WORSLEY, Thomas II (1686-1751), of Hovingham, Yorks.

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

21 June 1711 - 1713

Family and Education

b. 16 Nov. 1686, 1st s. of Thomas Worsley I*.  educ. Isleworth, Mdx.; Christ’s, Camb. 1702; Leyden, 1704; travelled abroad (Holland, Germany and Austria) 1704–5.  m. (1) by Sept. 1709, Mary (d. 1722), da. of (Sir) Thomas Frankland I* (2nd Bt.), 2s. 3da.; (2) 19 Nov. 1733, Ann, da. of Sir William Robinson, 1st Bt.*, 2s. d.v.p. 1da.  suc. fa. 1715.1

Offices Held

Biography

In December 1703 Worsley’s father decided to send his only surviving son to ‘some warmer clime for the perfecting his health’, due to a cold and cough that had lingered a great length of time. With his health recovered, Worsley was returned for Malton on a double return in 1708, but was declared not duly elected on 14 Dec. Having decided against contesting a by-election in the borough the following year, he stood for Malton in the general election of 1710, and was defeated once again. Despite petitions from both himself and the ‘out-holders and borough men’ of Malton against the return, Worsley had to wait until June 1711 before entering Parliament, taking, unopposed, a seat at Thirsk upon a by-election on the interest of his father-in-law, Sir Thomas Frankland. However, he was not a particularly active Member, being granted leave of absence for six weeks on 1 Mar. 1712. In the following session he voted against the French commerce bill on 18 June 1713, when he was classed as a Whig. Following the Hanoverian succession, his father endeavoured unsuccessfully to get a government post for him, addressing his request to the Earl of Carlisle (Charles Howard*). Worsley was buried at Hovingham on 2 Mar. 1751. His eldest son by his first marriage represented Orford and Callington in the reign of George III.2

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Eveline Cruickshanks / Ivar McGrath

Notes

  • 1. Vis. Eng. and Wales Notes ed. Crisp, x. 28–30; Dugdale’s Vis. Yorks. ed. Clay, iii. 57; N. Yorks. RO, Worsley mss ZON 13/1/267, 274, 309, 371, Francis Arthington to Thomas Worsley I*, 3 June 1704, Richard Hey to same, 27 Oct. 1705, Frankland to same, 9 Sept. 1709, Thomas Worsley II to same, 17 June [–].
  • 2. Worsley mss ZON 13/1/259–60, 303, 310, 348, Thomas Worsley II to Thomas Worsley I, 19 Aug. 1703, Worsley I to Dr John Covell, [Dec.], Covell to Thomas Worsley I, 25 Dec. 1703, Frankland to same, 11 Aug. 1709, Henry Frankland to same, 20 Sept. 1710, Carlisle to Thomas Worsley I, [1714–15]; Luttrell, Brief Relation, vi. 383.