Family and Education

bap. 24 Aug. 1643, 3rd s. of Edward Kynaston of Oteley by Katherine, da. of Sir John Hanmer, 1st Bt.†, of Hanmer, Flints.  educ. Ruthin sch. c.1654; ?I. Temple, 1675.  m. Elizabeth, da. and coh. of Sir Robert Broke, 1st Bt.†, of Nacton, Suff., 3s. 4da.  suc. bro. 1661.1

Offices Held

Biography

Kynaston had voted with the Tories in the Convention and was returned again for Shropshire on the Tory interest in 1690. Lord Carmarthen (Sir Thomas Osborne†) listed him as a Tory and a probable Court supporter in March, and in the first session he told on 17 May 1690 on the Tory side in the disputed election of New Windsor. In December 1690 Carmarthen listed him as a probable supporter in the event of an attack upon his own ministerial position in the Commons, though Robert Harley* classed Kynaston as a Country supporter in April 1691. He was a teller on 8 Dec. 1691 on the Tory side in a division over a disputed election for Ludlow. In March 1693 it was reported that he was dying after ‘a fall from his horse and breaking his leg when he went into the country’, but he recovered to continue his parliamentary career. Named as a ‘friend’ in Henry Guy’s list of 1694–5 in connexion with the Commons’ investigation of Guy for corruption, he only narrowly defeated the challenge of a Whig candidate, Sir Edward Leighton, 1st Bt.*, in Shropshire at the next general election. Forecast as likely to oppose the Court in the division of 31 Jan. 1696 on the proposed council of trade, he refused at first to sign the Association, for which action he was subsequently removed from both the lieutenancy and commission of the peace for Shropshire. In March the same year he voted against fixing the price of guineas at 22s. and in November against the attainder of Sir John Fenwick†. Never a particularly active Member, he was given leave of absence on 26 Mar. 1697. Re-elected for Shropshire in 1698, he was forecast as likely to oppose a standing army and listed as a member of the Country party. Before the beginning of the session Sir John Leveson Gower, 5th Bt.*, wrote to inform Kynaston that Hon. John Granville was being set up for Speaker ‘by all our friends’, and requesting his support.2

In his will, dated 16 May 1699, Kynaston appointed trustees to sell property to pay off his debts. Nine days later his death was reported by Luttrell.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Author: D. W. Hayton

Notes

• 1. Salop Par. Reg. Soc. Lichfield dioc. xv. 155; Trans. Salop Arch. Soc. ser. 4, xii. 4–5; Shrewsbury Sch. Reg. 1636–63 ed. Auden, 92.
• 2. Luttrell, Brief Relation, iii. 59; NLW, Chirk Castle mss F1152, Gower to Kynaston, 11 Oct. 1698.
• 3. PCC 76 Noel; Luttrell, iv. 519.