BODVELL, William (1694-1759), of Madryn, Caern.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1741 - 1754
1754 - 30 June 1759

Family and Education

b. Nov. 1694, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Lloyd Bodvell of Bodvan, Caern. by Anne, da. and h. of Hugh Davies of Madryn. m., s.p. suc. bro. at Madryn 1711 and fa. at Bodvan Dec. 1731.

Offices Held

Constable of Beaumaris castle 1716-1725 and 1752- d.

Biography

Bodvell after representing Caernarvonshire for 13 years, again canvassed the county in 1754 against Sir John Wynn. To prevent a contest, Lord Powis arranged a compromise and returned Bodvell for his pocket borough of Montgomery.

In 1755 Bodvell sought through Powis to obtain the office of custos rotulorum of Caernarvonshire for himself, and the chancellorship of Bangor for a kinsman. Powis, in supporting the application, wrote to Newcastle about him on 5 Sept. 1755: ‘One thing is to be said; and that is that he is certainly your Grace’s good friend ...’1

Although a Government supporter and one of Powis’s group, Bodvell never sought to derive any financial advantage from his membership of the House, and to that extent was independent. His epitaph claims that he remained ‘unpensioned and unplaced, upon all occasions a real friend to the constitution of his country’.2

He died 30 June 1759.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Peter D.G. Thomas

Notes

  • 1. Add. 32858, f. 485.
  • 2. Trans. Caern. Hist. Soc. 1944, p. 53.