George Augustus Selwyn (11 August 1719 – 25 January 1791) of Matson House in Gloucestershire, England, was a Member of Parliament. A renowned eccentric and "necrophiliac, gay transvestite, he sat mute, loved, and undisturbed in the House of Commons for 44 years".[1]
Selwyn spent 44 years in the House of Commons without having made a speech. As the patron of several rotten boroughs, including both seats at Ludgershall and one in Gloucester, he put his electoral interests at the disposal of the King's ministers, and received in return three lucrative sinecure offices and a pension, which offset his gambling debts. He himself served as one of the MPs for Ludgershall in 1747–1754 and for the constituency of Gloucester from 1754 to 1780. After he lost his patronage in Gloucester, Selwyn served again as a Member for Ludgershall from 1780 until his death in 1791. He served as Mayor of Gloucester twice, for 1758 and 1765.
He was also elected for the Scottish constituency of Wigtown Burghs in 1768, when he thought he might be defeated at Gloucester, becoming the first Englishman to be elected to Parliament by a constituency in Scotland. He chose to retain the English seat.
Personal lifeedit
He was a homosexual and was attracted to various forms of sexual eccentricity, including necrophilia and tranvestitism.[2] He was known for his fascination with the macabre,[3] and was a keen observer of public executions.[4] When attempting to visit the dying Henry Fox, the latter quipped "If Mr. Selwyn calls again, show him up; if I am alive I shall be glad to see him and if I am dead I am sure he will be delighted to see me".[5] He was a member of the Hellfire Club and was a friend of Horace Walpole.
Adopted daughteredit
He adopted as his daughter Maria Emilia Fagnani, who married Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford. She was reputedly the illegitimate daughter of William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry, by his mistress Costanza Brusati ("the Marchesa Fagnani"), the wife of Giacomo II Fagnani, IV marchese di Gerenzano (1740-1785), an Italian nobleman descended from the jurist Raffaele Fagnani (1552-1623), a resident of the Duchy of Milan.[6] He constructed for her use a Roman Catholic chapel in the attic of Matson House, which survives.[7] Maria became one of the wealthiest heiresses in Britain, having inherited a large part of the estate of her natural father the Duke of Queensberry, the eighth richest man in Britain.
Death and burialedit
He died unmarried in 1791 and was buried in the Selwyn vault at St. Katherine's Church at Matson on 6 February 1791. The vault has since been filled in and the brass plate from his coffin is now affixed on a wall inside the church. He left his estate to his adopted daughter Maria Fagnani, Marchioness of Hertford.
George Augustus Selwyn at the age of fifty-one by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, a pastelle drawn in 1770. This drawing is also in the possession of the Earl of Carlisle at Castle Howard.
George Augustus Selwyn (1776) by Sir Joshua Reynolds was displayed at the Tate Gallery between 26 May and 18 September 2005 in the exhibition Joshua Reynolds: The Creation of Celebrity
History of Parliament: House of Commons 1754–1790, by Sir Lewis Namier and James Brooke (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1964)
Jesse, John Heneage, George Selwyn and his contemporaries, London : Bickers & Son, 1882, 2nd ed.; 1st edition, 1843–1844
George Selwyn; his letters and his life, edited by E.S. Roscoe and Helen Clergue, London, 1899.[8]
Sherwin, Oscar, A gentleman of wit and fashion: the extraordinary life and times of George Selwyn, New York : Twayne Publishers, (1963).
George Augustus Selwyn (1719–1791) and France : unpublished correspondence, edited by Rex A. Barrell, Lewiston, N.Y., USA : E. Mellen Press, (c. 1990).
The Ghosts of Piccadilly, Chapters IV & XIV, by G. S. Street, London: Constable & Company Ltd.
The Age of Scandal, Chapter named The Necrophilist by T.H. White
Referencesedit
^BBC History Magazine. February 2011 vol 12 no 2 pp 53–54. "George Selwyn,
^BBC History Magazine. February 2011 vol 12 no 2 pp 53–54. "George Selwyn, a necrophiliac, gay transvestite, sat mute, loved, and undisturbed in the House of Commons for 44 years."
^Wilson, Colin (1988). The Misfits: A study of Sexual Outsiders. Grafton. p. 17.
^John Marshall Gest (1999). The Lawyer in Literature. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. pp. 14–. ISBN978-1-886363-90-8.
^Tillyard, Stella (1995). The Aristocrats. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
george, selwyn, politician, other, people, with, same, name, george, selwyn, disambiguation, george, augustus, selwyn, august, 1719, january, 1791, matson, house, gloucestershire, england, member, parliament, renowned, eccentric, necrophiliac, transvestite, mu. For other people with the same name see George Selwyn disambiguation George Augustus Selwyn 11 August 1719 25 January 1791 of Matson House in Gloucestershire England was a Member of Parliament A renowned eccentric and necrophiliac gay transvestite he sat mute loved and undisturbed in the House of Commons for 44 years 1 George Augustus Selwyn standing Richard Edgcumbe 2nd Baron Edgcumbe writing at desk George James Williams looking over his shoulder Engraving by James Scott after a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds Contents 1 Origins 2 Political career 3 Personal life 4 Adopted daughter 5 Death and burial 6 Portraits 7 Further reading 8 References 9 External linksOrigins editHe was the eldest surviving son of John Selwyn 1688 1751 MP of Matson by his wife Mary Farrington a daughter of General Thomas Farrington He was educated at Eton College and Hart Hall Oxford 1739 and studied law at the Inner Temple 1737 Political career editSelwyn spent 44 years in the House of Commons without having made a speech As the patron of several rotten boroughs including both seats at Ludgershall and one in Gloucester he put his electoral interests at the disposal of the King s ministers and received in return three lucrative sinecure offices and a pension which offset his gambling debts He himself served as one of the MPs for Ludgershall in 1747 1754 and for the constituency of Gloucester from 1754 to 1780 After he lost his patronage in Gloucester Selwyn served again as a Member for Ludgershall from 1780 until his death in 1791 He served as Mayor of Gloucester twice for 1758 and 1765 He was also elected for the Scottish constituency of Wigtown Burghs in 1768 when he thought he might be defeated at Gloucester becoming the first Englishman to be elected to Parliament by a constituency in Scotland He chose to retain the English seat Personal life editHe was a homosexual and was attracted to various forms of sexual eccentricity including necrophilia and tranvestitism 2 He was known for his fascination with the macabre 3 and was a keen observer of public executions 4 When attempting to visit the dying Henry Fox the latter quipped If Mr Selwyn calls again show him up if I am alive I shall be glad to see him and if I am dead I am sure he will be delighted to see me 5 He was a member of the Hellfire Club and was a friend of Horace Walpole Adopted daughter editHe adopted as his daughter Maria Emilia Fagnani who married Francis Seymour Conway 3rd Marquess of Hertford She was reputedly the illegitimate daughter of William Douglas 4th Duke of Queensberry by his mistress Costanza Brusati the Marchesa Fagnani the wife of Giacomo II Fagnani IV marchese di Gerenzano 1740 1785 an Italian nobleman descended from the jurist Raffaele Fagnani 1552 1623 a resident of the Duchy of Milan 6 He constructed for her use a Roman Catholic chapel in the attic of Matson House which survives 7 Maria became one of the wealthiest heiresses in Britain having inherited a large part of the estate of her natural father the Duke of Queensberry the eighth richest man in Britain Death and burial editHe died unmarried in 1791 and was buried in the Selwyn vault at St Katherine s Church at Matson on 6 February 1791 The vault has since been filled in and the brass plate from his coffin is now affixed on a wall inside the church He left his estate to his adopted daughter Maria Fagnani Marchioness of Hertford Portraits editGeorge Augustus Selwyn and Frederick Howard 5th Earl of Carlisle c 1770 by Sir Joshua Reynolds is in the possession of the present Earl of Carlisle at Castle Howard Yorkshire George Augustus Selwyn at the age of fifty one by Hugh Douglas Hamilton a pastelle drawn in 1770 This drawing is also in the possession of the Earl of Carlisle at Castle Howard George Augustus Selwyn 1776 by Sir Joshua Reynolds was displayed at the Tate Gallery between 26 May and 18 September 2005 in the exhibition Joshua Reynolds The Creation of Celebrity The Out of Town Party c 1759 by Sir Joshua Reynolds a portrait of George Selwyn George Gilly Williams amp Dick Edgecumbe is on display at the Bristol Museum amp Art GalleryFurther reading editHistory of Parliament House of Commons 1754 1790 by Sir Lewis Namier and James Brooke Sidgwick amp Jackson 1964 Jesse John Heneage George Selwyn and his contemporaries London Bickers amp Son 1882 2nd ed 1st edition 1843 1844 George Selwyn his letters and his life edited by E S Roscoe and Helen Clergue London 1899 8 Sherwin Oscar A gentleman of wit and fashion the extraordinary life and times of George Selwyn New York Twayne Publishers 1963 George Augustus Selwyn 1719 1791 and France unpublished correspondence edited by Rex A Barrell Lewiston N Y USA E Mellen Press c 1990 The Ghosts of Piccadilly Chapters IV amp XIV by G S Street London Constable amp Company Ltd The Age of Scandal Chapter named The Necrophilist by T H WhiteReferences edit BBC History Magazine February 2011 vol 12 no 2 pp 53 54 George Selwyn BBC History Magazine February 2011 vol 12 no 2 pp 53 54 George Selwyn a necrophiliac gay transvestite sat mute loved and undisturbed in the House of Commons for 44 years Wilson Colin 1988 The Misfits A study of Sexual Outsiders Grafton p 17 John Marshall Gest 1999 The Lawyer in Literature The Lawbook Exchange Ltd pp 14 ISBN 978 1 886363 90 8 Tillyard Stella 1995 The Aristocrats Farrar Straus and Giroux More information 1 Listed building text Matson House 2 Review of George Selwyn his letters and his life edited by E S Roscoe and Helen Clergue The Athenaeum 3768 75 76 20 January 1900 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Augustus Selwyn Works by George Augustus Selwyn at Project Gutenberg Works by or about George Selwyn at Internet Archive Selwyn George Augustus 1719 1791 Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 Selwyn George Augustus An English wit New International Encyclopedia 1905 Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Selwyn George Augustus wit Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 24 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 615 George Selwyn His Letters and His Life E S Roscoe and Helen Clergue eds London 1899 George Selwyn and the Wits S Parnell Kerr London 1909 Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byCharles Selwyn Thomas Hayward Member of Parliament for Ludgershall1747 1754 With Thomas Farrington Succeeded bySir John Bland Thomas Hayward Preceded byCharles Barrow Benjamin Bathurst Member of Parliament for Gloucester1754 1780 With Charles Barrow Succeeded byCharles Barrow John Webb Preceded bySir Peniston Lamb Lord George Gordon Member of Parliament for Ludgershall1780 1791 With Sir Peniston Lamb 1780 1784Nathaniel Wraxall 1784 1790Hon William Assheton Harbord 1790 1791 Succeeded byHon William Assheton Harbord Samuel Smith Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Selwyn politician amp oldid 1176617553, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
