WENTWORTH, Sir William, 4th Bt. (1686-1763), of Bretton, Yorks.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

19 May 1731 - 1741

Family and Education

bap. 29 Oct. 1686, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Sir Mathew Wentworth, 3rd Bt., of Bretton; bro. of Thomas Wentworth. m. 23 June 1720, Diana, da. of Sir William Blackett, 1st Bt., M.P., sis. and coh. of Sir William Blackett, 2nd Bt., 5s. 4da. suc. fa. Feb. 1706.

Offices Held

Biography

Wentworth, who was returned by his kinsman, Lord Malton (Thomas Watson Wentworth), voted with the Government till 1737, when he was asked on behalf of the Prince of Wales to support the motion proposing an increase in the Prince’s allowance. ‘His brains are most puzzled on this affair’, Lady Isabella Finch reported to Lord Malton, ‘but [he] declared if he knew your opinion he would follow that’.1 In the end he voted for the Prince, to the consternation of his brother, Thomas Wentworth.2 According to Lady Isabella, ‘poor Sir William ... is very sorry now he gave his vote in the manner he did, but he was tricked into it’.3 He did not vote on the Spanish convention in 1739 or on the place bill in 1740, was not put up again, and died 1 Mar. 1763.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

  • 1. 22 Feb. 1737, Rockingham mss.
  • 2. 28 Feb. 1737, ibid.
  • 3. 26 Feb. 1737, ibid.