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BATHURST, Benjamin (?1691-1767), of Lydney, Glos.
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Biography Detail
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Family and Education
b. ?1691, 3rd s. of Sir Benjamin Bathurst, M.P., and bro. of Peter Bathurst. educ. Eton 1699; Trinity, Oxf. 30 June 1708, aged 16. m. (1) 1714, Finetta (d. 27 Feb. 1738), da. of Henry Poole of Kemble, Glos., 22 ch.; (2) 22 Oct. 1741, Catherine, da. of Rev. Lawrence Brodrick, chaplain to the House of Commons, wid. of Dr. William Whitfield, 14 ch.
Offices Held
Out-ranger, Windsor forest 1763-7.
Biography
Bathurst was the younger brother of Allen, Lord Bathurst, who owned seven manors in the vicinity of Gloucester,1 including the manor of Cirencester, where the family controlled one seat, for which Benjamin was returned soon after coming of age. ‘A determined Tory’, who consistently opposed the Government under George I, he was consequently not regarded as suitable for nomination at Cirencester on the accession of George II, from whom Lord Bathurst was hoping to obtain an earldom. However, Lord Bathurst was ‘very unwilling to disoblige’ his brother, who, as he wrote, ‘had gone with me to Court, and given me assurances that he would be in the King’s interest upon all occasions’.2 He accordingly helped him to obtain another seat at Gloucester, where he was successful after a double return. He continued to sit there till 1754, voting against the Government in every recorded division, and signing the opposition whip of 10 Nov. 1743.3
He died 5 Nov. 1767.
