WHITWORTH, Charles, 1st Baron Whitworth [I] (1675-1725), of Batchacre Park, in Adbaston, Staffs.

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

Constituency

Dates

1722 - 23 Oct. 1725

Family and Education

bap. 14 Oct. 1675, 1st s. of Richard Whitworth of Batchacre Park by Anne, da. of Rev. Francis Mosley of Wilmslow, Cheshire; bro. of Francis Whitworth. educ. Westminster 1690; Trinity, Camb. 1694; ?M. Temple 1694. m. (contract 9/20 June 1720) Madeleine Jacqueline, da. of Albert Henri De Sallengre de Grifoort, receiver-gen. of Walloon Flanders, s.p. suc. fa. 1719; cr. Baron Whitworth [I] 9 Jan. 1721.

Offices Held

Resident, Imperial Diet 1702-4; chargé d’affaires, Vienna 1703-4; envoy, Russia 1704-9, ambassador 1709-12; spec. envoy, Prussia May-June 1711; ambassador, Poland June-Oct. 1711, Vienna July-Sept. 1711; minister, Imperial Diet 1714-16; envoy, Berlin 1716-17, The Hague 1717-21; minister, Berlin 1719-22; jt. ambassador, congress of Cambrai 1722-5.

Biography

One of the leading British diplomatists of the time, Whitworth wrote to his old friend, George Tilson, under-secretary of the northern department, asking him

to sound my Lord Stanhope, whether it would not be seasonable to bring me into the House on this occasion, as Mr. secretary Craggs promised me last summer on a new election. Whilst I am abroad, it is but a vote lost, and when I come home, it will keep me in countenance at least, if it does not make me useful.1

After Stanhope’s death Whitworth raised the matter with Sunderland at the end of 1721.

I see by all advices a new Parliament will probably be called. In that case, my poor Lord Stanhope and the late Mr. secretary Craggs had assured me, I should be brought into the House. To be in England without it I should make but a very indifferent figure, and neither be able to serve my friends nor my country; and I would not be useless in any place. The Parliaments by the late Act are like to last long, and I hope I am not destined to be always kept abroad, since the foreign business will daily be of less importance by the general peace. I am therefore obliged to have recourse to your Lordship’s friendship and protection for being named at some court borough. Had I been at home for three or four months I should not have troubled your Lordship or the Government on this occasion; but after so long an absence I can pretend to no personal interest at this distance, being known to very few, if not quite forgot.

The result was an offer from Lord Cadogan to bring him in for Newport, which he accepted, though aggrieved at finding that he would have to pay about £600 for the seat instead of getting it free from the Government.2 Abroad as joint ambassador to the congress of Cambrai during most of his short term in Parliament, he died 23 Oct. 1725 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Shirley Matthews

Notes

  • 1. Add. 37383, f. 192.
  • 2. Add. 37387, ff. 65, 377-8; 37388, f. 146.