died in September 1850, aged 74.
References
^Bryn Owen, History of the Welsh Militia and Volunteer Corps 1757–1908: Montgomeryshire Regiments of Militia, Volunteers and Yeomanry Cavalry, Wrexham: Bridge Books, 2000, ISBN 1-872424-85-6, pp. 57–8, 62–8, 75–82.
^War Office, A List of the Officers of the Militia, the Gentlemen & Yeomanry Cavalry, and Volunteer Infantry of the United Kingdom, 11th Edn, London: War Office, 14 October 1805/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-84574-207-2.
charles, williams, wynn, 1775, 1850, this, article, relies, largely, entirely, single, source, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, citations, additional, sources, find, sources, charles, williams, wynn, 1. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Charles Williams Wynn 1775 1850 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2015 Charles Watkin Williams Wynn PC 9 October 1775 2 September 1850 was a British politician of the early to mid 19th century He held office in both Tory and Whig administrations and was Father of the House of Commons between 1847 and 1850 The Right HonourableCharles Williams WynnPCPresident of the Board of ControlIn office 1822 1828MonarchGeorge IVPrime MinisterThe Earl of Liverpool George Canning The Viscount GoderichPreceded byCharles BathurstSucceeded byThe Viscount MelvilleSecretary at WarIn office 30 November 1830 4 April 1831MonarchWilliam IVPrime MinisterThe Earl GreyPreceded byLord Francis Leveson GowerSucceeded bySir Henry Parnell BtChancellor of the Duchy of LancasterIn office 26 December 1834 8 April 1835MonarchWilliam IVPrime MinisterSir Robert Peel BtPreceded byThe Lord HollandSucceeded byThe Lord HollandPersonal detailsBorn9 October 1775 1775 10 09 Died2 September 1850 1850 09 03 aged 74 NationalityBritishSpouseMary CunliffeAlma materChrist Church Oxford Contents 1 Background and education 2 Political career 3 Family 4 ReferencesBackground and education EditBorn into an ancient and grand Welsh family Williams Wynn was the second son of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn 4th Baronet by his second wife Charlotte Grenville daughter of Prime Minister George Grenville His great great grandfather Sir William Williams 1st Baronet served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1680 to 1685 On his mother s side he was the nephew of William Wyndham Grenville 1st Baron Grenville and George Nugent Temple Grenville 1st Marquess of Buckingham and the first cousin of Richard Temple Grenville 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos Williams Wynn was educated privately at Westminster School and Christ Church Oxford He was called to the Bar Lincoln s Inn in 1798 At Westminster School Williams Wynn became acquainted with the poet Robert Southey whom he later supported financially Political career EditIn 1797 he was elected to parliament for the notorious rotten borough of Old Sarum where he succeeded Richard Wellesley 2nd Earl of Mornington He resigned this seat in 1799 when he was elected for Montgomeryshire which constituency he would represent for the next 51 years During the French Revolutionary War Montgomeryshire had failed to raise a single unit of part time unit Yeomanry Cavalry or Volunteer Infantry for home defence and internal security duties After the shortlived Peace of Amiens broke down in 1803 Williams Wynn overcame the apathy and the county rapidly two formed Troops of Yeomanry cavalry by August 1803 Williams Wynn took command as Major Commandant By 2 November this had expanded into a large force the Montgomeryshire Volunteer Legion In contemporary terminology a Legion was an all arms force and soon after its formation the Montgomeryshire unit comprised three troops of Yeomanry cavalry each 40 strong and 20 Companies of Volunteer infantry with Watkins Wynn as Lieutenant Colonel Commandant and commander of the legion s cavalry The Volunteer Infantry were replaced by the Local Militia in 1808 but the cavalry troops carried on as the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry These were disbanded in 1828 but in view of the disturbances in north east Wales Williams Wynn applied to reform the regiment in 1831 It saw service in 1838 39 during the Chartist riots Williams Wynn finally retired from the command in 1844 at the age of 77 1 2 In 1806 he was appointed Under Secretary of State for the Home Department in the Ministry of All the Talents led by his uncle Lord Grenville He remained in this post until the government fell the following year Williams Wynn was an active member of parliament and considered an authority on the procedure of the House of Commons This led him to be nominated for the post of Speaker of the House of Commons in 1817 However he was defeated by Charles Manners Sutton During the late 1810s Williams Wynn was the leader of a group of MPs that tried to establish a third party in the House of Commons acting on behalf of his cousin Lord Buckingham However the third party never materialised and the group instead joined the Tories In January 1822 Williams Wynn was admitted to the Privy Council and appointed President of the Board of Control with a seat in the cabinet in the Tory government of the Earl of Liverpool He remained in this post also in the administrations of George Canning and Lord Goderich However when the Duke of Wellington became Prime Minister in 1828 Williams Wynn was not offered a position in the government This drove him into opposition and when the Whigs came to power in November 1830 under Lord Grey Williams Wynn was appointed Secretary at War although without a seat in the cabinet He only remained in this post until April of the following year and held no other position during the three remaining years of the Whig government In 1834 the Tories returned to office under Sir Robert Peel and Wynn was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster but again was not a member of the cabinet The Peel government fell already in April 1835 and Wynn never held office again However he was said to have thrice rejected the post of Governor General of India Wynn remained Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire until his death and from 1847 to 1850 he was Father of the House of Commons at the time of his death he was the final MP from the 18th century still in Parliament He was elected as the first president from 1823 to 1841 of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland and as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1827 Family EditWynn married Mary Cunliffe daughter of Sir Foster Cunliffe 3rd Baronet and Harriet Kinloch in 1806 They had seven children two sons and five daughters His eldest daughter Charlotte Williams Wynn was a well known diarist his son also named Charles followed him into Parliament Williams Wynn died in September 1850 aged 74 References Edit Bryn Owen History of the Welsh Militia and Volunteer Corps 1757 1908 Montgomeryshire Regiments of Militia Volunteers and Yeomanry Cavalry Wrexham Bridge Books 2000 ISBN 1 872424 85 6 pp 57 8 62 8 75 82 War Office A List of the Officers of the Militia the Gentlemen amp Yeomanry Cavalry and Volunteer Infantry of the United Kingdom 11th Edn London War Office 14 October 1805 Uckfield Naval and Military Press 2005 ISBN 978 1 84574 207 2 Lee Sidney ed 1900 Wynn Charles Watkin Williams Dictionary of National Biography Vol 63 London Smith Elder amp Co Parliament of Great BritainPreceded byGeorge HardingeThe Earl of Mornington Member of Parliament for Old Sarum1797 1799 With George Hardinge Succeeded byGeorge HardingeSir George Yonge BtParliament of Great BritainPreceded byFrancis Lloyd Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire1799 1800 Parliament of the United KingdomParliament of the United KingdomPreceded byParliament of Great Britain Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire1801 1850 Succeeded byHerbert Watkin Williams WynnPreceded byGeorge Byng Father of the House1847 1850 Succeeded byGeorge HarcourtPolitical officesPreceded byJ H Smyth Under Secretary of State for the Home Department1806 1807 Succeeded byHon Charles JenkinsonPreceded byCharles Bathurst President of the Board of Control1822 1828 Succeeded byThe Viscount MelvillePreceded byLord Francis Leveson Gower Secretary at War1830 1831 Succeeded bySir Henry Parnell BtPreceded byThe Lord Holland Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster1834 1835 Succeeded byThe Lord Holland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Williams Wynn 1775 1850 amp oldid 1138470474, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
