BRADSHAIGH, Henry (1676-1712), of Haigh Hall, Lancs.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1708 - July 1712

Family and Education

b. 6 Apr. 1676, 2nd s. of Sir Roger Bradshaigh, 2nd Bt.†, of Haigh by Mary, da. and coh. of Henry Murray of Berkhamsted, Herts., groom of the bedchamber to Charles I; bro. of Sir Roger Bradshaigh, 3rd Bt.*  educ. privately (Mr Francis); Cartmel sch.  unm.1

Offices Held

Capt. Visct. Shannon’s (Richard Boyle*) marines 1702–d., maj. 1706–10; a.d.c. to Earl Rivers (Richard Savage*) in Spain 1706–8.2

Burgess, Wigan 1699, mayor 1709–10.3

Biography

Bradshaigh, a younger son, was left only £500 from family estates heavily encumbered with debts. His need to forge a career, and his brother Sir Roger’s connexion with Earl Rivers (Richard Savage*), led him to purchase a commission in the marines in July 1702, and in 1706 Rivers promoted him while travelling to the Continent for active service. The return of Bradshaigh on the family interest at Wigan had been contemplated in 1705, but Sir Roger’s defeat in the county election disrupted these plans, and he was not returned for Wigan until 1708. His only recorded parliamentary activity in the 1708 Parliament was his vote in favour of the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710. Returned unopposed in 1710, he was classed as a Whig in the ‘Hanover list’, but one observer noted that ‘he is under Lord Rivers’ power’. He was among the marine officers who petitioned for payment of arrears on 2 Apr. 1712, but by 7 July he had been visited by a London cleric concerned to ensure that Bradshaigh’s temporal affairs were settled, and he had died by 14 July when he was removed from his regiment’s listing.4

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Eveline Cruickshanks / Richard Harrison

Notes

  • 1. IGI, Lancs.; info. from Mrs D. Backhouse.
  • 2. NLS, Crawford mss 47/1/36, appointment as maj. 7 July 1706.
  • 3. Wigan RO, Wigan bor. recs. AB/MR/10; AB/CL/102.
  • 4. Lancs. RO, Kenyon mss DDKe 9/101/1, Thomas to George Kenyon*, 18 Jan 1704[–5]; Bull. John Rylands Lib. xxxvii. 18; HMC Portland, iv. 578–9; Crawford mss 47/1/37, memo. of W. Richardson, 20 Aug. 1712.